Mesopotamia: the rise of civilization

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The Nineveh tablets reveal a civilization 1000
years older than Babylonia...and neolithic life
going back to 7000 BCE
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• Two great rivers were fed by the winter rains of
  Syria and the spring thaws of the snows of the
  Taurus and Zagros mts life-giving but
  unpredictable

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Marshland and swampland

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How was Mesopotamia transformed around 3200 BC?
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• Each city was believed to be the property of an
  individual god

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• U.S. soldiers, 2010

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Religion was the central force

• Explained the workings of nature
• Eased the fear of death
• United people in a common view
• Bolstered the authority of rulers
• Justified rules and morality
• Promoted creativity in art, literature and science

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• The functions of the temple priest class
• gtAnticipated the god's desires
• gt Interpreted their actions
• gt Soothing their wrath with prayer and sacrifice
• gt collected taxes
• gt coordinated all economic activity

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How did Mesopotamians define the purpose of mans
existence?
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Why did a mood of pessimism, uncertainty and
anxiety pervade the Sumerian psyche?

• Frequent floods and droughts
• Windstorms
• The gods were unpredictable

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Sumerian women role and rights depended on the
city-state, their social status and changed over
time.

• gt high born were literate
• gt commoners were occupied with child-rearing and
  household duties
• gt little individualism-daughter or wife
• gt rulers of city-states- rare but possible
• gt could inherit and own property
• gt ran their own businesses
• gt freedom of movement in the marketplace
• gt arranged marriages-dowry/bride price
• gtextra-marital affairs not uncommon
• gt divorce was possible
• gt singers in temples and palaces were highly
  regarded

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• How did King Sargon (2350 -2218 BCE) earn a place
  in our history books?

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• The Akkadian Empire 2350 2100 BCE

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Third Dynasty of UrUr-Nammu, 2113-2096 BC
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The Code of Hammurabigt 8 ft column of basalt
inscribed with an engraving of the king receiving
the laws from the god Marduk a prologue
(advertisement for Hammurabi's greatness!) and
282 decisions- the law code itself.Why were
King Hammurabi's law codes obeyed?
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The Hittites,1600 bc- 1200 bc
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examples of Hittite iron swords
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A Phoenician sailing vessel
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• The Phoenician Alphabet, circa 1400 bc

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The Hebrews

• Monotheism
• Removed the gods from nature
• Assertion of human dignity
• 10 Commandments