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MESOPOTAMIA – CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION
Lesson Two – Rise of Sumer
Agenda:
Quick Write: Challenges of City Life
Map: Famous City States
Essential Questions
Essential Question:
What allowed people in Mesopotamia to create the first cities?
Explain:
The Rise of Sumer
Most people in Sumer lived in ____________, or _____________, areas. The centers of Sumerian
society, however, were the ___________, or _____________, areas. The first cities in Sumer had about
___________ residents. Over time, the cities grew. Historians think that by 2000 BC, some of Sumer's
cities had more than _______________ residents.
The combination of cities and rural areas became known as _____________. The amount of
countryside controlled by each city-state depended on its military strength. Stronger city-states
controlled larger areas. City-states in Sumer fought each other to gain more ______________.
Individual city-states gained and lost power over time. By 3500 BC, a city-state known as ___________
had become quite powerful. Over the next 1,000 years, the city-states of ___________ and Ur fought
for dominance. One of Uruk's kings, known as ____________, became a legendary figure in Sumerian
literature.
Question:
What challenges would cities face as their populations quickly grew?
http://youtu.be/w-6HOQiuIgE?list=PLFA20A15BF7B4B8F5
Mapping:
Locate and mark the location of the cities of Ur, Urak, Lagash, and Kish.
Essential Question
 What allowed people in Mesopotamia to create the first cities?