Ancient CivilizationsAncient Civilizations

SumerSumer

Lived 7,000 yrs. Lived 7,000 yrs. ago in present-day ago in present-day IraqIraq

Cities built along Cities built along Tigris and Tigris and Euphrates riversEuphrates rivers– Rich soil and water Rich soil and water

supplysupply

Sumer continuedSumer continued

Developed one of the world’s first Developed one of the world’s first civilizationscivilizations

9 out of 10 people - farmers9 out of 10 people - farmers OthersOthers

– businesspeoplebusinesspeople– priestspriests– rulersrulers– traders/merchantstraders/merchants– slavesslaves

IrrigationIrrigation

Irrigation - the use of streams, Irrigation - the use of streams, ditches, canals, and other means to ditches, canals, and other means to water crops in place of rainfallwater crops in place of rainfall

When the river flooded, the ditches When the river flooded, the ditches filled with water. filled with water.

Water was used with dry weather.Water was used with dry weather.– People carried water to crops from the People carried water to crops from the

ditches.ditches.

Let’s Become a FarmerLet’s Become a Farmer

Geography challenge

GovernmentGovernment

City-state - a city and surrounding City-state - a city and surrounding land that make up an independent land that make up an independent state, with its own army, ruler, and state, with its own army, ruler, and lawslaws

City-states formed one nation- ruled City-states formed one nation- ruled by one kingby one king

CooperationCooperation– helped trade and irrigationhelped trade and irrigation– allowed people to live togetherallowed people to live together

Laws Laws

Needed to live peacefullyNeeded to live peacefully Interesting laws in SumerInteresting laws in Sumer

– Anyone who said a crime was Anyone who said a crime was committed needed to prove it. If not, the committed needed to prove it. If not, the person accusing someone of a crime person accusing someone of a crime would be put to death.would be put to death.

– If your leg was cut in a fight, you had If your leg was cut in a fight, you had the right to cut off your enemy’s leg.the right to cut off your enemy’s leg.

Laws continuedLaws continued

Classes - a group to which certain Classes - a group to which certain people in society belongpeople in society belong

Three classesThree classes– aristocratsaristocrats– commonerscommoners– slavesslaves

Had rights, owned land, could buy his/her Had rights, owned land, could buy his/her freedomfreedom

Under certain crimes- free people could be Under certain crimes- free people could be made slavesmade slaves

WritingWriting

Used picture writingUsed picture writing Invented cuneiformInvented cuneiform

– Wedge-shaped writing on clay tabletsWedge-shaped writing on clay tablets– Clay hardened by bakingClay hardened by baking

WritingWriting– record keeping possiblerecord keeping possible– communication from one city to another communication from one city to another

possiblepossible

ReligionReligion

Built templesBuilt temples Believed priests could talk to the godsBelieved priests could talk to the gods Told storiesTold stories

– gods creating human beingsgods creating human beings– story of the great floodstory of the great flood

The gods wanted to destroy people on Earth, The gods wanted to destroy people on Earth, so they created a great flood. A favored king so they created a great flood. A favored king of one city was warned by friendly gods, so he of one city was warned by friendly gods, so he built a great boat. In this boat, the good king built a great boat. In this boat, the good king took all the animals. What story is this?took all the animals. What story is this?

Went to schoolWent to school– wealthy boyswealthy boys

StudiedStudied– MathMath– ScienceScience– AstronomyAstronomy– ReadingReading– HistoryHistory– GeographyGeography

SumeriansSumerians

Sumerians continuedSumerians continued

Developed many ideas we use todayDeveloped many ideas we use today– Seasons of the yearSeasons of the year– Hours and minutes (time)Hours and minutes (time)– First to use the wheelFirst to use the wheel– Invented the sailboatInvented the sailboat– MeasurementMeasurement

Farming- needed a way to measure land Farming- needed a way to measure land accuratelyaccurately

Silver money- used weights and measures to Silver money- used weights and measures to find value of their coinsfind value of their coins

Sumerians continuedSumerians continued

MapsMaps– Scratched maps on Scratched maps on

clay tabletsclay tablets Architecture Architecture

(buildings)(buildings)– Used curved arches to Used curved arches to

make doorwaysmake doorways– Columns hold up roofs Columns hold up roofs – Built places and Built places and

temples from baked, temples from baked, clay bricksclay bricks

Follow-Up QuestionsFollow-Up Questions

What do we know about Sumer that What do we know about Sumer that might make us wonder if it really was might make us wonder if it really was one of the first civilizations?one of the first civilizations?

What six or eight things about Sumer What six or eight things about Sumer remind you of the United States remind you of the United States today?today?

What two or three things are What two or three things are different from our way of life now?different from our way of life now?

Early African CivilizationsEarly African Civilizations

Sahara Desert separated Egypt from Sahara Desert separated Egypt from other African civilizationsother African civilizations

Nok people lived in West Africa (what Nok people lived in West Africa (what is now considered Nigeria)is now considered Nigeria)

African Civilizations African Civilizations continuedcontinued

Used farming Used farming Raised cropsRaised crops

– GrainsGrains– YamsYams– BananasBananas

Used iron to make tools and better Used iron to make tools and better weaponsweapons

HittitesHittites

North of Sumer in Asia Minor North of Sumer in Asia Minor (Present-day Turkey) lived the Hittites(Present-day Turkey) lived the Hittites

Learned to read and write from Learned to read and write from Sumer and EgyptSumer and Egypt

Religion and laws were similar to Religion and laws were similar to SumerSumer

Iron weaponsIron weapons Chariots pulled horsesChariots pulled horses

PalestinePalestine

Hittites conquered the Hebrew Hittites conquered the Hebrew peoplepeople

Palestine (present-day Israel)Palestine (present-day Israel) Hebrews- monotheistic (worship one Hebrews- monotheistic (worship one

god)god)– All other civilizations at this time were All other civilizations at this time were

polytheistic.polytheistic. Polytheistic- worship more than one godPolytheistic- worship more than one god

PhoeniciaPhoenicia

Used trees to build trading shipsUsed trees to build trading ships– Took them to the Mediterranean Sea Took them to the Mediterranean Sea

and the Atlantic Oceanand the Atlantic Ocean– Sailed along the coast of Africa to the Sailed along the coast of Africa to the

south and as far as the northsouth and as far as the north– Set up colonies and traded with the Set up colonies and traded with the

people they metpeople they met Colonies - a settlement set up and ruled by Colonies - a settlement set up and ruled by

people from another countrypeople from another country

Phoenicia continuedPhoenicia continued

TradedTraded– Fine blown glassFine blown glass– Beautiful handmade clothBeautiful handmade cloth

Used purple dye for royal clothingUsed purple dye for royal clothing Created the first alphabetCreated the first alphabet

– Made words by putting letters todetherMade words by putting letters todether– Our alphabet is based on the Phoenician Our alphabet is based on the Phoenician

alphabet.alphabet.

Follow-Up Questions Follow-Up Questions

All successful nations knew how to All successful nations knew how to write. Why was writing so important write. Why was writing so important to a nation?to a nation?

Good weapons help nations conquer Good weapons help nations conquer others. Using an alphabet speeds up others. Using an alphabet speeds up communication. Good roads help communication. Good roads help unite a nation. Which of these is unite a nation. Which of these is most important to a civilization, and most important to a civilization, and why?why?