Section+2-1+City+States+in+Mesopotamia

﻿ Chapter 2-1: City States in Mesopotamia

**__ Key Words: __** - Fertile Crescent: An arc of rich farmland in Southeast Asia; between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. - City-State: A city/surrounding land functioning as a single political unit. - Mesopotamia: Fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. - Dynasty: Series of rulers from one family - Cultural Diffusion: One idea or product that spreads from one culture to another - Polytheism: Belief in more than one god

**__Important People:__** __﻿__- Sumerians - Hammurabi - Sargon of Akkad

**__ Key Points: __** **__ ﻿ __** //Environmental// //Challenges:// - Land settled in 3300 BC by Sumerians because of rich farmland <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Many challenges: Flooding (unpredictable)/ little or no rain, No natural barriers = no protection for villages, limited resources in summer.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Solving Problems through Organization:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Dug irrigation ditches/provide water to crops <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- City walls built with mud bricks = defense <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Trade items (grain, cloth, tools) for materials (stone, wood, metal)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Sumerians Create City-States:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 3000 BC Sumerians = many cities surrounded by barley and wheat fields <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Cities = Same culture, different governments (city-states = Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, Ur)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Priests and Rulers Share Control:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Priest = control water supply/spiritual leader <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Commander = only control soldiers during war (power ended after war) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 3000 BC many wars/Commanders given permanent control formed dynasties

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Spread of Cities:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 2500 BC new cities rise <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Cultural Diffusion occurs

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//A Religion of Many Gods:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Believed in many gods, Enil (storm and air god) among most powerful <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Ugallu = good demons/protectors <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Humans = servants of the gods <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Ziggurats = shrines/city halls

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Life in Sumerian Society:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Kings/ Landholders/Priests = 1st <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Rich Merchants = 2nd <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Ordinary Citizens = 3rd <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Slaves 4th <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Women could be all of the above

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Sumerian Technology/ Science:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Invented wheel/sail/plow and first to use bronze <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- __Arithmetic/Geometry__: Number system base 60 (60 seconds, 360 degree circle) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- __Architectural Innovations:__ Arches, Columns, Ramps <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- __Cuneiform:__ Type of writing, first recorded 2300 BC <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Oldest written record of scientific investigation

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//First Empire Builder:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 3000 - 2000 BC city-states constantly at war <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Left weakened = defenseless to outside attack

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Sargon of Akkad:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 2350 BC Sargon captured Sumerian city-states <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Adopted Sumerian culture and formed first dynasty (lasted 200 years)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Babylonian Empire:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- 2000 BC Amorites invade Mesopotamia/establish Babylon (Babylonia) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Reached peak of during reign of Hammurabi (1792 BC - 1750 BC)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Hammurabi's Code:// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//-// Used one set of laws (282 laws - family relations, business conduct, crime) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">- Used principle of retaliation (eye for an eye)