Anything in BLUE

goes in your notes

Anything in BLUE

goes in your notes

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

In Greek, this means, “Land between the rivers.”

The Tigris and EuphratesMesopotamia is located in

the present-day country of IRAQ.

In Greek, this means, “Land between the rivers.”

The Tigris and EuphratesMesopotamia is located in

the present-day country of IRAQ.

Why did people settle in Mesopotamia?

Why did people settle in Mesopotamia?

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers deposited (dropped) silt making Mesopotamia a great place for farming.

Silt is loose soil and plant matter carried by the water.

Food is the most important thing to have if you want to survive.

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers deposited (dropped) silt making Mesopotamia a great place for farming.

Silt is loose soil and plant matter carried by the water.

Food is the most important thing to have if you want to survive.

Successful FarmersSuccessful Farmers

Farmers learned how to grow many different crops like Wheat, barley, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, apples

and pomegranate

Farmers dug ditches and filled them with water from the river so they could easily water their crops. This is called IRRIGATION.

Farmers learned how to grow many different crops like Wheat, barley, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, apples

and pomegranate

Farmers dug ditches and filled them with water from the river so they could easily water their crops. This is called IRRIGATION.

SUMERSUMER

Sumer was an area in southern Mesopotamia where many great cities were found.

This region contributed many things to all human beings.

These contributions are called LEGACIES.

Sumer was an area in southern Mesopotamia where many great cities were found.

This region contributed many things to all human beings.

These contributions are called LEGACIES.

LEGACIES OF MESOPOTAMIALEGACIES OF

MESOPOTAMIA WHEEL and WHEELED VEHICLES IRRIGATION SYSTEM POTTERY WHEEL SAILBOAT Developed MATH & SCIENCE ideas CUNEIFORM PLOW A SCRIBE was an official writer. A scribe would study

for years to learn how to write

WHEEL and WHEELED VEHICLES IRRIGATION SYSTEM POTTERY WHEEL SAILBOAT Developed MATH & SCIENCE ideas CUNEIFORM PLOW A SCRIBE was an official writer. A scribe would study

for years to learn how to write

Writing in Mesopotamia

Writing in Mesopotamia

The people of Mesopotamia wrote in CUNEIFORM - wedge

shaped lines

The people of Mesopotamia wrote in CUNEIFORM - wedge

shaped lines

These are the cuneiform symbols for “fallen star”

Cuneiform means wedge shaped.

Cuneiform began as pictures used to

represent objects but as people began to

write faster the pictures began to simplify and they

turned into symbols.

Watch the following video, told from a

Mesopotamian girl’s point of view, for all the

reasons they used cuneiform.

Watch the following video, told from a

Mesopotamian girl’s point of view, for all the

reasons they used cuneiform.

Make a list in your notebook Make a list in your notebook

As you are watching, list the reasons they used cuneiform.

As you are watching, list the reasons they used cuneiform.

What did you find?

What did you find?

CUNEIFORM – Mesopotamia was the first civilization to use

writing.This was a system of

lines and shapes.Laws, letter, records

and stories were written using

Cuneiform

CUNEIFORM – Mesopotamia was the first civilization to use

writing.This was a system of

lines and shapes.Laws, letter, records

and stories were written using

Cuneiform

Religion in MesopotamiaReligion in Mesopotamia The ancient Mesopotamians believed in many gods.

They had a god for the sun, a god for wind, a god for fresh water, a god for salt water, a god for air, a god for the moon, a god for love and war, etc. etc.

Each city-state had a god they was a special protector

Each family had their own personal god WOW. They had a lot of gods!!!

Polytheism is the belief in many gods.

The ancient Mesopotamians believed in many gods.

They had a god for the sun, a god for wind, a god for fresh water, a god for salt water, a god for air, a god for the moon, a god for love and war, etc. etc.

Each city-state had a god they was a special protector

Each family had their own personal god WOW. They had a lot of gods!!!

Polytheism is the belief in many gods.

ReligionReligion• The Mesopotamians believed in many gods. • Each city-state had both their own king and

their own gods.• Every family had their own gods that they prayed to.

The belief in many gods is called POLYTHEISM

POLY = “many”THEISM = “belief”

There is one There is one more important more important thing that was thing that was

written in written in Mesopotamia…Mesopotamia…

There is one There is one more important more important thing that was thing that was

written in written in Mesopotamia…Mesopotamia…

Let me start by

asking you a question:

Let me start by

asking you a question:

How do we know what is

legal or illegal?

How do we know what is

legal or illegal?

Talk to a partner…Talk to a partner…

Having written laws is important.

Having written laws is important.

Here are some silly examples:

It wasn’t always like this.

Anyone wearing white socks today loses a point off their final

average.

Anyone wearing white socks today loses a point off their final

average.

If you drive over the speed limit, you will have your car taken

away.

If you drive over the speed limit, you will have your car taken

away.

Is this fair? Is this fair?

Why not???Why not???

ONE leader from Mesopotamia is

credited with changing this.

ONE leader from Mesopotamia is

credited with changing this.

His name is

Hammurabi.His name is

Hammurabi.

THE CODE OF

HAMMURABI

THE CODE OF

HAMMURABI

These are the first known written

laws

These are the first known written

laws

Hammurabi had these laws placed in all the

cities so everyone would know the laws (and so there could be

no excuses).

Hammurabi had these laws placed in all the

cities so everyone would know the laws (and so there could be

no excuses).

Let’s take a look at some of

these laws.

Let’s take a look at some of

these laws.

Excerpts from the Code of Hammurabi (about 1800 B.C.)

 So that the strong may not oppress the weak; to give justice to the orphan and the widow, I have inscribed my precious words: The following are a few of Hammurabi’s laws with respect to punitive (punishment) responsibilities: • If a Freeman has put out the eye of another Freeman, they shall put out

his eye.• If he breaks the bone of another Freeman, they shall break his bone.• If he puts out the eye of a Poor Man, or breaks the bone of a Poor Man,

he shall pay 1 mina of silver. If he puts out the eye of the Slave of another Free Man, he shall pay half this price.• Should a builder build a house so poorly that it collapses on its owner, and

the owner dies, the builder shall be put to death.• A son who strikes his father shall lose his fingers.• If a patient dies after surgery, the surgeon shall lose his hand.• If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition…if then the dam

breaks and all the fields be flooded; then shall he be sold for money [as a slave], and the money shall replace the corn which he has ruined.

What are some things that we notice about these laws?

What are some things that we notice about these laws?

Let’s take a closer look:

According to the first paragraph, what is the PURPOSE of the code?

According to the first paragraph, what is the PURPOSE of the code?

The purpose of the code is:

“If he breaks the bone of another Freeman, they shall break his

bone.”

“If he breaks the bone of another Freeman, they shall break his

bone.”

“If a Freeman has put out the eye of another

Freeman, they shall put out his eye.”

“If a Freeman has put out the eye of another

Freeman, they shall put out his eye.”

This kind of justice is known as “eye for an eye” justice

What does “eye for an eye justice” mean?

What does “eye for an eye justice” mean?

Put it in your own words:

Put it in your own words:

What about the other laws?

What about the other laws?

What do we learn from a closer look at the last two laws in

that excerpt?

Let’s write a few “eye for an eye” laws for

school:

Let’s write a few “eye for an eye” laws for

school:

Your homework:

Write 3 “eye for an eye” laws that would work for your family

Your homework:

Write 3 “eye for an eye” laws that would work for your family

Perhaps it would be helpful to think of the things that people complain

about in your house

Perhaps it would be helpful to think of the things that people complain

about in your house