Download Early River Valley civilizations - Judson Independent School District

Warm up #5 8/31/16
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Using your textbook glossary define
the following terms:
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Ziggurat
Polytheism
EmpireHammurabi
Fertile crescent
3500 B.C. – 450 B.C.
Civilization and
geography
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 Geography was a major influence on early
civilizations. The earliest civilizations were formed
on fertile river plains.
 The rivers located near the earliest civilization
provided irrigation for crops, transportation, and
water for cooking and drinking.
Early river valley civilizations
began in 4 locations:
M- Mesopotamia
I- India
C-China
E- Egypt
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Mesopotamia
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 Mesopotamia is located on the Arabian peninsula
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
 The first people began to farm the flat swampy
lands in Mesopotamia before 4500 B.C.
 Around 3000 B.C the Sumerians arrived in
Mesopotamia.
Environmental challenges
in Mesopotamia
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 The Sumerian people faced a variety of
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environmental challenges in Mesopotamia such as:
Unpredictable flooding
Limited natural resources
Periods with little to no rain
No natural barriers for protection
Sumerians create
city-states
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 By 3000 B.C the Sumerians had built a number of
cities including: Lagash, Umma, Uruk, Kish, and Ur.
 Each city and the surrounding land it controlled
formed a city-state.
 A city-state is a city and its surrounding lands
functioning as an independent political unit
Sumer Gov’t
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 Sumer’s earliest government were controlled by the
temple priest.
 In times of war priest turned over control of the city
to powerful military leaders. Eventually some
military leaders ruled full-time and became
monarchs.
 These rulers passed their power to their sons and
created a dynasty- a series of rulers from a single
family
Cultural diffusion
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 Sumer's city-states grew prosperous from their
surplus of food, allowing them to increase trade to
long distances.
 Sumerians exchanged products and ideas with
neighboring cultures.
 Cultural diffusion- the process in which a new idea
or product spreads from one culture to another
Sumer Culture
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 Religion: Sumerian people were polytheistic, they
believed than many gods controlled the forces of
nature.
 Society: Sumerian society began what we call social
classes. Monarchs, landholders, made up the highest
level. Merchants ranked next, followed by field
workers.
 Technology: Sumerians invented the wheel, the
sailboat, ramps, columns, and of course cuneiform.
On a separate sheet of paper
(not in your Journal)
Use your notes and pgs. 48-50 in your Jarrett books to
answer the following questions
 Where is Mesopotamia located?
 List at least 3 achievements of the Mesopotamian
civilizations.
 Describe some of the characteristics of
Mesopotamia.
(write in complete sentences)