FROM AGRICULTURE TO CITY-STATESSumer, Akkadia, and religion

HOMEWORK REVIEW QUESTIONS Vocabulary (define and give an example sentence):

rural, urban, city-state, Sargon, empire, polytheism, priests, social hierarchy

Analysis: In Sumerian religious practices, what did priests do to try

to please the gods? Why do you think governments are usually located in

cities?

Critical Thinking: Before people settled in agricultural cities, they tended to

be equal in society. Why did agriculture lead to social hierarchy developing?

You are the King/Queen of a Sumerian city-state. Write a letter to your priests asking them to make offerings to the gods in order to protect your farms from possible floods.

THE RISE OF SUMER

Around 3000 BC, in southern Mesopotamia a people known as Sumerians created an advanced society. Most people lived in rural areas – area outside of

a city, countryside But they were governed from urban centers –

inside a city. These city-states – cities and the regions

around them controlled by a single government – relied on their military strength to gain and protect territory. City-states with stronger militaries could control

larger areas

THERE WERE MANY CITY-STATES IN MESOPOTAMIA…

THE AKKADIANS AND KING SARGON

~2300 BC, the leader of the Akkadians, named Sargon, built a very large army.

Using his army, he defeated and took control of all of the city-state of Sumer, and also northern Mesopotamia.

As the ruler of this large area, Sargon established the world’s first empire

It would last for 150 years

THE RISE OF RELIGION Religion came to play a very

important role in most aspects of Sumerian public and private life

The practiced polytheism – the worship of many gods They believed their gods had

enormous powers – they could bring a good harvest, or a flood, good health, illness, or great wealth

Whether the gods gave a person good or bad fortune depended on pleasing the gods

Each city considered one particular god to be their protector

THE PRIESTHOOD

People relied on a special class of people who could speak to the gods, interpreted their wishes, and made offerings to please them

SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Different levels of people appeared Before, as hunter-gatherers, all people had been very similar in

social power But now, different levels of wealth and power can into being.

At the top was a king – the ruler Below him were priests and nobles – the upper class. The middle level included skilled craftsmen and merchants Below them was the very large working class – farmers and

unskilled laborers At the bottom were slaves – people who were forced to work

for no money (usually taken as prisoners from war) Women: The role of most women was limited to to the home

and raising children… but some women of the upper class were educated and some even became priestesses.