1. The Rise of Sumer (P. 62-66) I. City-States of Sumer
A. City-state: consisted of a city and all the countryside surrounding it
B. The amount of countryside in each city-state depended on its military strength.
C. Fought each other to gain more farmland
D. Gained and lost power over time

3. II. Rise of the Akkadian Empire
A. Sargon-Akkadian ruler who had the first permanent army
B. He defeated all the city-states of Sumer
C. Sargon established the world’s first empire.
1. Empire: land with different
territories and peoples under a
single rule

4. III. Religion shapes society
A. Sumerian polytheism was the basis for all Sumerian society.
1.Polytheism is the worship of many gods.
B. Gods had enormous powers.
C. Priests had great statues built in Sumer.
1.Priests were people who performed religious ceremonies.

5. IV. Sumerian Social Order
A. Social hierarchy: the division of society by rank or class
1. Kings were at the top-claimed to be chosen to rule by the gods.
2. Priests
3. Skilled craftspeople, merchants, and traders
4. Farmers and laborers
5. Slaves

6. V. Men and Women in Sumer
A. Men generally held the political power and made laws.
B. Women generally took care of the home and children.
C. Education was generally reserved for men, but some upper class women were educated.

7. Gilgamesh
Shamash helps Gilgamesh stop Humbaba by sending powerful winds, and Enlil punishes Gilgamesh for killing Humbaba.
Gilgamesh’s mindset is one of violence, and this is shown by his actions as he attacks and kills Humbaba.