Features of Sumerian Civilization

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Farming the land Farmers used technology to turn Mesopotamia’s land into productive farmland. Technology - practical application of knowledge to accomplish a task. Examples of technology: Irrigation bring water to their crops. Seed Funnel allowed the seeds to automatically drop into the soil as farmers plowed.

Sumerian Irrigation System

Sumerian Seed Funnel

CITIES EMERGE Sumer was a collection of city-states in Mesopotamia Increase in food production, populations also grow this growth in populations led to the creation of cities and eventually city-states. city-state - an independent state that includes a city and its surrounding territory A city-state also has its own government. Sumer was a collection of city-states in Mesopotamia

City of Ur drawing, 3,800 B.C.

TRADE Each city-state was the center of trading. Trading was often done through the barter method. Barter method – exchanging goods or services of similar value, not using money

SOCIAL CLASSES The Sumerians had a class system that had three distinct classes: Upper(priest, landowners, wealthy merchants, rulers) Middle(farmers and skilled workers) Lower(slaves).

Social Classes in Sumeria

Sumerian religion there was a God for every aspect of their lives. Sumerian people practiced polytheism the belief in more than one God. there was a God for every aspect of their lives. Sun, moon, earth, water They believed that the Gods lived like humans they married, had children but they did not die like humans.

SUMERIAN RELIGION Pic of Ziggurat, Sumerian religious temple.

Sumerian Writing Sumerians initially started drawing pictographs. this led to Cuneiform that uses triangular-shaped symbols to stand for ideas or things. The priests of Sumer created this system. Cuneiform used to record things such as taxes paid, agreements, and sales

SUMERIAN WRITING Sumerian Alphabet Image shows that they used phonics in their pronunciation of words. Image taken from: ancientscripts.com

Cuneiform

Sumerian government Image shows the Sumerian king Anunnaki sitting on the throne. Image taken from: 1anunnaki.co.cc

KINGS, PRIESTS, LAWS, ACHIEVEMENTS Priests were known as the major rulers of city-states. When states went to war, priests often appointed someone to be a military leader. When the war was over, the military leader sometimes would retain their power and thus they became kings. Think: How could priests take advantage of this system to increase their own power?

KINGS, PRIESTS, LAWS, ACHIEVEMENTS Kings were careful to respect the rights and the powers of the priests. Kings had city laws written about slavery, marriage, and causing harm to others. Sumerians developed bronze because it made better weapons and tools