Transcript The Rise of Sumer

Bellwork
 EQ4: How did physical location lead to the success
and development of the Fertile Valley Civilizations?
The physical location of Mesopotamia led to its development
and success because it was located in the Fertile Crescent, an
area in Southwest Asia that had very rich soil.
Mesopotamia was also surrounded by two rivers, the Tigris
and the Euphrates. These rivers deposited rich silt, which
made the soil good for planting crops and raising animals.
The rivers also provided drinking water and other forms of
food such as fish.
EQ #5:
What are the characteristics and
accomplishments of the Fertile Crescent
civilizations?
Word Wall Words
 rural
 urban
 city-state
 empire
 polytheism
 monotheism
 Judaism
 religion
 Torah
 occupation
 social hierarchy
 impact
 epic
 barter
 monarchy
 cuneiform
 ziggurat
 Hammurabi’s Code
 government
The Rise of Sumer
The World’s First Civilization
The Development of An Advanced Society
Sumerians –
Nomadic
Village
Farming
City-state
City
What is a civilization?
Civilization - a culture marked by
developments in arts, sciences, government,
and social structure ; the stage of cultural
development at which writing and the
keeping of written records is attained
The City-States of Sumer
Made up of both rural and urban areas
The amount of countryside controlled by
each city-state depended on its military
strength.
Fought each other to gain more farmland
Built walls around cities for greater
protection
The Structure of a City-State
The Religion of Sumer
 Religion was part of every aspect of Sumerian life.
 Practiced polytheism – believed in many gods
 air, water, wisdom, war and love, sun and moon
Each city-state was focused on one god
Believed that gods had enormous power
Everyone had a duty to serve and worship the gods
Priests-performed religious ceremonies; talked to the gods
for the people
 Believed gods lived in ziggurat
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Sumerian Social Order
Social hierarchy
kings
priests
craftspeople, merchants, traders
farmers and laborers
slaves
Men and Women of Sumer
men
had political power
made laws
military
women
home
children
Usually men were educated, but some
upper-class women received educations.
Sumerian Achievements
Cuneiform – the first form of writing;
originally developed for business records
uses pictographs combined to relate ideas
Scribes – writer; hired to keep list of items people
traded – eventually used for everything
Sumerian students went to school to learn to read
and write
Cuneiform
Sumerian Achievements Continued
 Epics
Gilgamesh
 Wheel
 Plow
 Irrigation
 Calendar
 Medicine
 Architecture
 Jewelry
 Metal weapons
 Musical instruments