1. Chapter 3.3 “Life in Sumer” “Sumerian Society” –section 1
Sumerian society was divided into (3) unequal classes
Upper Class- king & priests, landowners, officials, rich merchants
In-Between Class- all other free people (farmers & artisans)
Lowest Class- slaves
Most slaves were taken as prisoners during war
All social classes included women
Women could become priestesses, own land, be artisans & merchants
Their main role was raising children

2. “Sumerian Society & Technology“–section 2
Sumerians were great problem-solvers
They invented the plow (6000 BC) and the wheel (3500 BC)
The plow greatly improved farming production
The wheel had many uses (transportation, pottery)
Bronze tools were stronger, lasted longer, and stayed sharper
They developed math to keep records of trade goods
Time is based on their math & helped create calendars

3. “Creation of Written Language” – section 3
The growth of trade led to a need for the first writing system
3000 BC, writing was developed to keep business records
The first Sumerian writing system was pictographs
Pictographs stood for objects, ideas, and sounds
Later, they developed a wedge-shaped writing called cuneiform
Sumerian language contained about 600 symbols
Highly respected scribes specialized in reading and writing
Sumerian’s written history contains accounts of wars, floods, and reigns of their kings
Other cultures adopted cuneiform writing