Size comparison

Size comparison (cont.)

Egypt and Sumer Notes Religion, Government, Economy, Geography, Social Structure, and Accomplishments

Egypt - Religion  Mummification – the preservation of the dead  Sun god was chief god  Pharaohs were looked upon as a god as well as a monarch  Buried pharaohs with great care and filled tombs with riches

Egypt – Gov’t  Pharaoh ran the land  Vizier - chief advisor who oversaw all activities (enforced laws, collected taxes)

Egypt - Economy  Based on trade, but surplus and advances allowed for new opportunities (merchants)  Foreign conquests brought new riches to Egypt

Egypt - Geography  Nile River Valley  Yearly floods helped leaving layer of silt (rich soil)  Cataract - waterfall of the Nile  Delta – triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of some rivers

Egypt – Social Structure Step 4 of your Project!!!!! Pharaoh High Priest/Priestess _____________________ Nobles – fought the Pharaoh’s wars ___________________________ Merchants – (developed from surplus of food), scribes, artisans (smallest class) Peasant Farmers (Largest Class) ________________________________________________________________________ Slaves

Egypt - Accomplishments  Building of pyramids  Advancement in medicine, astronomy, and mathematics

Sumer - Religion  Believed in afterlife – a grim underworld from which there was no release  Gods were thought to control every aspect of life  Polytheistic

Sumer – Gov’t  Many independent city – states  Each city – state ruler was responsible for maintaining city walls and irrigation  Led armies in war and enforced the laws

Sumer - Economy  Trade brought riches to city  Using rivers and the first wheeled vehicles were able to expand trade routes

Sumer - Geography  Fertile Crescent  Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers  Rivers frequently rose and flooded, causing the soil to be ruined

Sumer – Social Structure  Social hierarchy  Ruling family, high priests, leading officials (highest class)  Merchants, artisans, lesser priests, scribes (small middle class)  Peasant farmers (largest class)  Slaves (lowest class)

Sumer -Accomplishments  First wheeled vehicles  1st writing system (cuneiform)  used iron