• 9/20 Focus: – Hammurabi established the Babylonian

Empire in Mesopotamia.– Hammurabi created one of the first code

of laws that would apply to everyone in his empire.

• Do Now:– What was one effect of a lack of natural

barriers in Mesopotamia

Review Review

Mesopotamia

Sumerian DeclineSumerian Decline

• Frequent warfare and foreign invasions weakened the Sumerian City States

• Ruler from the city of Akkad– Located on the Euphrates

River • Conquered all of Sumer

and northern Mesopotamia – Established the world’s

first empire– Last about 140 years

until tribes invaded from the east

• Amorite tribe invaded Mesopotamia from the East

• Hammurabi – Amorite king that

united all of Mesopotamia into the Babylonian Empire in 1792 B.C.E• Capitol was

Babylon

Hammurabi’s RuleHammurabi’s Rule

• Under his rule the empire grew wealthy through expansion of trade

• Expanded public works projects

• Kept elements of the Sumerian culture– Honored Sumerian gods– Allowed priests to retain

power– Continued to teach

Sumerian language and cuneiform

The Code of HammurabiThe Code of Hammurabi• The first major collection of

codified laws in history– 282 written laws

• Dealt with everything from trade to murder

• Laws written for all to see

– Established standards of justice for all classes

– Harsh Punishments• “An eye for an eye, a

tooth for a tooth”