1. Early Civilizations - Sumer

2. Geography Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia “The Cradle of Civilization”
area of land that was good for farming
located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Mesopotamia
“The Land Between Two Rivers”
“The Cradle of Civilization”
Most of the land and terrain was harsh, except for the land near the rivers

3. Geography Lack of natural barriers
Made the region open to constant invasion
Cultural Diffusion – Ideas, culture, religion, technology exchanged between different cultures

4. Flooding of rivers, good or bad?
Flooding would cause much destruction and the people did not know when the floods would occur
People united together to divert the flood waters using dikes and canals
Floods left behind silt, which was important for farming purposes

5. Development of city states
As people worked with one another to divert the flood waters, people became unified
Eventually small villages began to develop in areas near the rivers
These villages eventually grew into cities
First city 3,500 B.C.
These city states never truly unified into one country

6. Social Structure Early Priests emerged as leaders
Creation of specialized jobs
Cities were often targeted for invasions
During these invasions, war leaders emerged
War leaders gained control

7. Social Order Upper Class – Kings, Priests, Nobles, War leaders
Middle Class – Merchants, Artisans, Farmers
Lower Class - Slaves

8. Early Government Hereditary Rulers Servants to the gods
Enforced laws, collected taxes
Maintain city walls and irrigation systems

9. Trade and Economy Sumer became very wealthy from trade
Evidence shows that Sumerians participated in long distance trade (Egypt and India)
Southwest Asia – Raw Materials (wood, stone, metals)
Used rivers and traveled across deserts to trade

10. From this map we can see how far Sumerian trade stretched

11. Religion Polytheistic – Belief in many gods and or goddesses
Gods were tied to nature (wind, rain, etc.)
Sumerians built Ziggurats for the gods – temples of worship
People wanted to keep the gods happy
Offered libations & other sacrfices
Priests were recognized as being very knowledgeable of the gods

12. Ziggurat

13. Sumerian Culture Sumerians had a very rich culture
Created beautiful art work
Worked with math and music
Created toys for their children
Board games for adults
Developed writing as well!

14. Contributions Sumerians made many important contributions to the world
Writing (beginnings of written history)
Cuneiform – modified use of pictographs inscribed on clay tablets (by scribes)
Writing was needed as trade grew for written record

15. Cuneiform

16. Other contributions Built the first wheeled vehicles
Irrigation systems
Dikes
Canals
(Protection from floods, water for crops)