Transcript The Ancient World: Mesopotamia & Primary Sources

The Ancient World:
Mesopotamia & Primary Sources
Agenda
• Last class
Overview of Mesopotamia and Egypt
• Today
• Announcements
• Map Terms (Ancient Civ.)
• Primary Sources: what are they, and why should I
care?
• Example of a primary source: Hammurabi’s Code
Announcements
• Questions re: syllabus, course description,
textbooks, website, etc.?
• Check UML email for course announcements,
updates, etc.
• Password for Powerpoint PDFs on Course
Website = “Fall2010.”
Map Terms (Ancient Civilizations)
• See website for list of
terms and blank map
• Questions?
• Map Quiz on Friday
(10 terms)
Primary Sources
• What is a primary source?
• Definitions
• Examples
• Why are primary sources important?
• What are the problems with a primary
source?
• Next we’ll discuss a primary source from
ancient Mesopotamia.
• Please rearrange your chairs in a circle so
that you can see everyone else in the
room, and take out your copy of
Hammurabi’s Code (in Wiesner)
Hammurabi’s Code
Approaching a Primary Source
• 5 Ws?
• Who, when, where, what, why
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Audience?
Potential bias?
Incomplete source?
What can we extract from this document
about the society in which it was created?