Crash Course World History: Mesopotamia

Introduction

• Host: John Green
• Focus: Mesopotamia
• Importance: Writing and taxes
• Reference: Benjamin Franklin quoting Christopher Bullock

Emergence of Cities

• 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia (between Tigris and Euphrates rivers)
• Early cities practiced a form of socialism
  • Farmers contributed crops to public storehouses
  • Workers paid in grain

City vs. Country

• Legacy of conflict between rural and urban areas
• Illustrated in art and literature (e.g., "The Epic of Gilgamesh")

Uruk: An Example of a Mesopotamian City-State

• Walled city with canal system and ziggurats (temples)
• Priests initially held power
• Temples communicated with moody Mesopotamian gods
• Gods associated with unpredictable river behavior

Shift in Power

• Rival structure to temples: The Palace
• Social order shifted from gods to human kingship
• Kings assumed quasi-religious roles
  • "Sacred marriage" with high priestesses

Development of Writing: Cuneiform

• Writing used to record transactions (e.g., wheat for goats)
• Importance of writing:
  1. Created class distinction
  2. Provided actual history
  3. Enabled professions like historians

Societal Changes

• Mesopotamia lacked resources; relied on trade
• Development of the first territorial kingdoms
• Transition from proto-socialism to private enterprise

Rise of Monarchies

• Kings attempted to centralize power and pass it to heirs
• Example: Hammurabi of Babylon
  • Famous for Hammurabi’s law code
  • Law code included harsh punishments and presumption of innocence

Assyrian Empire

• Reputation for brutality and efficiency
• Developed a multi-ethnic empire
• Merits-based military leadership
• Used propaganda and architecture to inspire awe
• Eventually collapsed due to overextension and loss of faith in worldview

Conclusion

• Mesopotamian legacy: Foundation of empire
• Upcoming topics: Egypt and mummies

Production Notes

• Produced by Stan Muller
• Written by Raoul Meyer and John Green
• Graphics by Thought Bubble

Additional Information

• Last week's phrase: "Better Boyfriend"
• Encourage viewer engagement (comments, phrase guessing)
• Signature sign-off: "Don't forget to be awesome"