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Published byKerry Parsons Modified over 9 years ago
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1. Advanced Cities ◦ Large group living together ◦ Trading center
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2. Specialized Workers ◦ Develop skills in a specific kind of work (trader or priest) ◦ Why? Abundant food
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3. Complex Institutions ◦ Long-lasting pattern of organization in a community ◦ Examples: Religion Government Economy
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4. Record Keeping ◦ System of writing ◦ Taxes, laws, religious rituals ◦ Scribes – professional keepers
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5. Advanced Technology ◦ Anything that makes life easier
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Sumer Specialized Workers: soldiers, merchants, teachers, priests, etc. Complex Institutions: formal governments (laws and officials), priests w/ religious power Advanced cities: Uruk – 50,000 Lagash – 10,000 -50,000 Record Keeping: Cuneiform writing system Advanced Technology: 3000 BCE wheel, plow, sailboat; bronze weapons and armor
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Tigris & Euphrates Rivers Annual flooding ◦ Silt – rich layer of soil deposited by a river (good for growing crops) ◦ Alluvial Plain – flat landform created by deposit of silt from rivers coming from highlands
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Unpredictable flooding & little rain irrigation ditches No natural barriers for protection built city walls Limited natural resources traded grain & cloth for stone & wood
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City-state: city & surrounding area functioning as a country does today Priests head government 3,000 BCE Kings head government 2,500 BCE ◦ Create Dynasties - series of rulers under one family Ziggurat – walled temple
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Akkadian – Sargon of Akkad (2350 - 2150 BCE) defeated city-states of Sumer 1 st empire: brings together several independent peoples, nations, or states Babylonian – Babylon (2000 - 539 BCE)
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Hammurabi’s Code ◦ Hammurabi (Babylonian King) ◦ 1792-1750 BCE ◦ Unified code of laws ◦ Oldest known legal system ◦ Stressed justice & punishment based on social class
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Polytheism: belief in two or more gods (kings representatives of gods) Human-like, but immortal & powerful Humans were servants Built ziggurats & offered sacrifices to please gods
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Kings, Priests, Landholders Merchants Farmers Slaves Sumerian Social Hierarchy
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Arithmetic, Geometry ◦ Helped in building projects Architecture ◦ Arches, columns, ramps, pyramid shape Cuneiform ◦ Writing system ◦ Pictograph – symbols stand for words
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