Sumerian Achievements

Lesson 12 Life in Sumer

11/16/202

Poll

Which is tastier, tacos or quesadillas?

• Tacos

• Quesadillas

Sumerian Society

New Topic

Social Classes

• Upper class: Kings and Priests

• Middle Class: Landowners, Gov officials, rich merchants

• Lower Middle Class: Artisans, Farmers, Free People

• Lower Class: Slaves

Slaves

• Most slaves captured during war

• Orphans might become slaves to survive

• Some people may borrow money and become a slave to work off debt

• Slaves could purchase freedom

Multiple Select

Check all the positions that would be considered "Lower Middle Class" in Sumer

• Slave

• Artisan

• King

• Landowner

• Farmer

Sumerian Science and Technology

New Topic

Early Inventions

• Invented the plow in 6000 B.C.

• plows broke up hard soil, making it possible to farm more land

• Invented the wheel in 3500 B.C.

• wheels allowed farmers and merchants to transport goods with ease

• Invented the potters wheel, allowed them to make pots for storage

• Invented bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, much stronger then copper

Mathematics

• Developed arithmetic (counting)

• Sexagesimal number system (based on 60)

• Where we get 60 seconds in a minute 60, minutes in an hour, 360 degrees in a circle

• Very good at geometry, made bricks, ramps and canals

*1899

Open Ended

What tools did the Sumerians invent?

Creation of Writing

New Topic

Picture Writing

• First used pictures to represent objects (Pictographs), then ideas, then sounds

• They could combine pictures for different sounds to spell words

• The pictures eventually developed into wedge shapes call Cuneiform

• Used a reed stylus pressed into a clay tablet

Written History

• First used writing to record trade deals and business

• eventually began recording floods, wars, lines of kings, history!

• Other cultures also adopted the system of writing

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