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Exploring the Four Empires of Mesopotamia

Chapter 6

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Bellringer

  • Please read the directions on page 39 in your ISN.
  • Read the directions and complete the assignment.

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Weekly Schedule

  • Monday – Introduce Chapter 6/Group Work
  • Tuesday – Group Work
  • Wednesday – Presentations with Groups
  • Thursday – Finish up Presentations/PowerPoint
  • Friday – Review Chapters 4,5,6

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Essential Learnings

  • Students will identify the locations of the early empires of the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Neo-Babylonians.
  • Students will describe the major achievements of the Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Neo-Babylonian Empires.
  • Students will identify the achievements of Sargon I, Hammurabi, the Sargonoid kings, and Nebuchadrezzar, including the significance of Hammurabi’s code.

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Directions

  • Groups of four (selected by Mr. Krenz)
  • Each group is responsible for one of the four empires
  • One of four jobs:
  • 1. Historian
  • 2. Set Designer
  • 3. Props Manager
  • 4. Director
  • Read Student Handout 6 (together)

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Vocabulary

  • Empire- A large territory where several groups of people are ruled by a single powerful leader or government.
  • Capital- A city that is the center of government.
  • Tribute- Wealth sent from one country or ruler to another as a sign that the other is superior.

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Vocabulary

  • Aqueduct- A pipe or channel that brings water from distant places.
  • Siege- A military blockade and attack on a city to force it to surrender.
  • Bas-relief- A sculpture in which the image projects out from a flat surface.
  • Astronomy- The study of stars and planets.

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Siege

  • LOTR

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Four Empires

  • 1. Akkadians
  • 2. Babylonians
  • 3. Assyrians
  • 4. Neo-Babylonians

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The Akkadian Empire

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The Akkadian Empire

  • Around 2300 B.C. the Akkadians came down from northern Mesopotamia and conquered Sumer.
  • They were led by Sargon. He was a great general and military leader.
  • He taught his armies to hold shields and stand behind them with their spears.
  • Sargon used this strategy to control all of Mesopotamia.

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Life Under Akkadian Rule

  • Sargon ruled for 56 years. He made Agade the capital of Mesopotamia.
  • He built up the city to have beautiful temples and palaces. It was one of the most wealthy cities in the world.
  • The Akkadians used Sumerian irrigation techniques for farming and Sumerian forms of cuneiform (writing).
  • They even worshipped the same gods.

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Life Under Akkadian Rule

  • Akkadian Accomplishments:
  • 1. Language took over
  • 2. Had 3-D sculptures
  • 3. Creation of steles
  • Because they had so much land, it was very difficult to rule.
  • So after 200 years, the Akkadian empire fell.

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Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire

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Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire

  • After the Akkadians, Sumer went back to city-states. Then Hammurabi came and united them again.
  • He made Babylon his capital (it’s middle Mesopotamia)
  • Hammurabi wrote a code of laws. He said that the gods told him what to write.
  • They were placed on a stele in the temple.

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Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire

  • The codes were very detailed and helped maintain order in the empire.
  • Even though they seem harsh to us today, they were needed.
  • They were the first laws to be applied to everyone.

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Life in the Babylonian Empire

  • Hammurabi worked to unite the people.
  • He created roads and a postal service.
  • He made sure the irrigation systems worked.
  • Babylon was on the banks of the Euphrates so trade was important.
  • Babylon traded with people all along the Persian Gulf.
  • Trade helped the empire grow.

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Life in the Babylonian Empire

  • Slaves had rights. They could own property, keep their wages, and buy their own freedom.
  • Women also had rights. They could keep their own money and own property.

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The Assyrian Empire

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The Assyrian Empire

  • They rose to power around 900 B.C. because of their trained army.
  • Achievements: New weapons and war strategies.
  • Perfected the use of horses and iron weapons.
  • Used siege warfare often.
  • They used battering rams and towers to get into cities.
  • They used cruelty and fear as part of their war strategies.

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Life Under the Assyrians

  • Powerful kings ruled, but religion was also important.
  • Built a series of aqueducts to get water.
  • Known for their 2-D bas-reliefs.
  • The empire lasted for about 300 years.
  • It was too large. The army was stretched too thin to fight off enemies.

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The Neo-Babylonian Empire

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The Neo-Babylonian Empire

  • The new empire’s most famous king was Nebuchadrezzar II.
  • He reigned from 605-562 B.C.
  • He conquered Syria and Canaan.
  • He wanted to keep Babylon safe.
  • He built an inner wall and an outer wall around the city.
  • He also built towers for archers to use.

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Life in the Neo-Babylonian Empire

  • Nebuchadrezzar rebuilt the city’s ziggurat. It was called the “House of the Platform Between Heaven and Earth.”
  • Neb. Decorated his palace with beautiful gardens. They were called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
  • They were a wonder of the world.

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Life in the Neo-Babylonian Empire

  • They were skilled in mathematics and astronomy.
  • They made the 1st sundial and they discovered the 60 minute hour and the 7 day week.
  • The empire lasted only 75 years.
  • Cyrus from Persia defeated the Babylonians.