1. Chapter Four Lesson 1
The Sumerians

2. The First Civilizations in Mesopotamia
PG 76
The Two Rives
People settled near water for drinking and crops- they created social classes, set up governments, and developed beliefs and values.
Mesopotamia (now southern Iraq)
Means land between 2 rivers- between the Tigris and Euphrates

3. PG 77 Early Valley Dwellers
Mesopotamia is located in the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent
Fertile Crescent- curved fertile land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
Archaeologist dug up ruins that told a lot about early Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia was first settled about 7000BC- by hunters and herders.
4000BC groups moved to the Tigris-Euphrates valley and built farming villages along both rivers
(Pg 77 continued on next slide)

4. PG 77
Taming the Rivers
Farmers used the rivers to water crops- but many summers it was too low for fall’s needs
In the spring the banks overflowed and flooded the plains.
The floods were both helpful and deadly- brought silt for fertile soil and flooding caused drowning deaths.
Overtime people learned to build dams to control the floods, and dug canals to create an irrigation system

5. PG 78 Sumer’s Civilization Taming the Rivers (cont.)
Irrigation allowed for a surplus of food, to be stored for later
Since food was plentiful people became artisans/skilled workers
People lived together, favored trade, farming villages turned to cities
3000BC Sumer developed in southern Mesopotamia
Sumerians built cities in southwest Asia (Ur, Uruk and Eridu)- these became the centers of civilization.
Taming the Rivers
(cont.)
Sumer’s Civilization

6. PG 79
People could not travel by land because of mudflats and deserts- leaving them cut off from their neighbors
Cities became independent- raised their own crops- made their own goods- formed into city- states
Populations ranged from 5,000 to 20,000 people
City-States were surrounded by walls
Mud was the main building material
Rulers palaces, large temples, and public buildings were at the center of the cities
City-states went to wars over political boundaries
In peaceful times city-states traded
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City-States Arise

7. PG 79 Gods, Priests, and kings
Sumerians were polytheistic- and worshipped many gods
They honored whatever god would help their activities
Each city claimed its own god

8. PG 80 Social Groups City-states built ziggurats to honor its god
The top of the ziggurat was a holy place- only for special priests
In early days priests from the ziggurats ruled the city-states- later they became monarchies
Sumerian kings claimed they had power from the gods
First kings- were war heroes- then it became heredity
People generally remained in the social class they were born in
Upper class- kings, priests, warriors, and government officials
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PG 80
Social Groups

9. PG 80 Social Groups (Cont.)
Middle class- merchants, farmers, fishers, and artisans (largest social class)
Lowest class- enslaved people- usually captures in war (also criminals)
Men were the head of the household
Boys went to school for specific jobs
Women ran the home and cared for the children- taught daughters to do the same
Laws required parents to care for children and then for children to care for aging parents

10. Sumerian Contributions
PG 81
Most people were farmers with a plot of land and irrigation
Trade was another important factor- trade routes linked Sumer to places like India and Egypt
Sumerians traded wheat, barley, and tools for timber, metals and minerals.
Later civilizations copied the Sumerians- called the “cradle of civilization”-beginning of the organized human society
Writing was possibly the greatest contribution from the Sumerians
Farmers and Traders
Writing
Sumerian Contributions

11. PG 82
Writing (cont.)
Writing began to record their history for later generations Sumerians created cuneiform- 1,200 characters – wedge like symbols Wrote cuneiform on clay tablets Boys from wealthy families became scribes to record Sumerian events and records Sumerians also told oral stories- writing meant they could record these stories The worlds oldest known story is from Sumer

12. PG 83 Technology and Mathematics
This was the Epic of Gilgamesh written 4000 years ago
Other inventions included the wheel (used to improve the transportation of things), developed a sailboat, wooden plow, potters wheel, they made bronze from copper and tin which was a stronger metal
They used geometry to measure and plan, created a place-value system, made tables for multiplication and division, created the 60 minute hour, the 60 minute second, and the 360 degree circle
They also studied the starts and created the 12 month calendar.