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Sumerians
of
Mesopotamia
3,300 B.C.
I.
Geography: Sumerians settle
Mesopotamia around 3,300 B.C.
and begin the first civilization began
in the Fertile Crescent.
A. What two rivers surround the
Fertile Crescent?
1. Tigris
River
2. Euphrates
River
B. Mesopotamia has no natural
barriers (ex. mountains or
deserts) for protection,
therefore they were defenseless
from invasion
II. Political:
Sumerians
established
city-states—a
city and its surrounding
lands functioning as an
independent political unity
with its own ruler
A. Sumerians were
ruled by
monarchs
(kings).
B. These monarchs passed their
crown from father to son—
creating dynasties (ruling
families)
Father
Son
III. Economic—Sumerian created
an economy based on farming
and trade.
3.
Economic—Sumerian cities
produced surplus goods and
food.
What do you think they did with the
extra goods and food?
IV. Social Life: Sumerians
developed many social classes.
Kings, Landowners
Priests
Wealthy merchants
Ordinary workers
Slaves
A. Religion: Sumerians were
POLYTHEISTIC!
Ex. Enlil – God of Storms and
Air
aka “The
Raging Flood
That Has no
Rival”
B. Ziggurats – temples built to keep
the gods/goddesses happy at
which they made sacrifices of
animals, food and wine
V. Achievements/Contributions:
1. Wheel
2. Sail
3. Plow
4. Cuneiform: 1st system of writing
4. Code of
Hammurabi:
First set of
written laws
created by King
Hammurabi to
unify the laws
throughout an
empire.
Code of Hammurabi:
A.