Share Social Studies - C4L1 The Sumerians
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Where was the first known civilization?
Mesopotamia
Why is 4,000 B.C. an important date in Mesopotamia?
Ppl started farming in the valley bet/ the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Since 7,000 B.C. Mesopotamians hunted and raised animals for food.
How did the Mesopotamians control flooding and irrigation?
Built dams to stop the water, dug canals to let water flow to the fields.
What were the benefits of irrigation?
Farmers could grow lg. amts of food & have a surplus. Everyone did not need to farm, some ppl became artisans. Ppl lived together in places that allowed trade.
Where is Sumer? and what are the people called?
Region in southern Mesopotamia/ Sumerians
Why did Sumerian cities stand alone?
Sumerians built many cities. The cities of Sumer had deserts around them. Deserts were hard to travel across.
How were city states formed?
As cities grew, they gained control of the land around them. Each city-state had its own govt. It was NOT part of a larger nation. Surrounded by wall.
Are cities in the US considered city-states? Why or why not?
No, cities in the U S are not city-states because they are part of a larger nation.
Describe religious practices in Sumerian city-states?
Ppl worshiped many gods. Each city-state claimed one god as its own. City-state built ziggurat to honor the god.
Who were in the upper class of Sumerian society? and what were their characteristics?
Kings, priests, warriors, and government workers/ powerful and wealthy
Who were in the middle class of Sumerian society? and what were their characteristics?
farmers, fishers, and artisans/ largest group
Who were in the lower class of Sumerian society? and what were their characteristics?
enslaved ppl / no money and no power
What was the basic unit of Sumerian life? Describe
family, Men were the head of the family. Women ran the home and cared for the children.
Describe 6 characteristics of Sumerian City-State
ruled by a king, grew its own crops, owned surrounding land, formed alliances with other city-states, polytheism but claimed 1 god as its own, had its own govt
Why did the Sumerians build cities with walls around them?
To protect them during war time with other city-states
What is the oldest known story in the world that came from Sumer?
Epic of Gilgamesh
