Attacks by Neighboring Communities

Attacks by Neighboring Communities

Do Now

Multiple Select

You are a Mesopotamian living in one of the villages in the foothills. You must decide what to do about the food shortages in your village. Which of the following responses do you think will best address the problem?

• A. Increase the number of times each year that farmers plant their crops.

• B. Move down to the river plains and try to grow crops there.

• C. Abandon farming and return to hunting and gathering.

• D. Attack neighboring villages and steal their food.

Open Ended

Explain your reasoning.

SENTENCE STEM: I think ___________ is the best decision because _______________.

Vocabulary

Words to know

Levee

An embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river.

Silt

Fine particles of rock that would clog Mesopotamian canals.

Irrigation

The means of providing land with water.

Dispute

A strong disagreement.

City State

An early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government.

Multiple Choice

A strong disagreement

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Multiple Choice

The means of providing land with water

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Multiple Choice

Fine particles of rock that would clog Mesopotamian canals

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Multiple Choice

An embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Multiple Choice

An early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Attacks by Neighboring Communities

As Sumerian cities grew, they fought over the right to use more water. 

Fights over Water

Sometimes, people in cities located upriver (closer to where the river begins) built new canals or blocked other cities' canals. In this way, they kept water from reaching the cities that were downriver (farther from where the river begins). 

Disputes

Disputes over water became so intense that they often led to bloodshed.

Protection from Neighboring Communities

The Sumerians looked for ways to protect their cities from neighboring communities.

Little Natural Protection

The plains provided no natural barriers. There were no mountain ranges or rushing rivers to keep out enemies.

Walls

he Sumerians began to build strong walls around their cities. They constructed the walls out of mud bricks that were baked in the sun until hard. 

Moats

The Sumerians also dug moats outside city walls to help prevent enemies from entering their cities. 

Farmers move inside

Most people lived in houses within the walled cities, but the farms lay outside. In case of attack, farmers fled the fields for safety inside the city walls.

City State

The walled cities of Sumer were like independent countries. Historians call them city-states. By about 3000 B.C.E., most Sumerians lived in city-states.

Multiple Choice

The Sumerians looked for ways to ________ their cities from neighboring communities.

• protect

• enlarge

• hide

Multiple Choice

he Sumerians began to build strong walls around their cities. They constructed the walls out of ________ that were baked in the sun until hard.

• iron

• mud bricks

• hay

• wood

Multiple Choice

The Sumerians also dug _______ outside city walls to help prevent enemies from entering their cities.

• trenches

• holes

• for gold

• moats

Multiple Choice

In case of attack, __________ fled the fields for safety inside the city walls.

• soldiers

• traders

• farmers

• e gamers

Vocab review

Take Two

Multiple Choice

An early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

• city state

Multiple Choice

An embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

Multiple Choice

A strong disagreement

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

Multiple Choice

The means of providing land with water

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

Multiple Choice

Fine particles of rock that would clog Mesopotamian canals

• silt

• dispute

• levee

• irrigation

Complete your Exit Ticket in the Classroom.