11

Traits of a Civilization to accompany Traits of a Civilization to accompany that rise of city-statesthat rise of city-states

Specialization of labor (from surplus of Specialization of labor (from surplus of food)food)

Record keeping with a written languageRecord keeping with a written language Complex institutions – government, social Complex institutions – government, social

hierarchy, religionhierarchy, religion Trade & technologyTrade & technology Advanced citiesAdvanced cities

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The SumeriansThe Sumerians

Unit 1Unit 1

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The Fertile CrescentThe Fertile Crescent

Parts of Israel, Parts of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, and Turkey, Syria, and IraqIraq

Tigris and Euphrates Tigris and Euphrates RiversRivers

Eastern part was Eastern part was called Mesopotamiacalled Mesopotamia

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Tigris & Euphrates RiversTigris & Euphrates Rivers

Did not provide a regular Did not provide a regular supply of water, but flooded supply of water, but flooded often often

Caused destruction – swept Caused destruction – swept away villages & fieldsaway villages & fields

Mesopotamians cooperated Mesopotamians cooperated to control floodwaters – built to control floodwaters – built dams, escape channels, dams, escape channels, canals, & ditchescanals, & ditches

Hardly any rain in summer – Hardly any rain in summer – led to water shortagesled to water shortages

Easy to invade – led to Easy to invade – led to constant warconstant war

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Sumerian CivilizationSumerian Civilization

Came from Central Asia Came from Central Asia or Asia Minor (were Indo-or Asia Minor (were Indo-Europeans)Europeans)

Settled in the lower part of Settled in the lower part of Fertile Crescent – a.k.a. Fertile Crescent – a.k.a. SumerSumer

Birthplace of citiesBirthplace of cities Created 12 city-statesCreated 12 city-states Including Ur, Uruk, & EriduIncluding Ur, Uruk, & Eridu

Science: astronomy, Science: astronomy, calendar (aided calendar (aided agriculture)agriculture)

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Sumerian City-StatesSumerian City-States

Population ranged from Population ranged from 20,000 to 250,00020,000 to 250,000

Shared a common Shared a common cultureculture

Built ziggurats for Built ziggurats for religious purposes – religious purposes – dedicated to chief deity dedicated to chief deity of the cityof the city

Trading contacts with Trading contacts with MesopotmiaMesopotmia

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Sumerian GovernmentSumerian Government

Competition for land Competition for land and water rights with and water rights with foreign invaders led foreign invaders led to the development to the development of a monarchy (king)of a monarchy (king)

King was a religious King was a religious & political leader& political leader

King enforced law King enforced law and set penalties and set penalties (usually a fine)(usually a fine)

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Sumerian CultureSumerian Culture Men and women had Men and women had

different rolesdifferent roles Men – could sell wife and Men – could sell wife and

children to pay a debt; children to pay a debt; could divorce easilycould divorce easily

Women – could buy and Women – could buy and sell property; operate own sell property; operate own businesses; own slavesbusinesses; own slaves

Developed cuneiform – 1Developed cuneiform – 1stst writing system in the worldwriting system in the world

Epic poem – Epic poem – Gilgamesh Gilgamesh story of a story of a godlike man who performs heroic godlike man who performs heroic deedsdeeds

Invented fertilizer & silver Invented fertilizer & silver moneymoney

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Sumerian CultureSumerian Culture

Practiced polytheismPracticed polytheism Most were farmersMost were farmers Had one chief god for each Had one chief god for each

city-statecity-state Gods were unpredictable, Gods were unpredictable,

angry, & selfish angry, & selfish Invented wagon wheel, Invented wagon wheel,

arch, potter’s wheelarch, potter’s wheel Developed a number Developed a number

system based on 10,60, & system based on 10,60, & 360 (for degrees in circles) 360 (for degrees in circles) and 12 month lunar and 12 month lunar calendarcalendar

1100

Famous LeadersFamous Leaders

Sargon I – built the Sargon I – built the Akkadian Empire by Akkadian Empire by uniting all of the uniting all of the Mesopotamian city-Mesopotamian city-states (predated states (predated Egypt)Egypt)

Hammurabi – Hammurabi – completed a law completed a law code of 282 sectionscode of 282 sections

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Hammurabi’s Law CodeHammurabi’s Law Code

Dealt with most Dealt with most aspects of daily lifeaspects of daily life

Penalized Penalized wrongdoers with an wrongdoers with an “eye for an eye, and “eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” a tooth for a tooth” approachapproach

Protected the less Protected the less powerful & propertypowerful & property

Laws varied Laws varied according to classaccording to class