Monday, Sept. 14Objectives: 6.9 explain the development of city-states

1. Read Chapter 4. 1 and work on 4.1 Onsheet quietly. 2. Wait for further instructions.1. Read Chapter 4. 1 and work on 4.1 Onsheet quietly. 2. Wait for further instructions.

Chapter 4.1

THE SUMERIANS

Sumerian city-states

Ur = an important Sumerian city-state

Sumer’s cities were surrounded by mudflats and patches of scorching desert. The harsh landscape made it hard to travel by land and communicate with other groups. The meant that each city was largely cut off from its neighbors.

As a result, Sumerian cities became independent. The people of each city raised their own crops and made their own goods. As the cities grew, they gained political and economic control over the lands around them. By doing this, they formed city-states. Each city-state had its own government and was not part of any larger governing state.

Historians think that each Sumerian city-state was protected by a large city wall. Ruins and artifacts have been found by archaeologists that support this theory. Because stone and wood were in short supply, the Sumerians used mud from the rivers as their main building material. They mixed mud with crushed reeds, formed bricks, and left them in the sun to dry. The gates of the wall stayed open during the day but were closed at night for protection. The ruler’s palace, a large temple, and other public buildings were located in the center of the city.

Often, these city-states went to war with one another over resources and political borders. The fought to win glory or to gain more territory. During times of peace, city-states traded with each other and helped each other by forming alliances to protect their common interests.

1. FILL IN THE 4.1 ONESHEET WEB

The First Civilizations in Mesopotamia

Developed in 3000 B.C.

The Two Rivers Mesopotamia earliest civilizations

Developed in southern Iraq

Mesopotamia means land between the rivers

Developed between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia was located in Fertile Crescent

Extends from Mediterranean Sea to Persian Gulf

Includes Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan

Early Valley Dwellers People first settled about 7000 B.C.

◦ They were hunters and herders◦ By 4000 B.C. farming villages develop

Taming the Rivers Farmers used water from rivers to water crops

Melting snow from mountains caused rivers to overflow

Rivers were filled with silt

Silt was good for the soil

Tigris River

Euphrates River

Controlling Floods Farmers used dams and irrigation to control the flooding of the rivers

Irrigation Irrigation is a system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams

Food Surplus Food surplus led to job specialization

People could become artisans or skilled worker

Made pottery, tools, and weapons

Gave rise to cities, trade and civilizations

Sumer’s Civilizations People were know as Sumerians

They built the cities of Ur, Eridu,, and Uruk

City-States Arise A city-state is a city with its own government and the surrounding farmland

◦ Protected by a large wall◦ Mud was the main building material◦ City-states fought and traded with each other

Gods, Priests, and Kings Sumerians were polytheistic

◦ Polytheism is the belief in many gods◦ Believed gods had power over nature and people

Ziggurat Sumerians built ziggurats to honor its god

Ziggurat means to rise high

A holy place was at the very top◦ It was the god’s home

Social Groups

King,

priests, warriors, and government officials

Merchants, farmers, fishers, and artisans

slaves

Farmers and Traders Most people in Sumer were farmers

Wheat, barley, and dates were main crops

Trade was major part of economy

Trade routes linked Sumer to places as far away as India and Egypt

Sumerian Merchants Traded wheat, barley, and tools for timber, minerals, and metals Sumerians valued a red stone called carnelian from India’s Indus River Valley

Searched for a blue stone called lapis lazuli from Afghanistan

Traders returned with iron and silver from Turkey

Sumerian Contributions Writing-most important contribution

Writing was called cuneiform

Contained wedge shaped symbols

Wrote on clay tablets

Only wealthy learned to read and write

Became scribes-a person who wrote documents often a record keeper

Used for record keeping and tax collecting

Technology and Mathematics

Invented the Wheel

Sailboat

Bronze Sumerians were the first to make bronze with copper and tin

Geometry Used geometry to measure the size of fields

Place value Sumerians used a place value based on 60

360 degree circle

Time 60 minute hour

60 second minute

Calendar 12 month calendar

plow

Large Relief Sculptors

Mosaics

Cylinder Seals

A cylinder seal is a cylinder engraved with a 'picture story', used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-

dimensional surface, generally wet clay

Uses of Cylinder Seals The seals were needed as signatures, confirmation of receipts, or to mark clay tablets and building blocks

Ancient Mesopotamia Song By Mr. Nicky