Mesopotamia

Aim: What was the significance of Geography on Mesopotamia?

Do Now: Writing in Mesopotamia

Item	Approx Time
Do Now	3-5 Min
Mini Lesson	15-20 Min
Activity	15 Min
Discussion	5-7 Min

The Geography & Early Civilizations of Mesopotamia

Achievements of Mesopotamia

Some of the most important inventions in human history were made in ancient Mesopotamia.

Inventions, Science and Mathematics

Sumerians probably invented

• wheel
• sailboat
• tools and weapons of copper and bronze
• earliest writing system
  • cuneiform – symbol writing on clay tablets
• calendar
  • divided into 12 months

Babylonians

• number system based on 60
  • basis for our clock time: seconds and minutes

Building

Sumerians were the world’s first city-builders

• lacked stone and timber
• used mud bricks and crushed reeds
• constructed
  • walled cities
  • temples with arches
  • stepped pyramids – ziggurats

Mesopotamia's 1st Empire

• Sargon - Founder of the World’s 1st Empire
• Akkadian Empire
• Traded Extensively for Timber & Wine, gave them Farm goods in exchange
• Took over Trade Routes
• Unified the City States
• Expanded North (To present day Syria)
• Expanded West (To Mediterranean Coast)

Babyonian Empire

• Hammurabi - Ruled Empire 500 Years after Sargon
• Hammurabi developed a set of laws called the Code of Hammurabi
• Sumerian City-States rebelled against Hammurabi's empire and it was destroyed
• 60 years later the Babylonians rebuilt their city and their empire

Codes of Law - Rules and Regulations to govern a society.

Code of Hammurabi

• Discovered in 1901 in Susa
• Pillar with over 200 laws
• One of the oldest code of laws. (4,000 years old)
• Showed Slavery existed in Babylonia.
• Not everyone was treated the same. Different laws for different groups of people.

Classwork & Homework

Lesson Powerpoint: Mesopotamia Review

Classwork: Hammurabi Worksheet

Homework: Assignments

On a Separate Piece of Paper

1. Choose 1 Group (2 Laws) or 2 Laws from the worksheet
2. Answer all Five (5) Questions