The sumerians

1. The Sumerians
Chapter 4, Lesson 1

2. The First Civilizations in
Mesopotamia
River Valley Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India
and China.
► What do they have in common?
 Drinking water and crops.
 Social classes based on occupations (jobs).
 Governments to pass laws, defend land, and
building projects.
 Religions to bring meaning to their lives.

3. The Two Rivers
► Mesopotamia is located in what is now southern
Iraq.
 Earliest known civilization.
 Name means “the land between the rivers.” in
Greek.
► It was between the Tigris and Euphrates river.
 These rivers ran nearly parallel to each other.
► Located at the Fertile Crescent.

5. Early Valley Dwellers
► Mesopotamia’s history was hidden away in
rubble.
► In the 1800’s archaeologist begin to dig up
artifacts that reveal some information.
 Began being settled around 7000 B.C.
 First settlers were hunters and herders
 By 4000 B.C. built farming villages along the
two rivers.

6. Taming the Rivers
► Mesopotamian farmers used water from both
rivers to water their fields.
► Could not always rely on rivers because
summers produced little rain.
► During the spring harvest, snow would melt
from the mountains sometimes causing floods.
► Floods were good because silt (particles of fine
soil) would be deposited in the soil making it
good for farming.

7. Taming the Rivers
► Eventually they learned to build dams and canals to
control floods.
 Canals let water flow into the fields. This was
known as irrigation (supply dry land with
water.)
► Irrigation allowed farmers to grow surpluses (extra
amounts) of food.
 Extra food stored for later use.
► Plentiful food meant not everyone had to farm so
others were able to become artisans.
► By 3000 B.C. these small farming villages became
cities.

8. Sumer’s Civilization
► Sumer’s people were known as Sumerians.
► The first cities were Ur, Uruk, and Eridu in
Southwest Asia.

9. City-States Arise
► Sumer’s cities rarely interacted due to how difficult it
was to travel.
► Because of this, they grew their own food and
controlled the lands around the cities.
 These were City-States. The population was
anywhere from 5,000 – 20,000 people.
► There are theories that these cities were protected
by giant walls surrounding the city.
 Ruins and artifacts support these theories.
► The ruler’s palace and other public buildings were
located in the center of the city.

10. City-States Arise
► Sometimes these city-states went to war.
 Wanted glory or to gain more territory.
 Sometimes fought over resources too.
► During times of peace they would trade with
each other.
► Also, formed alliances to protect common
interest.

11. Gods, Priest, and Kings
► Polytheism – a belief in more than one god.
 Each god played a different role in Sumerian
life.
 Some controlled actions and some controlled
nature.
 They honored gods that helped them achieve
their tasks and goals.
 Even though they honored all the gods, each
city state claimed one as its own.
► Ziggurat – A pyramid-shaped structure with a
temple at the top.

12. Gods, Priest, and Kings
► Ziggurat – A pyramid-shaped structure with a
temple at the top.
 Ziggurat means “to rise high” in the ancient
Akkadian language.
 The top was a God’s home.
 Only special Priest could enter.
 These priest usually ruled the city-states.
► Important men sometimes helped rule.
► Eventually they would become monarchies.

13. Gods, Priest, and Kings
► Sumerian kings claimed they were given the
right to rule from the gods.
 More than likely were war heroes.
 Sons would take over once the king died.
 Wives had no political power but some
controlled their own lands.

14. Social Groups
► Upper Class – Kings, Warriors, Priest and
government officials.
► Middle Class – Merchants, farmers, fishers, and
artisans.
 Largest group of the social classes.
► Lowest class – Enslaved people, criminals, and
people who owed debt.
 Probably captured from wars.

15. Social Groups
► The family was the basic unit of society.
► Men – Head of the house.
► Boys – went to school and were trained for a
specific job.
► Women – ran the home, taught their daughters to
do the same, and raise children.
► Sumerian law required parents to care for children.
 Adult children also had to take care of the
parents when needed.

16. Farmers and Traders
► If you lived in Sumer you were most likely a
farmer.
 Each farmer had a plot of land located in
areas around the city-state.
 They grew wheat, barley, dates, and other
major crops.
 Also raised sheep, goats, and pigs.
► Trade was a normal part of life.
► Even though some were skilled metalworkers,
they needed to trade for those metals.

17. Farmers and Traders
► Trade routes would take them as far as India
and Egypt.
 Traded wheat, barley, and tools for timber,
minerals and metals.
 Minerals and metals were used for jewelry
and tools.
 India’s Indus Valley – carnelian.
 Afghanistan – lapis lazuli
 Present-day Turkey – iron and silver.

18. Sumerian Contributions
► Sumerians created the first civilization that had a
great influence on history..
 Later civilizations copied and improved on their
ideas and inventions that began in Sumer.
► Mesopotamia has earned the nickname “cradle of
civilization.
 Beginning of organized human society.”

19. Writing
► This is probably the most important contribution
to the world.
 Earliest known a system of writing.
► Used to keep records and pass on information.
► Cuneiform – a system of writing developed by
the Sumerians that used wedge-shaped marks
made in soft clay.
 1,200 different characters for names, physical
objects, and numbers.
 Wrote on clay because they had no paper.

20. Writing
► Scribes – official record keepers.
 boys of wealthy families were usually scribes.
► Tasked with recording everyday life from, court
records, marriage contracts, business dealings,
and important events. Some scribes were judges
and government officials.
► Told stories orally for centuries.
 Stories would finally be recorded on tablets .
 Stories usually praised gods and warriors for
doing great deeds.

21. Writing
► The oldest known story in the world is from
Sumer.
► Written more than 4,000 years ago.
► The story is called the Epic of Gilgamesh.
► Epic – long poem that tells the story of a hero.

22. Technology and Mathematics
► Sumerians were the first to use the wheel.
► Built the first carts pulled by donkeys. We know
this because of illustrations from 3500 B.C.
► Introduced vehicles into military use with the
invention of the chariot.
► Invented sailboats, potter’s wheel, bronze,
weapons and jewelry.

23. Technology and Mathematics
► They studied mathematics and astronomy.
► Used geometry to measure fields and to plan
buildings.
► They made a place value system using 60.
 60-minute hours, 60-second minute, and 360-
degree circle was created by them.
► Watched the position of the stars to know when to
plant crops and hold religious ceremonies.
► They also made a 12 month calendar based on the
cycles of the moon.