The Rise of Sumer September 16, 2013
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TheRise ofSumerSeptember 16, 2013
7/29/2019 Chapter One, Section Two: The Rise of Sumer
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Where was Sumer?
By 3000 B.C., many cities had formed in southern
Mesopotamia in a region known as Sumer.
Sumerian cities were isolated from each other by
geography.
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This terrain made travel and communication
difficult.
Each Sumerian city and the land around it became
a separate city-state.
It had its own government and was not part of any
larger unit.
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City-states often went to war with one another.
They fought to gain glory and to control more
territory.
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River mud was main building material, so this is
what walls around the city-states were made
from.
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The Sumerians believed in many gods. Each was
thought to have power over a natural force or a
human activity—flooding, for example, or basketweaving.
Each city-state built a grand temple called a
ziggurat. Ziggurat means“mountain of god” or
“hill of heaven.”
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Most people in Sumer farmed. Some however,
were artisans—skilled workers.
Sumerian writing was called cuneiform.
Those who wrote cuneiform were called scribes,or record keepers.
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THE FIRST STORY EVER: Epic of Gilgamesh—What
happens in this story?
The Mesopotamians also were advanced in Math
and Science. How do you believe this changed the
societies to follow?
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Look Like a Sumerian…
Why do YOU think people in Sumer created sculptureswith such BIG eyes?
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Sargon and Hammurabi
Sargon: The King of the Akkadians
In 2340 B.C., Sargon conquered all of
Mesopotamia and set up the world’s first empire.
An empire is a group of many different lands
under one ruler. His empire lasted for more than
200 years before falling to invaders.
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Sargon.
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In 1800s B.C., a new group of people became
powerful in Mesopotamia. They built the city of
Babylon by the Euphrates River.
It quickly became the center of trade.
Beginning in 1792 B.C., the Babylonian king
Hammurabi began conquering cities to the north
and south and created the Babylonian Empire.
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Hammurabi
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THE CODE OF HAMMURABI
Clay tablet
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cuneiform
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“Fair Laws”
If a judge makes an error through his own fault
when trying a case, he must pay a fine, be
removed from the judge’s bench, and never judgeanother case.
If someone gives something to someone else for
safe-keeping, the transaction should be witnessed
and a contract made between the two parties.
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“Cruel Laws”
If a son strikes his father, the son’s hands shall be
cut off.
If someone is caught in the act of robbery, then he
shall be put to death.
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What laws can YOU find?
For homework, please research the Code
of Hammurabi and prepare to discuss one
of the craziest laws you can find.