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The Innovations and Culture of Sumer: From Writing to Daily Life

Explore the remarkable achievements of Sumer, the world's first civilization, known for its groundbreaking inventions like the irrigation system, pottery wheel, wheeled vehicles, and sailboats. Most importantly, Sumerians developed cuneiform, a sophisticated writing system with over 500 symbols, starting from mere scratches on clay. Discover the role of education, the influence of city-states, and the polytheistic religion centered around ziggurats. Daily life in Sumer was a blend of wealth and hardship, where storytelling and music provided joy amidst challenges.

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The Innovations and Culture of Sumer: From Writing to Daily Life

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Presentation Transcript

  1. The Cities of Sumer 2.2

  2. A. Inventions • Irrigation systems, pottery wheel, wheeled vehicles, & sailboats • But most importantly – WRITING • Cuneiform (picture writing) • Began as scratches on wet clay • Eventually had over 500 regularly used symbols

  3. B. Schools • Only a few boys & no, nada, zip, zilch, zero girls went to school • Learned to read & write cuneiform and some math • After years of training they would become a scribe

  4. C. City-states • These were self-governing cities that controlled the nearby villages • Since city-states were often at war they built walls for safety • The gates in the walls became natural areas for markets

  5. D. Religion • Ziggurats had temples at the top • The Sumerians were polytheistic • They tried to please their gods with gifts and worship

  6. E. City-states Unite • Sargon created the world’s 1st great empire centered around his city of Kish • He conquered all of the city-states of Mesopotamia • He then extended his empire into Syria

  7. E. City-states Unite • He built a new capital at Akkad • He used cuneiform to send messages (I guess you could say he was the 1st person to send a text message) • His empire broke up after his death

  8. F. Daily life in Sumer • The wealthy live in mud-brick houses • Slaves had a special haircut for I.D. purposes • The poor had mud walled huts • Fathers were the head of the families (rich or poor) • Even rich women did not have the same rights as men

  9. F. Daily life in Sumer 6. Life was hard but there was some free time: • Board games • Music • Festivals • Storytelling – the most famous of these stories is about Gilgamesh, who tried to find eternal life

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