Life in Sumer Chapter 3 Lesson 3 Day 1

Sumerian Society Social classes- Determines who has power in society. Upper Class Kings Priests People believed they had influence with gods. Had tremendous power over people. Landowners, government officials, rich merchants. Middle Class Free people (artisans, farmers) Lower Class Slaves

Sumerian Society Slaves used as cheap labor. Examples of slaves: Prisoners of war. Children of Sumerians who may have died, would work in the Ziggurat for priests. Free person who needed to work off a debt. Had some rights Conduct business (trade). Borrow money. Could also buy their freedom.

Sumerian Society The roles and positions of women varied in Mesopotamia. Had more rights in early Mesopotamian history than later. Upper class women could become priestesses. Free women could own land and could work for artisans. Most women were caretakers of children.

Sumerian Science and Technology Inventive and intelligent people. Invented tools and developed special knowledge to improve life. Early inventions The plow (6000 B.C.) The wheel (3500 B.C.) Inventions helped Sumerians in everyday life.

Sumerian Science and Technology The Plow (6000 B.C.). First important tool invented to help farmers dig. First plows were sticks with handles. Pushed or pulled, first by humans then by animals. Broke up hard soil. Easier to plant seeds. Roots received more water with plowed soil.

Sumerian Science and Technology The Wheel (3500 B.C.). Used on wagons to transport goods. Helped farmers take crops more easily to markets. Transporting goods by river was still easier. Pottery wheel helped Sumerians create pots more easily. Bronze- Mixture of copper and tin. Stronger than copper tools. Bronze tools became trading item.

Sumerian Science and Technology Mathematics Sumerians developed arithmetic to keep track of crops, trade goods. Based on the number 60. 60 seconds in a minute. 60 minutes in an hour. Circles have 360 degrees. Measurement of time helped create calendars. Understood geometric shapes Triangles, rectangles, squares. Shapes used to create bricks, ramps, canals.

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