Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent Chapter 3 Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

3.2 The Rise of Sumer

An Advanced Society Southern Mesopotamia – Sumerians developed the world’s first civilization No one knows where they came from Settled in Mesopotamia – land they called Sumer

The City-States of Sumer Most people – farmers – lived mainly in rural – or countryside areas Center of Sumerian society – urban – or city – areas Basic political unit of Sumer – combined the two parts – city-state –which consisted of a city and all the countryside around it

The City-States of Sumer Continued Amount of countryside controlled by each city-state depended on its military strength Sumer city-states fought each other for more farmland Uruk’s king – Gilgamesh – legendary figure in Sumerian literature

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Akkadians created a society along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers– north of Sumer Not Sumerians/spoke a different language

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Continued Peace was broken between the Akkadians and Sumerians when Sargon wanted to extend the Akkadian territory

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Continued Built a new capital – Akkad on the Euphrates River- near what is now the city of Baghdad

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Continued Sargon – first ruler to have a permanent army Defeated city-states of Sumer and conquered northern Mesopotamia

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Continued Entire region under Sargon’s rule/establishing the world’s first empire – or land with different territories and people’s under a single rule Akkadian Empire – stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea

Rise of the Akkadian Empire Continued Sargon was emperor or ruler of his empire for more than 50 years

Religion Shapes Society Religion important in every aspect of life Religion basis for all of Sumerian society

Sumerian Religion Sumerians practiced polytheism – the worship of many gods Each city-state considered one god as its special protector

Sumerian Religion Continued Sumerians believed their gods had powers Believed that success in every area of life depended on pleasing the gods

Sumerian Religion Continued Sumerians had a duty to serve and to worship the gods Priests – people who performed religious ceremonies

Sumerian Social Order Priests occupied a a high level in Sumer’s social hierarchy – the division of society by rank or class – they were just below kings.

Sumerian Social Order Continued Social hierarchy Kings – chosen by the gods Priests Skilled craftsman, merchants, and traders

Sumerian Social Order Continued Farmers and laborers – made up the large working class Slaves – bottom of the social order

Men and Women in Sumer Men Held political power Made laws Education reserved for men/and some upper class women

Men and Women in Sumer Continued Took care of the home/children Some educated women were priestesses in Sumer’s temples

Men and Women in Sumer Continued Enheduanna Daughter of Sargon Wrote hymns to the goddess Inanna First known female writer in history