The Fertile Crescent
Chapter 2, Section 3 The Legacy of Mesopotamia Objectives
• In this section you will
• Learn about the importance of Hammurabi’s Code.
• Find out how the art of writing developed in Mesopotamia. Key Terms
• code – an organized list of laws and rules
• Hammurabi – the king of Babylon from about 1792 to 1750 B.C.; creator of the Babylon Empire
• cuneiform – groups of wedges and lines used to write several languages of the Fertile Crescent Hammurabi’s Code • King Hammurabi of Babylon set down rules for everyone in his empire to follow. • His code was based on the concept, “an eye for an eye.” • A person who accidentally broke a law was considered to be guilty. • Doctors often got into trouble, because sometimes their patients died, even if it wasn’t their fault. Reading Check
• What was Hammurabi’s Code? • Hammurabi’s Code was a set of written laws created by the Babylonian ruler Hammurabi. These laws set down rules for the people in his empire to follow and helped settle conflicts. The Art of Writing • Writing developed in Mesopotamia in 3500 B.C. • The Sumerians trained scribes to record sales and trades, tax payments, gifts for the gods, marriages, and deaths. • The people of ancient Mesopotamia inscribed their writing on clay tablets. • Archaeologists have discovered and translated many of these clay tablets. Sumerians began writing by forming pictures. Over time, they combined pictures and symbols, and eventually began using wedges and lines. These wedges and lines became known as cuneiform. As writing developed, word representations changed from pictures into wedge-shaped cuneiform. Reading Check • When, where, and how did writing first develop? • Writing first developed in Mesopotamia around 3100 B.C. • At first, people drew symbols that represented exact objects. • Eventually, these symbols developed into groups of wedges and lines that looked less like what they represented. Section 3 Assessment
1.(a) Recall What was Hammurabi’s Code and what was its purpose in ancient Babylonia? A written set of laws followed by Babylonians; to prevent people from breaking the rules and to punish them if they did. (b) Analyze What does the expression “an eye for an eye” mean in relation to the laws in Hammurabi’s Code? That the punishment equaled the crime.
(c) Apply Information Hammurabi’s Code was fair in some ways and unfair in other ways. Explain. Fair – laws were made to help people settle conflicts; unfair – laws were applied unequally depending on the victims class. 2.(a) Describe What were some uses of writing in Sumer? To keep records, create references, and record personal messages.
(b) Contrast How do the early forms and methods of writing differ from the way we write today? Today we write with letters instead of symbols; we use pens, pencils, paper, and computers instead of sharp tools and clay tablets.
(c) Draw Inferences Why was the development of writing an important step in human history? It allowed us to clearly state laws and keep records. The Importance of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is known as the “cradle of civilization” because all civilization started there. Mesopotamia means “the land between two rivers.” Many societies developed between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The first cities developed in Mesopotamia. Farming led to surpluses of food, and was possible in this fertile region. Great rulers built empires by conquering other lands in the area. Trade and conquest made the region wealthy. Science and learning centers developed in the region, as well as the art of writing. Laws were written down and used to settle disputes.