chapter 2 the fertile crescent. land between two rivers i. fertile crescent a. shaped like a...

Chapter 2Chapter 2

The Fertile The Fertile CrescentCrescent

Land Between Two RiversLand Between Two Rivers

I. Fertile CrescentI. Fertile CrescentA. Shaped like a A. Shaped like a crescent mooncrescent moon

B. One end at B. One end at Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea


C. One end at C. One end at Persian GulfPersian Gulf

D. Presence of rivers D. Presence of rivers make location good make location good for cropsfor crops


II. MesopotamiaII. MesopotamiaA. Part of Fertile A. Part of Fertile CrescentCrescent

B. Name from Greek – B. Name from Greek – “between the rivers”“between the rivers”


C. Between Tigris C. Between Tigris and Euphrates Riversand Euphrates Rivers

D. Life and death D. Life and death from riversfrom rivers


1. Life – rich soil, 1. Life – rich soil, fish, clay, reedsfish, clay, reeds

2. Death – floods 2. Death – floods and destructionand destruction


III. SumerIII. SumerA. First cities developed A. First cities developed in area of Sumerin area of Sumer

1. Cities separated by 1. Cities separated by long distanceslong distances


2. Did not unite under 2. Did not unite under one rulerone ruler

3. City-states – a city 3. City-states – a city with its own traditions with its own traditions and its own government and its own government and lawsand laws


B. ReligionB. Religion

1. Polytheism – belief 1. Polytheism – belief in many godsin many gods

2. ziggurats – main 2. ziggurats – main temple to gods of citytemple to gods of city


a. very higha. very highb. Gods used b. Gods used them to travel to them to travel to EarthEarth


3. myths – stories 3. myths – stories about gods that about gods that explain people’s beliefsexplain people’s beliefs

4. scribes – 4. scribes – professional writersprofessional writers


C. Fall of Sumerian city – C. Fall of Sumerian city – statesstates1. Due to wealth1. Due to wealth2. Fought over land2. Fought over land3. Fought over use of 3. Fought over use of river waterriver water

Babylonia and AssyriaBabylonia and Assyria

I. Important themes in I. Important themes in history of history of MesopotamiaMesopotamiaA. Powerful warriors A. Powerful warriors conquering rich landconquering rich land


B. Two important empires B. Two important empires – area of many territories – area of many territories and people controlled by and people controlled by one governmentone government

1. Babylonia1. Babylonia2. Assyria2. Assyria

Babylonian and AssyriaBabylonian and Assyria

II. Babylonian Empire II. Babylonian Empire A. Hammurabi A. Hammurabi united the cities of united the cities of SumerSumer


B. City of Babylon – B. City of Babylon – center of empirecenter of empire

1. Location made it 1. Location made it center of trade – cities center of trade – cities to north and southto north and south


2. Empire – area of 2. Empire – area of many territories and many territories and people that are people that are controlled by the controlled by the governmentgovernment


3. Caravans – groups of 3. Caravans – groups of traders – stopped theretraders – stopped there

4. Bazaars – a market 4. Bazaars – a market selling different kinds of selling different kinds of goodsgoods


5. 1760 B.C. 5. 1760 B.C. Hammurabi conquered Hammurabi conquered Mari.Mari.

6. 1600 B.C. Babylonian 6. 1600 B.C. Babylonian empire shrunk and was empire shrunk and was destroyeddestroyed


III. Assyrian EmpireIII. Assyrian EmpireA. North of BabylonA. North of BabylonB. Located in open B. Located in open spacesspaces


1. Always defending 1. Always defending themselvesthemselves

2. Became great 2. Became great warriorswarriors


C. Achievements in C. Achievements in warfarewarfare

1. Invented battering ram1. Invented battering ram

2. Expert archers2. Expert archers

3. Armed charioteers3. Armed charioteers


D. Nineveh – great D. Nineveh – great library and city of library and city of learninglearning

E. Defeated by Medes E. Defeated by Medes and Chaldeansand Chaldeans


IV. New Babylonian IV. New Babylonian EmpireEmpireA. Grew under A. Grew under ChaldeansChaldeans


B. Greatest King – B. Greatest King – NebuchadnezzarNebuchadnezzar

Rebuilt city of BabylonRebuilt city of Babylon

Great palace and Great palace and gardensgardens


C. Center of science C. Center of science and learningand learning

1. Studied stars1. Studied stars

2. Measured length of 2. Measured length of a yeara year


D. Chaldeans open to D. Chaldeans open to attacks by neighborsattacks by neighbors

1. 539 B.C. New 1. 539 B.C. New Babylonian empire fellBabylonian empire fellA. City of Babylon A. City of Babylon sparedspared

The Legacy of MesopotamiaThe Legacy of Mesopotamia

A. Development of A. Development of written code of laws written code of laws – Hammurabi’s Code– Hammurabi’s Code

B. Development of a B. Development of a system of mathsystem of math


1. Solve everyday 1. Solve everyday problemsproblems

2. Measure 2. Measure geometric shapesgeometric shapes


C. Development of writingC. Development of writing

1. Developed in 1. Developed in Mesopotamia – 3500 B.C.Mesopotamia – 3500 B.C.

2. Necessary to keep 2. Necessary to keep recordsrecords


3. Scribes important 3. Scribes important in societyin society

4. Used clay from 4. Used clay from Tigris and EuphratesTigris and Euphrates


5. Clay shaped into 5. Clay shaped into tabletstablets

6. Shape and size of 6. Shape and size of tablet depend upon tablet depend upon its useits use


7. Cuneiform – a 7. Cuneiform – a form of writing that form of writing that uses groups of uses groups of wedges and lineswedges and lines

Mediterranean CivilizationsMediterranean Civilizations

I. PhoeniciaI. PhoeniciaA. Located on A. Located on Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea


B. Rich resourcesB. Rich resources

1. Snails produce 1. Snails produce purple dyepurple dye

2. Cedar trees2. Cedar trees


C. First trading C. First trading empire and great empire and great sea powersea power


D. Phoenician D. Phoenician alphabetalphabet

1. Needed to 1. Needed to simplify writingsimplify writing


2. Developed 2. Developed alphabet – a set of alphabet – a set of symbols that symbols that represent sounds of represent sounds of the languagethe language


3. Basis of our 3. Basis of our alphabetalphabet

4. More people 4. More people could learn to read could learn to read and writeand write

chapter 2 the fertile crescent. land between two rivers i. fertile crescent a. shaped like a...

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