Download Sumerian Inventions and Inventive Thought

Mesopotamia Achievement Summery:
The Sumerian Invention of the wheel
What is the connection between the
invention of the wheel and the sequence of
problems and solutions we studied about in
Chapter 4? How did the Sumerian’s
(Mesopotamians) experiences with problems
and their solutions enable them to create the
wheel?
Summary
The people of Mesopotamia lived in a
difficult environment. The seasonal floods and
droughts caused farmers to develop new
techniques to control the waters of the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers. Ditches, dams, levees,
and canals moved water to crops and away
from villages. Since Mesopotamia had few
trees, the people could not use wood to make
houses or baskets, and so invented pottery
using the abundant clay soil. The need to
transport heavy loads and to create pots by
turning the wet clay led, in particular, to the
invention of the wheel and cart. Animals such
as the horse and the ox were native to the
region and domesticated by the
Mesopotamian’s Neolithic ancestors; therefore,
they could pull the carts.
In addition, since people needed to move
across the rivers and canals, Sumerians
invented the sailboat. The invention of sailboats
resulted in more people traveling and in greater
trade, which allowed them to share knowledge
and ideas, as well as resources. Therefore,
other peoples could learn about Sumerian ideas
and inventions.
Each new solution the Sumerians discovered
added to their store of experience, knowledge
and brain power. Most importantly, the
Sumerian’s experiences with problems and
solutions taught them how to think. They used
their brain power to create new technologies to
solve their problems. This is why the Sumerians
could create wonderful inventions like the
wheel.
Mesopotamia Achievement Summery:
The Sumerian Invention of the wheel
What is the connection between the invention of the wheel and the
sequence of problems and solutions we studied about in Chapter 4? How did
the Sumerian’s (Mesopotamians) experiences with problems and their solutions
enable them to create the wheel?
Summary
The peoples of _____________lived in a difficult environment.
The seasonal _________and _________caused farmers to develop
new techniques to control the waters of the _______ and
____________ Rivers. Ditches, dams, _______, and canals moved
water to crops and away from villages. _______ Mesopotamia had
few______, the people could not use wood to make houses
or________, and so invented pottery using the abundant clay soil.
The need to transport heavy loads and to create pots by turning the
wet clay _____, in particular, to the invention of the ______ and
_____. Animals such as the _____ and the ___ were native to the
region and had been domesticated by the Mesopotamian’s Neolithic
ancestors;__________, they could pull the_____.
__ _________, since people needed to move across the rivers
and canals, Sumerians invented the sailboat. The invention of
sailboats _________ in more people traveling and in greater trade,
______ allowed them to share knowledge and ideas, as well as
resources. _________ other peoples could learn about Sumerian
ideas and inventions.
Each new solution the Sumerians _____________ added to
their store of experience, knowledge and ______ _______. ______
importantly, the Sumerian’s experiences with problems and
solutions taught them how to _______. They used their brain
power to create new ________________ to solve their problems.
This is why the Sumerians could create wonderful ____________
like the wheel.