1. The Rise of Sumerian City-States
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The Rise of Sumerian City-States
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How did geographic challenges lead to the rise of city states in Mesopotamia?

2. Preview
Think of a problem that you faced and what you did to solve it. In the problem box in the flowchart below, draw a simple illustration of the problem or challenge. Also, write a one sentence summary of the problem. In the solution box, draw a simple illustration of the illustration and a one sentence summary of the solution.
Problem
Solution

3. The Rise of Sumerian City States
Mesopotamia-Modern day Iraq, “Land between the rivers”
Sumer-The southern part of Mesopotamia where villages first were formed
City-States-Small independent countries with their own ruler

4. Mesopotamia: Difficult Environment
There wasn’t many building supplies to use
It rarely rained so it was hot and it was hard to raise crops and find water
They faced many hardships, including no wood for homes and attacks from neighboring villages

5. Food Shortages in the Hills

6. Problems
Solution
What were some of the advantages of living in the foothills of the Zagros mountains?
How did farmers living in the foothill solve the food shortage?
The people moved to a better, more open farming location called Sumer
Mild weather and plentiful rain and the woods provided timber for building homes. There were plenty of stones to make tools.
Draw and label a simple picture showing Mespotamians’ solution to the food shortage.
Draw and label a simple picture showing the problem that occurred around 5000 BCE
Who were the Sumerians?
The Sumerians were the people who migrated to the new farming land: Sumer

7. Uncontrolled Water Supply in the River Valley

8. Problem
Solution
Describe the season weather changes in Sumer.
How did the Sumerians solve the problem of an uncontrolled water supply?
During the spring, rain, and melted snow from the mountains flowed into the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers causing them to flood across the plain.
The Sumerians made an irrigation system to solve the problem of uncontrolled water
Draw and label a simple picture showing a Sumerian irrigation system.
Why was it difficult to raise crops in Sumer?
It was difficult to raise crops because it was either too little or too much water
Draw & Label a simple picture showing the problem caused by and uncontrolled water supply.
In what other ways did the Sumerians control the water supply?
Dug canals and dams

9. Difficulties in Building and Maintaining a Complex Irrigation System

10. Why could Sumerian farms no longer live apart, or in small groups?
What new problem occurred after Sumerian farms created irrigation systems?
Sumerian farms could no longer live apart because they needed to come together to keep the irrigation running
The new problem that occurred after Sumerians created irrigation systems was maintaining the systems.
Draw and label a simple picture showing how the Sumerians kept their complex irrigation system working.
Draw and label a simple picture showing what could happen to an irrigation system that was not maintained.
What was the long-term result of the Sumerians working together?
They could maintain their farms and have a constant source of water

11. Attacks by Neighboring Communities

12. Draw and label a simple picture showing why Sumerian cities fought with each other.
What did the Sumerians do to protect their cities?
They built walls out of mud to protect the city
Fought over water!
Draw and label a simple picture showing how the Sumerians protected their cities.
How did physical geography of Sumer leave its cities unprotected?
Dug canals with deep holes
There were no mountain ranges or rushing rivers to keep out enemies
Why do historians call the cities of Sumer “city-states”?
They called it that because the cities in Sumer were independent countries

13. From Small Farming Villages to Large City States

14. How did geographic challenges lead to the rise of city states in Mesopotamia?
They moved to the river valley
Food shortage in the foothills
The system crossed village boundaries
Built a complex irrigation system to control water supply
Farmers had either too little or too much water
They made larger communities-the first cities
Often the cities fought with each other
The Sumerians created walled cities