Ancient Middle East and Egypt Section 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Witness History Audio: Ancient Times, Ancient Tunes Geography Influences Fertile Crescent Civilization The world’s first civilization developed in Sumer, in the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, around 3300 B.C. Geography Interactive: Sumer and the Fertile Crescent Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals. After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “Which basic feature of civilization includes music?” (the development of arts and architecture) “What can we learn about early civilizations from musical instruments?” (Answers will vary.) When showing Color Transparency 7, discuss the evolution of Sumerian writing. Note Taking Transparency 52 1 of 6

Ancient Middle East and Egypt Section 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Sumerian Civilization Takes Shape Within a few hundred years, Sumerians had built city-states with complex governments and a societal class system. They invented the first known writing system, called cuneiform. Color Transparency 7: Cuneiform Evolves Over Time Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals. After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “Which basic feature of civilization includes music?” (the development of arts and architecture) “What can we learn about early civilizations from musical instruments?” (Answers will vary.) When showing Color Transparency 7, discuss the evolution of Sumerian writing. 2 of 6

Ancient Middle East and Egypt Section 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Lasting Legacy of Sumer Although Sumer was replaced by other civilizations, its stories, writing system, and ideas about astronomy and mathematics lived on. Notes: Listen to the Witness History audio. Then read aloud the main idea for each subheading in this section and show the related visuals. After listening to the Witness History audio, ask, “Which basic feature of civilization includes music?” (the development of arts and architecture) “What can we learn about early civilizations from musical instruments?” (Answers will vary.) When showing Color Transparency 7, discuss the evolution of Sumerian writing. QuickTake Section Quiz Progress Monitoring Transparency 3 of 6

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