Government/Religion
What large stepped temples did Sumerians build to worship their gods?
Ziggurats
Who ranked highest in Sumerian society?
The King.
What system brought water to crops through dug channels?
Irrigation
Name two musical instruments Sumerian musicians played.
Lyres, Drums, and Pipes
What was the name of Sumerian writing?
Cuneiform
Why did Sumerians make offerings and perform ceremonies in temples?
They believed pleasing the gods helped protect the community and supported the king’s authority.
Which group ranked just below the king because they were responsible for pleasing the gods?
The Priests
Which animals pulled plows to reduce human labor?
Oxen/Horses
How did music connect to Sumerian ceremonies and storytelling?
Musicians performed during ceremonies and holidays, using songs and lyrics to tell stories and honor gods.
What were early picture symbols called?
Pictographs
Name two roles the king performed in Sumerian government.
Maintained laws/collected taxes/built temples/commanded armies
Name four types of people considered part of the middle class in Sumer.
Merchants, artisans, farmers, and fishermen
How did plows and oxen together improve farming?
Plows allowed more land to be planted more quickly while using less energy.
What kinds of objects did Sumerian artisans make? Give two examples.
Jewelry and glass objects, temples, and decorated instruments
What tool did writers press into wet clay to make writing marks?
Sharpened reeds
Explain how religion and astrology influenced decisions in Sumerian life.
People read stars (astrology) for messages believed to come from gods, and religious beliefs guided farming, disputes, and community actions.
Compare the rights and power of enslaved people with those of officials and nobles.
Enslaved people had no rights or power, whereas officials and nobles had wealth, power, and large homes.
Explain why a stable food supply supported large city-states.
Reliable harvests from irrigation and plow/oxen labor provided steady food, allowing population growth and urban life with thousands of people.
Describe how creating songs required revision according to the reading.
Writing music required testing and revising notes and rhythms to produce performances for ceremonies and holidays.
Describe two uses of writing in Sumerian society
Receipts for business and stories for entertainment
Describe the two types of soldiers used by Sumerian city-states and one administrative role appointed by the king.
Professional soldiers and temporary citizen-soldiers; the king appointed viziers or governors to oversee districts.
Explain how the king used officials (viziers or governors) to enforce rule across city-states. Include one reason this was necessary.
Kings appointed viziers/governors to oversee districts and enforce laws because the king could not be everywhere.
Describe the sequence of farming improvements in Sumer and how each change increased food production.
Irrigation brought water to fields; plows loosened soil for planting; oxen pulled plows reducing labor—together these increased crop yields and reliability.
Explain two cultural roles of statues and temples in Sumerian religion.
Temples (ziggurats) served as worship centers; statues gave gods recognizable faces and were focal points for offerings and ceremonies.
Explain how the wheel’s uses changed over time and give one architectural innovation that strengthened buildings.
Pottery which led to wheels for travel then warfare