City-States of Ancient Sumer

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City-States of Ancient Sumer
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Fertile Crescent the Tigris Euphrates
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• Many early civilizations began in the Fertile
  Crescent- a region of the Middle East with good
  soil
• Mesopotamia- between 2 rivers Tigris and
  Euphrates
• Sumer, Worlds 1st civilization developed in the
  southeast

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• The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers often flood
• Villagers living along the rivers worked together
  on projects to control the flood waters
• Few natural resources were available
• clay and water were used to build homes
• Traded for other goods invented the wheel

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Sumerian Social Structure

• Based on a hierarchy-system of rating groups
• Ruling family high priests
• Lesser priests merchants
• Peasant farmers(largest group)
• Women had no legal rights, but some were educated
• Religion
• Polytheistic gods controlled every part of life.
• 1 duty was to keep gods happy
• Built ziggurats with a temple on top dedicated to
  the main god(s)
• Believed in an afterlife much like hell for
  everyday

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Ziggurat
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Cuneiform
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• Writing
• By 3200 B.C. Sumerians created cuneiform- a
  system of wedge shaped writing
• Lasting Legacy
• 2500 B.C. Sumer began to be conquered
• Invaders adopted some of the Sumerian innovations
  such as astronomy and mathematics
• Set the hour into 60 minutes, circle into 360
  degrees