1. Chapter 2:
Ancient
Middle East & Egypt
3200 B.C B.C.

2. Sumer, World's First Civilization

4. Section 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer
Fertile Crescent curves from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea
Mesopotamia
It lies between
the Tigris
and Euphrates
Rivers

5. Sumer: World’s 1st civilization developed in southeastern Mesopotamia ~3300bc
Regular catastrophic floods
Need cooperation
Few resources
Used clay to build cities like Ur & Uruk
Trade brought riches

6. In Sumerian society, women held a higher social standing
In Sumerian society, women held a higher social standing. However, women were still not treated equally.

7. Viewed afterlife as grim underworld, no escape
Sumerian Religion
Polytheistic
God’s & goddesses controlled every aspect of life
Especially nature
Highest duty was to keep Gods happy
Ziggurat
Large stepped platform topped by a temple dedicated to city’s main god or goddess
Viewed afterlife as grim underworld, no escape

8. Sumerian Writing Cuneiform Earliest form of known writing
Grew out of system of pictographs
A stylus was used on a clay tablet.
Myths, prayers, laws, contracts, and monetary exchanges

10. Cuneiform
How was ancient Sumerian writing (the earliest known writing system) similar to English?
How was it different?
Would you have liked to have been a scribe in Sumerian times?
Why or why not?

11. Beginning around 2500 B.C., armies of conquering peoples swept across Mesopotamia and overwhelmed the Sumerian city-states. By 1900 B.C., the Sumerian civilization had been replaced by other civilizations and empires

12. Sumer Legacy
Akkadians, Babylonians, & Assyrians adapt cuneiform to use with their own languages
Astronomy & mathematics
Sumerian knowledge passed on to Greeks & Romans

14. The Epic of Gilgamesh ~2000 bc Sumerian king of Uruk Great flood
First great work of literature
Sumerian king of Uruk
Great flood

15. First great work of literature
~ 2000 bc
Epic of Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, sought eternal life and obtained the plant of youth. However, a snake ate it, which, according to the legend, is why people do not live forever.

16. Fertile Crescent today