What is a Civilization?
Where did the Sumerians live?
Mesopotamia
What two tools helped the Sumerians grow food?
The plow and irrigation systems
Who had the highest position in Sumerian society?
Kings and priests
What kind of building did the Sumerians build to worship gods?
Ziggurats
What was the Sumerian writing system called?
Cuneiform
What does it mean to be a civilization?
People build cities, make art, invent, and organize their society
Why did the Sumerians need irrigation?
To bring water to crops in dry land
Who ruled the city-states?
Kings
Who worked in temples and helped people pray?
Priests
Why was the wheel important?
It made moving goods and traveling easier
What is one thing that made Sumer a civilization?
What is one thing that made Sumer a civilization?
How did irrigation help people work together?
Villages had to share water and clean canals as a team
Why were kings powerful in Sumer?
People believed gods chose them; they made laws and led armies
What kinds of art did the Sumerians make?
Jewelry, statues, music, decorated temples
What did people use to write cuneiform?
A sharp stick pressed into clay tablets
CER: Were the Sumerians a civilization? Explain using Claim, Evidence, Reasoning.
Claim: Yes; Evidence: They built cities and invented writing; Reasoning: These are signs of civilization.
CER: The Sumerians were smart farmers. Prove it.
Claim: They were smart; Evidence: invented plow & irrigation; Reasoning: helped grow more food
CER: Sumer had a social structure. Explain.
Claim: Yes; Evidence: Kings on top, enslaved people at bottom; Reasoning: organized system
CER: Religion was important in Sumer. Explain.
Claim: Religion was important; Evidence: Built ziggurats and prayed daily; Reasoning: It guided their lives
CER: The wheel was a powerful invention. Prove it.
Claim: It helped move goods; Evidence: farmers & soldiers used it; Reasoning: Made life easier
GRAPE connection — Which part of GRAPE tells us about where people lived?
Geography
What was a big problem with water in Sumer?
Floods in spring, drought in summer
What were the cities with their own leaders and walls called?
City-states
CER: The Sumerians valued the arts. Explain.
Claim: They valued art; Evidence: Built decorated temples, played music; Reasoning: They cared about beauty
CER: Writing was important in Sumer. Prove it.
Claim: Writing mattered; Evidence: Used to record trades & laws; Reasoning: Helped organize society