Frequent flooding from two rivers

Frequent flooding from two rivers

• Frequent flooding from two rivers

• Instability of daily life leads to a need for a strong government

• protection from floods

Easy to get to--“Cultural Crossroads”

• Easy to get to--“Cultural Crossroads”

• Trade and cultural diffusion

Easy to get to  easy to invade

• Easy to get to  easy to invade

• numerous small empires over time
• Sumerians
• Akkadian
• Babylonians
• And Many More!!

How do we know they were very religious?

• How do we know they were very religious?

• Size of the Ziggurat (shows importance they placed on religion)

• Seen as evil place

• Epic of Gilgamesh

• How does this compare to the Egyptian view?

Designed buildings!

• Designed buildings!

• Invented Modern Day Math

• All was based on number 6
• 1 hour = 60 minutes
• 1 circle = 360 degrees

• Calendar developed – for crops

Same basic class system for all river valley civilizations

• Same basic class system for all river valley civilizations

Used Sumerian ideas and created an empire

• Used Sumerian ideas and created an empire

First written code of law

• First written code of law

• Goal?

• Benefits to written laws?

Analyzing Hammurabi’s Code…

• Analyzing Hammurabi’s Code…

• Does the punishment fit the crime?

• Translate the law—what are they saying?
• Analyze the law—does the punishment fit the crime?
• Modify the law—if its not fair, change it!!