The First Civilization

Let’s discuss some negatives about living in a River Valley first…

• Lack of protection– Easy to invade b/c no mountains or natural

barriers– How did they cope? They built brick walls &

moats

• Possibility of drought

• Lack of resources- no forests for woods, little stone and minerals– How did they cope? TRADE!

– What did they trade?

Welcome to Sumer & meet the Sumerians

A city-what??!?

• City State: a community that included a city and its surrounding lands.

• Sumerian City State:– Trade– Learning– Religion

• By 3,000BCE Sumer had atleast 12 city states– Famous ones were:

• Babylon• Kish• Nippur• Ur

Where are they located?

• Most city states are located near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates

• The land was fertile• Farmers can grow more food• More food = bigger population

3,300 BCE - SUMER

• What is a civilization? A civilization is advance form of culture that developed in cities.– For example: as we became better farmers,

population increased– City leaders organized workers– Culture grew much more complex

The Sumerian City State

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• The Sumerian city– Built homes out of reeds, brick and mud– Rooms around a court yard

The Ziggurat

• 2220 BCE- largest most important structure in the city

• It functioned as a city hall• Middle of a temple complex– This is b/c priests ran the agriculture and other

things of importance

Class zone!

Brief Sumerian Religion

• Priests = very important– Politically – Religious• Went to them for help from gods

What is a social class?

Sumerian Social Classes

• Top: kings/Priests• Upper: landowners, government officials and

rich merchants• Middle: farmers & artisans• Lower: slaves

Kings

Upper class- land owners, rich merchants, government officials

Priests

Middle Class- Farmers, artisans

Lowest class - slaves

Social Hierarchy

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What was the role of Women?

• Women in Sumer had more rights than they did in later Mesopotamia

• Upper class women became priestesses = role of honor– Could own land– Work as merchants/weavers

– Main role was still raising children