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SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION Geography Government Society Religion Learning SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION Geography Government Society •Fertile Crescent – an arc of fertile land curving from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea; a crossroads where people met and ideas were exchanged. •Mesopotamia – the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; subject to terrifying floods, control of the flood waters was the key to success. •city-states; each city had it own ruler responsible for protecting the people. •Rulers were the chief servants of the gods •Hierarchy – 1) ruling family, leading officials, high priests; 2) lesser priests, scribes, merchants, artisans; 3) peasant farmers (majority) •Women were subject to male authorities, but did have legal rights; upper class women could engage in trade and own property. SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION Religion •Polytheistic; gods controlled forces of nature; must keep them happy •Each city built a ziggurat dedicated to their chief god •Belief in afterlife a grim underworld; the result of the unpredictable devastating floods??? Learning •Cuneiform – earliest known form of writing •Literature – Epic of Gilgamesh gives us clues about Sumerian religion •Math – basic algebra and geometry •Astronomy calendar
