Download Mesopotamia—Sumer Creative Farmers Adapted to the harshness

Mesopotamia—Sumer
Creative Farmers
 Adapted to the harshness of the land by:
1. Developing the plow and using animals to pull it to speed up
planting
2. Developing the wheel to make transport easier
3. Developing irrigation systems to deal w/ weather that was too dry
to grow crops.
4. Developing a levee system that protected crops and homes when
there was too much rain.
 All of this led to farmers being able to create more than enough food for all
citizens, known as a surplus. This allowed for fewer people to have to farm
leading to specialized jobs and trades. This helped create and maintain the
civilization.
Developed City-States
 Cities and their surrounding villages were grouped together under its own
gov’t, laws, religion and army.
 Better farming led to population growth
 Some city states wanted more power, so they would fight with other city
states to take their land and resources. This led to thick walls being built
around the city for protection (i.e. Jericho).
 Powerful city state of Ur was in Sumer. Known for being where God called
on Abraham.
Social Classes
 Upper Class—Rulers, gov’t officials and priests (priests held most power)
 Middle Class—Largest Class; farmers, fisherman, merchants, traders and
skilled workers, such as weavers or metal workers.
 Slaves—thought of as property; POWs or criminals, debtors; could
eventually buy back their freedom.
Occupations
 King/Gov’t
o Handled legal issues (like criminals or legal records)
o Directed the building of canals, temples, and roads
o Made laws
o Considered god’s highest representative on Earth; god selected the
king so they gave him complete authority or power over city state;
did need approval by the priest.
o Managed resources
o Lead military

Priest
o Lived beside temple called ziggurats
o People expected the priests to keep the gods happy thru animal
sacrifice and prayer.
o Were responsible for interpreting the gods wishes
o Only priests could communicate with the gods


o Very powerful and controlled much of the land.
Fisherman, Merchants, Traders and Scribes
o First to use sails to harness the wind to move boats
o Fish and Bread were important to Sumerian diet
o Early trade was done by barter.
o Traded with other countries/city states
o Scribes—recorded all business transactions on clay. His records
were then kept in the temple.
Artisans
o Skilled craftsmen that turned raw materials into finished goods.
o Made luxury goods (jewelry and art) and everyday items (pottery
and cloth)
o Busiest Business—Cloth making
women spin
thread from
wool/flax
Raw
Material

Thread wove
into cloth
Customers
buy cloth
Customer
takes it to
dyer to be
colored
Customer
takes dyed
cloth home
to sew
clothes
Finished
Good
Religion
o Polytheistic Religion—worshipped many gods by praying, giving
gifts and performing rituals.
o If gods were pleased people will prosper.
o Believed gods ate, slept and married just like people.
o Gods were immortal