Mesopotamian History
The first peoples in Mesopotamia were hunter- gatherer groups. The first farms came at around 7000 BC. These farms became the settlements of the world's first civilization. Between 4000 and 3000 BC the settlements became cities. In the south part of Mesopotamia the Sumerians started the world's first civilization. The political unit of Sumer was a city-state. A city-state is the city and the farmland surrounding it.
Later, another civilization, the Akkadians, surfaced. The two civilizations lived in peace until an Akkadian emperor named Sargon conquered Sumer. Sargon built an empire, the world's first. After Sargon's death the Sumerian city state of Ur rose to power and took over Mesopotamia once again.
After a series of attacks Ur was defeated in 2000 BC. After that the Babylonians rose to power. A Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, wrote a set of laws called Hammurabi's Code which laid out the rules of his Kingdom. After Hammurabi passed, Babylon was defeated and the empire ended.
After Babylon the Hittites came to power. After the Hittites came the Assyrians. The Assyrians had a strong and fierce army. The Assyrians were defeated by the Chaldeans. A Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt the city of Babylon and made it a beautiful city.
During the time of these empires the Phoenician civilization developed on the western end of the fertile crescent area. The Phonecians became wealthy by trading over the sea. Those are the major empires and civilizations of the fertile crescent. On the timeline below you can see the rulers of some of these civilizations.
Later, another civilization, the Akkadians, surfaced. The two civilizations lived in peace until an Akkadian emperor named Sargon conquered Sumer. Sargon built an empire, the world's first. After Sargon's death the Sumerian city state of Ur rose to power and took over Mesopotamia once again.
After a series of attacks Ur was defeated in 2000 BC. After that the Babylonians rose to power. A Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, wrote a set of laws called Hammurabi's Code which laid out the rules of his Kingdom. After Hammurabi passed, Babylon was defeated and the empire ended.
After Babylon the Hittites came to power. After the Hittites came the Assyrians. The Assyrians had a strong and fierce army. The Assyrians were defeated by the Chaldeans. A Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt the city of Babylon and made it a beautiful city.
During the time of these empires the Phoenician civilization developed on the western end of the fertile crescent area. The Phonecians became wealthy by trading over the sea. Those are the major empires and civilizations of the fertile crescent. On the timeline below you can see the rulers of some of these civilizations.