#Geography
The names of the rivers running through Mesopotamia were called the __________________ and _____________________.
Tigris and Euphrates
an organized culture that spreads over large amounts of space and time and includes permanent communities (like cities)
civilization
includes both a set of beliefs, usually in a god or gods, as well as various forms of worship
religious system
Sumer was the first ever ________.
Civilization
city-states
Why was the fertile crescent an ideal place for people to settle down in?
It contained fertile soil--ideal for them to plant crops and conduct agriculture.
an independent, self-governing city that controlled its surrounding territory–such as Uruk or Ur
city-state
the shift from living in rural areas to living in urban areas or cities
urbanization
What was the role of a scribe?
To write and record laws
To sell goods
What was the reason the Sumerians dealt with an uncontrollable water supply?
They experienced floods during flood season (spring) or the climate was too dry for rain (leading to not enough water for crops).
the group of people who make and enforce rules for a country, state, or community–in Mesopotamia, this included Kings and Nobles
government
Large temple and religious tower that was made out of mud
ziggurat
What was the writing system that cuneiform was based on?
Pictograph
DAILY DOUBLE FOR 600 POINTS (opinion based): Do you think the eye for an eye principle is fair? Why or why not?
***no one right answer***
What are some things they did to control the water supply? Hint: what did they do when there was too much water and too little water?
Too much water in flood season = built levees to contain the water. Too little water in dryer seasons = irrigated the water from the rivers to their crops by digging canals
a place with high population density and a center of political, social, and economic power
city
A hierarchical class system based on inequality and privilege, with those higher up having more power and advantages than those lower down
social structure
What is a major technological invention made by the Sumerians? Why was it important?
Some options: wheel, arch
How did knowing how to read and write in Ancient Sumer give people power?
A few possible answers** able to create laws, write stories, influence others, typically in a higher class
What challenge led to the different city-states of Sumer working together? What did they work together to achieve?
The irrigation canal systems were highly complex. In order for them to function properly, the different city-states of Sumer had to work together to make sure they worked and functioned to get water to their crops.
a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.
artisan
wedge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia that was the first ever complex writing system
cuneiform
Name two ways that Sumerians expressed their religious beliefs.
1. They built large ziggurats, temples dedicated to the gods to worship them. 2. They also held many ceremonies, some involving human sacrifice.
Explain and describe the 3 tiers of the social structure of Ancient Sumer. What people were in the top, middle, and bottom of the social structure?
Top = nobles, government officials, priests, kings. (people who could read and write)
Middle = merchants and artisans (those who sold and made goods)
Bottom = enslaved people (typically prisoners of war)