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Mesopotamia

Explore the ancient civilizations of Sumer, Akkad, and Uruk in Mesopotamia, their polytheistic beliefs, divine kingship, and cuneiform writing system. Learn about life, legends, and the significance of ziggurats.

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Mesopotamia

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  1. Mesopotamia Growth of City-States: Sumer, Akkad, Uruk, Babylon Religion and Government A system of writing Legends

  2. Life in Sumer, Akkad and Uruk • The Sumerians and the Akkadians were very similar. They both farmed, and had similar customs. Wars occurred frequently over control of land and water. • Uruk was a very large city-state holding up to 50,000 people. • Each city-state was surrounded by a mudbrick wall for protection. • At the highest point of each city-state, was the city’s temple called a ziggurat.

  3. A ziggurat consisted of a series of stacked rectangular platforms that formed a huge pyramid shaped structure. Reaching up to 290 feet, ziggurats were believed by Mesopotamians to link heaven and earth.

  4. Religion • Religion and government were closely linked. • The Sumerians and the Akkadians practiced polytheism- the worship of many gods. • Each city-state believed to be under the protection of a particular god who looked after its interests. • If the people in a city state were peaceful and prosperous, they believed it was because the gods were pleased. • They worked hard to keep the gods happy by making offerings everyday.

  5. Government • The Sumerians believed that kings were chosen by the gods to carry out the god’s wishes. • This was called divine kingship- the belief that the right to rule was god-given. • The Sumerians also believed that the right to rule could be passed from father to son. • Sumer also had a class system where society was divided into classes.

  6. Writing • The Sumerians were great traders and made many business deals. • Sumerians invented a writing system to keep track of all of their business dealings called cuneiform.- A system of wedge-shaped writing. • A professional writer or scribe would press reeds into wet clay leaving markings that stood for objects, activities or sounds. • The clay tablet was left to dry creating a permanent record to use for reference.

  7. Cuneiform Writing

  8. Time to Review • How does a system of writing make it easier to conduct business? • Why were most city-states surrounded by a wall? • What is the belief in many gods called? • What does divine kingship mean? • How are city-states different from villages in the New Stone Age?

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