1. Life in Sumer: Sumerian Society Sumerian Science and Technology
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2. Objectives I will understand the social classes of Sumerian society
I will know the tools and inventions created by the Sumerians to make their lives easier

3. Sumerian Society: Social Classes page 99
Red= Upper Class
Green= In-between class
Blue= Lowest Class
Kings and priests
Landowners, government officials, rich merchants
All free people: farmers and artisans
Slaves

4. The Standard of Ur

5. Peace and War: The Standard shows many of the social classes

6. Lyre Player and Singer

7. Slaves (page 100) Source of cheap labor
Most slaves were taken prisoner during war
Children who’s parents died might become slaves
To repay a debt, a free person could become slaves to pay back the money
Slaves could buy their freedom

8. Role of Women
Women had rights in Sumer than they did in later Mesopotamia
Upper-class women became priestesses, a role of honor
Free women could own land, work as merchants and artisans
Main role for most women was raising children

9. Sumerian Science and Technology
Sumerians were good at solving problems and inventing things to make their lives easier.
We still use many things the Sumerians invented every day.

10. Early Inventions (page 100)
Historians believe the Sumerians invented the plow around 6000 B.C.
Wheel was invented around 3500 B.C.
These inventions helped the daily lives of Sumerians

11. Plows First important tool to help farmers
Simple digging sticks with handles
Pulled or pushed by people or animals
Broke up hard soil; making planting easier
Plowed fields allowed water to sink more deeply into the soil

12. Wheel Used on wagons to transport goods
Helped farmers take their crops to market
But transporting goods on the river was more efficient

13. Potters wheel Helped make pottery much faster
Pots were used as storage containers for surplus food

14. Bronze Sumerians were some of the first people to use bronze
Bronze= copper + tin
Stronger than copper
Tools made of bronze lasted longer and stayed sharper
Bronze tools were traded by the Sumerians

15. Mathematics (page 101)
Developed arithmetic to keep records of crops and trade goods
Number system based on the number 60
We have the 60 second minute, 60 minute hour and 360 degree circles because of the Sumerians

16. Mathematics (continued)
Used a triangle and a measuring rope to set land boundaries
Understood geometric shapes like rectangles, triangles, and squares to help make bricks, build ramps, and dig canals

17. Other Inventions of the Sumerians
sailboat
the first written language
frying pans
Razors
cosmetic sets
Harps
kilns to cook bricks and pottery
bronze hand tools like hammers and axes
the plow
the plow seeder
the first superhero (Gilgamesh)