Chapter 1: Section 2

Today, I will learn about an ancient land called, Mesopotamia. I will learn its location & about its first people, the Sumerians.

Location

Sumer a region in Mesopotamia 3500 B.C. 2000 B.C.

Mesopotamia means the land between the rivers. Climate hot & dry, unpredictable spring floods Floods led to the invention of irrigation Irrigation using walls, waterways and ditches as a way of watering crops Building Material bricks made of river mud mixed with crushed reeds

polytheism belief in many gods

Sumerian Religion

Believed in ~3,000 gods who had powers over a natural force or human activity Ziggurat grand temple built for a god; means mountain of god or hill of heaven.

Began with irrigation planning

Sumerian Government

Region was divided into citystates that governed themselves. Sumerian city-states went to war with one another.

Today, I will learn about Sumerian social classes, inventions, and 2 important people: Sargon and Hammurabi.

Sumerian Social Classes hierarchy- organization with different levels of authority

Kings, priests, government officials

Artisans, merchants, farmers, fishers

Slaves

Sumerian Art
Sculptures Jewelry- gold & lapis lazuli

Sumerian Literature
Epic of Gilgamesh the worlds oldest story epic a long poem that tells the story of a hero

Sumerian Inventions
1st Writing System- Cuneiform irrigation water wheel wheel plow made farming easier sailboat replaced muscle power with wind power arch 12 month Calendar based on lunar cycles 60-minute hour, 60-second minute, 360-degree circle

Cuneiform

Irrigation

Sargon Akkadian King

2340 B.C. Sargon conquered all of Mesopotamia Worlds 1st Empire lasted for 200 years

Hammurabi Babylonian King

1800s B.C. Established the first code of laws Moved the center of Mesopotamia from Sumer in the south to Babylon in the north

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Turn in Green FolderI moved the basket to the

shelf by the door!

Sharpen pencils. Sit in your assigned seat & wait for

announcements.
Make sure you have your pencil pouch/box & all items for class!

Today, I will learn about the Assyrians and the Chaldeans. Assyrias military and government helped it build an empire in Mesopotamia by 650 B.C. The Chaldeans built important landmarks in Babylon and developed the first calendar with a 7day-week.

The Assyrians
Well Organized Army:
Foot soldiers experts with spears & daggers; bows & arrows Chariot riders and soldiers on horseback FIRST army to use IRON weapons, thanks to the Hittites.

The Assyrians
Well-Organized Government:
Empires capital was at Nineveh on the Tigris River Kings divided the land into provinces Officials governed each province Officials collected taxes & enforced laws Built roads to join the entire empire

Cool Facts:
One of the worlds first libraries was in Nineveh The Assyrian leaders were so cruel, the people rebelled; while everyone was fighting, a group called the Chaldeans took over

The Chaldeans Most were descendants of Hammurabis Babylonian people

Under King Nebuchadnezzar, they rebuilt Babylon Babylon became the worlds largest & richest city Hanging Gardens staircase of plants & trees built for Nebuchadnezzars wife Ishtar Gate main entrance to Babylon