Chapter 2 Section 3

1
Chapter 2Section 3 4

• Sumerian Civilization
• Empires of the Fertile Crescent

2
The Fertile Crescent

• Fertile Crescent
• b/w Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf
• b/w Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• Map pg 28

3
Sumer

• Lowest part of Tigris-Euphrates Valley
• Rich soil
• Sumerians used metal as early as 3000 B.C

4
Sumerian City-States

• City-State Land of city and surroundings
  controlled just by its own city
• Ur, Erech, Kish had thousands of residents
• Seldom united
• Priests started out as rulers
• Warlords took over as kings as there was a need
  for control in city-states

5
Sumerian Writing

• Earliest written language
• No paper Carved into clay
• Cuneiform- Sumerian writing consisted of over 600
  symbols all in wedge form

6
Sumerian Engineering

• Built with sun dried bricks made of mud and straw
• Sumerians biggest contribution in engineering
  The ARCH
• Arch Curved structure with an opening

7
Continued

• Ziggurats- Sumerian Temples
• Layered buildings each layer getting smaller to
  the top

8
Numbering and Math

• Everything in multiples of 60
• Big numbers example 120 would be two 60s
• Circle 360 degrees six 60s
• Time- hour 60 minutes
• Minute 60 seconds
• Had a Lunar Calendar

9
Education Religion

• Polytheistic (believed in many gods)
• Only Upper class boys went to school to be
  educated

10
Empires Of the Fertile Crescent

• Lack of unity of the Sumerian City-States made
  them vulnerable to attack and take over

11
Akkadians

• Akkadians conquered Sumerians Around 2330 B.C.
• Came from Just north of Sumer in Mesopotamia
• Sargon- most powerful Akkadian King
• Expanded Empire to Mediterranean Sea
• Akkadian Empire Lasted 100 years

12
Babylonians

• Took over Fertile Crescent 1792 B.C.
• Hammurabi Powerful Babylonian Leader
• Developed the Code of Hammurabi
• 282 laws
• Covered many rights such as working conditions,
  wages, and fees for charges
• Judges appointed by the king enforced these laws
• Most punishments for laws breakers were eye for
  an eye, ruling

13
Babylonian Social classes/religion

• Same social class break as the Sumerians
• Marriages- were arranged from parents
• Husband of the marriage had control
• Man head of household
• Only the man could get a divorce
• Code of Hammurabi still protected women as well
  as men for fair treatment
• Polytheistic- Adopted Sumerian religion

14
Hittites

• Very Warlike
• Good Fighters
• First to make use iron weapons
• Ruled in1600 B.C.
• Rule short lived too far from home

15
Assyrians

• Great conquers
• Ruled Fertile Crescent around 900 B.C.
• Ruled over Syria, Babylonia, and Egypt
• First to have a major cavalry (units of soldiers
  on horseback)

16
Assyrian Government

• Emperor/King had absolute power
• Each conquered Territory had an Appointed
  Governor Appointed by King
• King made inspections
• Army most important part of government
• Soldiers gained wealth from the lands they
  conquered

17
Assyrian Greatness

• Capital Nineveh
• Very fortified
• Had aqueducts
• Large Libraries were built in the city,
  Compilation of many Clay tablets
• Great Epic (Epic of Gilgamesh)

18
Chaldeans

• Ruled by Nebuchadnezzar 605-562 B.C.
• Rebuilt City of Babylon
• Very Strong Leader (heart and soul of Chaldean
  Empire)
• Made the Hanging Gardens (One of the seven
  wonders of the world)
• After Nebuchadnezzars death Chaldean Empire Fell
  to the Persians)

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
Persians

• Conquered Babylon Chaldeans in 539 B.C.
• Early kings very powerful
• Established and Expanded the biggest empire in
  history to this point.
• Kings all powerful
• Great leaders and generals

22
Great Persian Kings

• Cyrus- took over rule in Iran
• Conquered Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar
• Greatly expanded the empire
• Took control of all of the Fertile Crescent
• Darius- Second Persian Emperor
• Greatly expanded the empire more than just
  Fertile Crescent
• Gained control of parts of Greece

23
Continued

• Xerxes-Third great Persian Emperor
• Expanded the empire even more
• All Persian emperors had a good sense of justice
  and treated their conquered territories better
  than previous empires
• Starting with Cyrus territories were allowed to
  keep their own religion and laws

24
(No Transcript)
25
Persian Religion

• Persiansnew form of religion from influential
  profit (Zoroaster)
• Zoroastrianism- Belief that every person on earth
  had a choice
• To do good in the world
• Or to do evil
• Life on earth was training for a better life
• Good will triumph over evil in the end

26
Fall of Persian Empire

• After Xerxes Weaker Leadership
• Finally taken over by Alexander the Great

27
Quiz

• 1. What are the two major rivers in the Fertile
  Crescent?
• 2. What architectural advancements did the
  Sumerians give us?
• 3. Define a city state
• 4. Define Polytheism
• 5. What was the First Empire to use Iron Weapons?
• 6. What Empire used the first cavalry?
• 7. Who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for
  his wife?
• 8. Name the three great Persian Kings.
• 9. Who takes over Persia?