Download Sumerian Civilization

SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
By: Mimi Turrentine, Christian Fleming, Amanda Perry,
Kaylee Wagner
Social Structure
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Social structure was like a pyramid starting from top to
bottom;
Gods/pharaohs
Government
Soldiers
Scribes
Merchants
Artisans
Farmers
Slaves and Servents
Political Rulers
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Hammurabi- 6th king of Babylon from 1792 B.C-1750,
first king of the Babylon Empire, extended Babylon’s
control over Mesopotamia, most known for Hammurabi's
code.
Fact; Hammurabi’s code was one of the first codes
recorded in history
Religion
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Mythology, pantheon, rites, and cosmology of
Sumerian civilization
Myths passed down through oral tradition
In the late Early Dynastic period religious writings
became prevalent as temple raise myths
Temples were originally small, elevated, one-room
structures, but in the early dynastic periods temples
were raised terraces and multiple rooms
Priests were held responsible for continuing cultural
and religious traditions
Technology
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Wheel- device to carry heavy
objects, also used in some
machines
Cuneiform- type of written
expression
Arithmetic- elementary form of
mathematics
Irrigation system- large water
system that disperse water to
land and soil, used for growing
crops
Other; boats, arrowheads,
swords, war chariots, and beer
Economy and Trade
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Sumerian developed techniques
such as mono-cropping, organized
irrigation, and specialized labor
force to grow their crops
Their ability to store food allowed
them to settle in once place, causing
population growth
They used animals to transport
goods
The obsidian (large rock made
from lava) and the Indus Valley was
a wide ranging trade network
Slave women worked as weavers,
millers, and porters
Fact; 89% of people lived in the cities
and cedar wood from Lebanon
was treasured
Writing System
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They believed that it was important to record and
communicate information about the government and
religion
The most famous script is hieroglyphic.
Hieroglyphic was developed about four thousand
years before Christ, the Egyptians called it “the
words of God” which is why this type of writing was
mostly used by priests
Hieroglyphic was written in rows or columns and can
be read from left to right or from right to left
City Structure
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The old kingdom
Time period that lasted from 2700-2200 B.C
The sphinx and the great pyramid at Giza were built
The middle kingdom
Lasted from 2100-1800 B.C
They developed a new government where the pharaoh’s did
not have complete power
The new kingdom
Lasted from 1570-1080 B.C
They started out well including taking over many countires,
but near the end of this period it began to fall apart and
was eventually taken over
Law Codes and Legal Syetem
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Hammurabi’s Code
Babylonian code of law
Dating to 1700 B.C
One of the oldest writings of significant length in the
world
Consist of 282 laws with scaled punishments “laws were
based on levels in society, slave or free man” as
graded on social status, slave verses free man
A half of the laws consist of payments, while one third
are dealing with; households, family relationships, and
sexual behavior.
General Geography
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Fact; Mesotopia means
“the land between the
rivers”
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Sumerians 1st civilization
was located in southern
mesopotamia
Surrounded by the two
rivers; Tigris and Euphrates
Learned to use the two
rivers by constructing
leevees and irrigation
canals
Learned to control flooding
which produces fertail land
Grew crops such as barley,
wheat, flax, and seasame
Roles of Women
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Women were free to go to the market, own
property, attend legal matters if her husband
couldn’t, and engage in business
High status women, such as priestesses and
members of royal families had the opportunity
to learn how to read and write and were
considered to give administrative authority
Fact; Women who had multiple husbands got
stoned
Military
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Constant wars among Sumerian cities
States helped develop military technology
Military weapons used were spears, copper
helmets, and leather shields
The spearmen lined up in advanced formations
which required training and discipline
Sumerian cities were surrounded by defensive walls
10 Question Review
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1. Could women own
property?
2.Who was at the top
of the social structure?
3.What was
Hammurabi known for?
4.Describe a Sumerian
Temple.
5.What was one type
of technology?
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6. Mesotopia means “the
land between the
_________”
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7.Why is Mesopotamia so
fertile?
8.What were animals good
for?
9. How many Laws were in
the code of Hammurabi?
10.What helped develop
the military technology?
Citations
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"Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Writing." 1997.http://www.eyelid.co.uk/hiromenu.htm
(accessed 8/18/11).
“Ancient Mesopotamia.” http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sumer (accessed
8/18/11).
“Code of
Hammurabi.”August17,2011.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi%27s_Code(accesedAu
gust17,2011).
"Egyptian Social Structures." http://www.ushistory.org/iv/3b.asp (accessed 8/18/11).
“Geography.” http://hypermedia.educ.psu.edu/k12/edpgs/su96/meso/mesopotamia.html#geography (accessed 8/18/11).
“Hammurabi.”August18,2011.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammurabi(accesedAugust18,201
1).
"Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt Old, Middle, and New."
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002046F/kingdoms of ancient egypt.htm (accessed 8/18/11).
“Sumer.” wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer (accessed 8/18/11).
“Sumerian
Religon.”July2,2011.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumerian_religion(accesedAugust18,2011).
“Women in world history.” womeninworldhistory.com/lessonz.html (accessed 8/18/11).