Transcript The Rise of Sumer - Vista Verde Middle School

The Rise of Sumer
Cornell Notes
An Advanced Society
 What is a city-state?
 A city and all of the
surrounding villages
and countryside
 What is the
difference between
“rural” and “urban”?
 Rural is country
 Ex. Perris
 Urban is city
 Riverside
The City-States of Sumer
 Where and how did
most Sumerians live?
 How did the city-
states get along with
each other?
 Rural because they
were farmers.
 Always at war trying to
gain more land
 Built strong/large
armies
 Built walls around their
cities for protection
Important Sumerian Leaders
 Gilgamesh
 Legendary king of
 Sargon
the city-state of
Uruk
 Known for his
bravery and his
adventures
 Akkadian ruler
 First leader to
create a
permanent army
 Created largest
empire
Religion Shapes Society
 Sumerian religion
 Polytheism
Belief in more
than one god
 Believed their gods
were very powerful
 Religious leaders
were called priests

Sumerian Religion
 Polytheism
 The belief in many gods
 Each city had a god as
 The god would keep the
protector
people safe from evil spirits
and bad things
 Could bring good crops,
 Gods were powerful
floods, or could stop the rain
 prayed to the gods for the
 Priests interpret what the
people; told what the gods
gods want
wanted in order to get a
blessing
 Everyone had to serve and
 Crops or livestock had to be
worship the gods
given as offerings to the gods
Sumerian Social Order
 Social Hierarchy
 Dividing a society
into different ranks
or classes
(example)
 Rich
 Middle class
 Poor
 slaves
Social Hierarchy
 King
 Priests
 Craftspeople,
merchants, traders
 Believed they were
chosen by the gods to
rule
 Controlled religious
practices; very powerful
 Traveled to other lands
and brought back new
ideas
 Farmers and laborers
 Helped maintain the
 Slaves
stable food supply
 Free labor
Social order in Sumer (cont)
 Men




Held political power
Made all laws
Educated
Priests
 Took care of the home
 Women
and children
 Rarely educated


Upper class only
Could become a
priestess
H/W: Write each question in your notebook (black
or blue ink). Write your responses (pencil) in
complete sentences.
1. What was the basic political unit of Sumer?
2. Explain how City-States were able to protect
themselves.
3. What evidence is there to suggest that Ur
was an advanced city?
4. Why was Sargon’s creation of an empire
important in the history of Mesopotamia?
5. Why do you think priests had so much
power and influence in the ancient Sumerian
society?
H/W: Draw this pyramid in your organizer notebook.
Next, using your notes, identify where each group in
Sumerian society would be placed.
Draw a picture or symbol to
represent each group
King
Slaves
Write a sentence
explaining the role
of each social group