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The Cities of Sumer

The Cities of Sumer. Chapter 2 Lesson 2 Pages 58-63. Early Cultures: Sumer. Sumerians were great inventors. Communication Government Transportation. Cuneiform. A system of writing developed in Sumer in the 3500 BC.

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The Cities of Sumer

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  1. The Cities of Sumer Chapter 2 Lesson 2 Pages 58-63

  2. Early Cultures: Sumer • Sumerians were great inventors. • Communication • Government • Transportation

  3. Cuneiform • A system of writing developed in Sumer in the 3500 BC. • Began as picture writing or pictographs and developed into symbols that represented sounds and objects. • Sumerian scribes used wet clay and scratched the symbols into the clay with a sharpened reed.

  4. Schools • Boys only! Maybe a girl if she were the daughter of the most powerful ruler… • Made clay tablets and reeds. • Studied math and cuneiform. • Could become a ‘scribe” or official writer. • Scribes recorded everything.

  5. Mesopotamia • http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/index.html

  6. City-States • A self-governing city that also controls the surrounding villages. • From 3500BC – 2500BC. • Usually located on the Euphrates or Tigris river. • At war with other city-states over territory and water resources. • Ruled by a king.

  7. Walled Cities • Thick mud walls with large gates protected the city-states. • Gates were marketplaces and meeting places. • King’s palace was easily seen from everywhere. • the ziggurat was a religious temple located in the middle of the city.

  8. Ziggurat

  9. Religion • Polytheism – worship of many gods and goddesses. • Ki – harvest • Ishtar – love & war • Enki - water • Priests and priestesses directed the work of many craftspeople working in the temples.

  10. Sargon • King of the city-state Kish. • In 2300 BC, Sargon united all the city-states of Sumer, and then Syria. • Created the first empire and ruled for 56 years. • His daughter, Enheduana, was a scribe and wrote poetry. • Managed his large empire using cuneiform. • Laws • Messages • Government documents.

  11. Sumerian Empire

  12. Lifestyles of the Rich • Lived in large mud-brick homes. • Had servants who were slaves from conquered peoples. • Father was the head of household. • Women had little rights. • Played games & music, had feasts and parades, and told stories like the epic, Gilgamesh. • Sons went to school.

  13. Poor in Sumer • Everyone worked, no school. • Parents taught their trade to their children. • Lived in mud huts with reed mats for sleeping. • Clay pots and baskets were used for storage. • Father was boss.

  14. The Wheel • Farmers developed the solid wheel to use on their farms. • Solid round wheels of wood were first wheels. • Helped to transport goods and people more quickly. • Gave their army an advantage: war chariots • Greatly improved trade.

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