1a+-+Sumerians

I. Civilization: A. Social Classes: B. Government: C. Economics: D.Writing: > - called "cuneiform" > - wedge shaped writing of the ancient Sumerians and other ancient people, written on wet clay tablets E. Scribes:
 * few resources
 * lacked building materials
 * heirarchy was produced
 * highest: ruling family, officials, priesys
 * middle: merchants, artisans, and lesser priests or scribes
 * lowest: farmers and slaves
 * were independent city states
 * rival cities battled for control over land and water
 * rulers in charge of irrigation
 * rulers responsible for maintaining city walls
 * trade
 * sailed along rivers
 * traveled through deserts
 * archaeologists found artifacts from as far as Egypt and India in the rubble of Sumerian cities
 * invented earliest forms of writing[[image:cuneiform_tablet.jpg width="197" height="137" align="right"]]
 * grew from pictographs
 * used for records, myths, prayers, laws, treaties, and business contracts
 * learned by copying and reciting
 * mostly boys
 * had to go to scribe school for many years to aquire their skills

II. Religious Beliefs: A. Temples:
 * many people were Polytheistic [[image:ziggaraut.jpg width="301" height="200" align="right"]]
 * believed gods controlled everything
 * gods behaved like humans
 * people believed the gods lived in temples
 * each city-state had its own god or goddess
 * gave power to city
 * ziggurats were being built

III. Kings:
 * Sargon

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