Mesopotamia Flashcards
cradle of civilization
Some of the most influential early city-states and empires first emerged there
Cross roads of the Egyption and the Indus valley civilazations
-Melting pot of languages and culture
-lasting impact on writing, technology, language, trade, religion, and law
- cultures interacted with and ruled over each other over the course of several thousand of years
- fought over land & water: lacked many resources
Many Kingdoms ruled:
Sumerians, Akadians, Babylonians, Hittites, Assyrians, new Babylonians, persians
Tigris & Euphrates rivers
violent and unpredictable floods
some years no flood
Hammurabi
King of Babylon 1790 BCE
- 1st time lawa written down
-300 lwas carved in stone pillars and placed in public view
a) civil law (private matter)
b) criminal law( offenses against others)
*Punished varied according to social status
Israelites:Hebrews
1) Nomadic people, hereders, and farmers
Lived in Palestine
2) Judasim
- told people to believe in one god( monotheism)
Torah
Most sacred text/ first 5 books of the Hebrew bible (old testament for Christians)
-recorded events and laws here
1) everyday matters like cleanliness and food preperation
2) criminal acts
3) moral principles
Taimud
additional laws and customs
Brahman
father of Israelites
-migrated and headed near canaan
- 2 part covenant (agreement/promise) with god: key belifes
a) Jews had obligations/duties to fulfill in the world
b) promise land=canaan
lack of food–> went to Egypt
- pharoah enslaved them
-built tombs and pyramids
-beaten or killed if they refused
Moses(1200 BCE)
renewed convenient with god
-led Jews out of egypt-> left and went to the desert (40 yrs)
10 commandments
god gave these laws to Moses
- teach people to lead kind, far and honest lives
4) returned to cannon -> 12 tribes united by DAVID
Solomon
finished building capital of Jerusalem
-increaded Israel’s strength and influence
- high taxes, forced labor= revolts -> kingdom split-> conquered by assarians
5) conquered by Assyrians and neo Babylonians
-NEBUCHADNEZZAR forced to leave= BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY
-persians took over -> allowed Jews back in
Jewish Diaspor
Scattering of Jewish people from their ancestoral homeland
Phoenicians
known for manufacturing, shipping, trade
The first cilvilazations developed in geographic areas where
agriculture flourished
Complex societies are
distinct religious structures
some kind of military force/institution
an organized govt bureaucracy
One result of the economic specialization that occured was
rapid social straisfication and the creation of elite classes of rulers
Why was the initial development of long-distance trade important in the fertile crescent
resources like timber for building and certain minerals were scarce in the River valleys
As organized communities increasingly began to store food a surplus and accumulate material goods,
villagers began to engage in trade
The Epic of Gilgamesh is notable for being
one of the oldest surviving works for literature
The development of what explains why the Hittities eventually dominated Mesopotmaia
Iron weapons
In ancient Mesopotamia writing was used primarily to
record business transactions of daily life
a major reason for the collapse of the mesopotamian civilaztion was
constant invasions from foreigners
which of the following caused ancient civilazations to change
contact with people through trade, warfare, and migration
