Mesopotamia:

The Fertile Crescent

Chapter 3 Notes
 Fertile Crescent
Fertile Crescent =
moon-shaped strip of
land from the
Mediterranean Sea to
the Persian Gulf that
is excellent farm land
Located in modern-day
Middle East
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia = located
within the Fertile Crescent,
between the Tigris &
Euphrates Rivers
Rivers were NOT a reliable
source of water (unlike the
Nile)
Ran dry in summer; flooded in
spring
Villages joined together to
build dams, canals, and
ditches
 The Sumerian Civilization
People from Asia arrived
in Mesopotamia
Formed 12 city-states =
the city and the land
surrounding it
Considered the worlds 1st
cities
Created ziggurats =
stepped pyramids with a
temple at the top
 The Sumerian Civilization
Sumerians shared common culture,
language, and religion
City-states governed themselves
Were theocracies = kings served as
both government leaders AND high
priests
Laws regulated the roles of women &
men men had far more rights
The Sumerian Civilization

Cuneiform
= Sumerian
system of
writing
The
symbols
represented
complex
ideas
The Sumerian Civilization

Scribes were
trained to read
& write
documents and
stories
Epic of
Gilgamesh =
oldest story in
the world
 The Sumerian Civilization
Practiced
polytheism = belief
in more than one god
Each city-state had its
own god
Negative outlook on
life and the afterlife
Believed gods were
selfish and had no
regard for humans
 Sumerian Inventions
1. Wagon Wheel
2. Arch
3. Potters Wheel
4. Sundial
5. 12-month
Calendar
6. Metal Plow
 First Mesopotamian Empires
The Akkadians
Empire under Sargon I
Kingdom was called
Akkad
Conquered & united all
of the Sumerian city-
states
Empire fell apart after
his & his grandsons
death
First Mesopotamian Empires
Babylon
Ruled by Hammurabi
Strict Code of Laws = Hammurabis
greatest achievement
Rules and consequences that addressed
daily life
Law code covered entire region of
Mesopotamia
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth type of
laws
Government assumed the responsibility of
protecting its citizens
People now had laws to protect their
rights & didnt need to resort to violence
 First Mesopotamian Empires
Babylon

Social classes were similar to the

Egyptians, but they had far more slaves
Hammurabis empire fell apart after his
death