Download Chapter 3: Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent Notes: Section 2

Chapter 3: Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent
Notes:
Section 2: pages 60-64
The Rise of Sumer
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The people of Sumer, known as the Sumerians, developed the world’s first
civilization.
The City-States of Sumer:
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Most people were farmers and lived in the countryside
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The centers of society were the cities
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The basic political unit of Sumer was the city-state
Each city –state controlled the surrounding land, and that depended on how strong
the military was; stronger city-states controlled more areas
The city-states often fought to gain control of more farmland
They protected themselves by building strong walls and military
Many city-states gained and lost power; Kish, Uruk, Ur, Akad…
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Rise of the Akkadian Empire:
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This society lived north of the Sumerians in peace for many years
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Sargon took power and expanded his territory, Akkad was the capital
He was the first ruler to have a permanent army, and used it to invade his
neighbors
Sargon established the world’s first empire; from the Persian Gulf to the
Mediterranean sea
After many years of chaos, Sumerians regained power and returned to be the most
powerful civilization in the region
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Religion Shapes Society
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This was very important in Sumerian society, it played a role in every aspect of
Sumerian life.
Sumerian Religion:
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They practiced polytheism, the worship of many gods
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Believed gods had enormous powers, they were in control of all good and bad
Every Sumerian had a duty to serve and worship the gods
Sumerians believed the priests could interpret the wishes of the gods and made
offerings to them
Sumerian Social Order:
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Priests held high status in the Sumerian social order, they were just below kings
Kings claimed they were chosen by the gods to rule
Below priests were the craftspeople, merchants, and traders
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Trade had a huge impact on Sumerian society…traders traveled to faraway places
and traded grain for gold, copper, silver, lumber, and precious stones
Finally, below traders , the farmers and laborers made up the working class
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Slaves were at the bottom of the social hierarchy
Men and Women in Sumer:
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They had different roles, med had political power and made laws, while women took
care of the home and the children
Education was mostly for men unless you were upper class
Some women were priestesses in temples and helped shape culture; Sargon’s
daughter Enheduanna is the first known female writer in history