civilization in mesopotamia lesson 1 why do people today try new ways of doing things?
TRANSCRIPT
Civilization in MesopotamiaLesson 1
Why do people today try new ways of doing things?
Fertile Crescent
• Location – southwestern Asia• Starts on the eastern shore of the
Mediterranean Sea goes to Persian Gulf
• Shaped like a quarter moon that curves around the Syrian Desert
• In present day Iraq and Syria• Rich farm land attracted new
settlers to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• Region was called Mesopotamia – “the land between the rivers”
Where is Mesopotamia located?
SUMEROne of the earliest cities that formed a
civilization
Architecture and ReligiousBeliefs
A ziggurat was the largest building in Sumerian society.
Made of mud-brick and stood as tall as seven stories high.
The top section was a shrine for the city’s special god.
A ziggurat was at the center of each city-state.
Describe a ziggurat.
• The Ancient Sumerians believed that by pleasing the Gods, they would have good harvest.
Enlil: the god of winds, storm, and rain
Ea: the god of the waters and wisdom
Who were the gods the Sumerians prayed to?
THE ROLE of GOVERNMENT
• With large numbers of people living and working together, order is needed.
• Sumer had 12 independent city-states.
Each city-state was run by a group of leaders with one chief leader.
In times of peril(war) leaders have difficulty agreeing, so a monarchy was formed.
• MONO – means one
Describe the government of the Sumerians.
ECONOMICSAND THE SUMERIAN CITY-STATE OF URUK
• Uruk’s population grew to 60,000.• Success was because of
agriculture / surplus• Gave more free time, which led to
different jobs craft workers, clay, pottery, stone, metal
• A complex division of labor developed
• Trade begins and some people became merchants
What led to a complex division of labor?
DIVISION IN SOICETY
Nobles – kings, priests, and important leaders and their families UPPER CLASS
Merchants, Craft workers, and Managers – artists,carpenters, potters, bricklayers, doctors & scribes MIDDLE CLASS
Laborers and Slaves – unskilled workers LOWER CLASS
What were the divisions of Sumerian society?
NEW INNOVATIONS
• Dikes and canals - invented to prevent the rivers from flooding.
• Wheel – made possible other inventions
• Wheeled cart – domesticated animals could pull heavy loads.
• Iqu – acre (measured land)• Quart – used to measure grain• Cuneiform – wedge shaped
writing
What were some new technologies and innovations of the ancient Sumerians?
