The Sumerians

Life in Sumer

Chapter 3, Lesson 3

Lesson

The Sumerians developed social classes. This included the UPPER CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS, and LOWER CLASS.

The king and the priests were at the top (the Upper Class). The inbetween people (farmers and artisans) were in the middle class. Slaves were in the lowest class.

Multiple Choice

Who was in the Sumerian upper class?

• Kings and priests

• farmers

• artisans

• slaves

Slaves were often prisoners of war. Children could become slaves to pay off a debt held by their parents. Slaves could buy their freedom.

The main role of women in ancient Sumer was raising children. However, women could become priestesses , own land, and work as artisans.

Multiple Choice

Sumerian slaves

• were adults only

• could walk away at anytime

• could buy their freedom

• could refuse to work

The Plow

A very important Sumerian invention was the plow. Today, farmers use tractors. Plows broke up the soil and made planting easier. Water could get way down to the roots.

Other Inventions

Sumerians get the credit for inventing the wheel and bronze (by mixing copper and tin)

Writing and Record Keeping

The most famous invention of the Sumerians is most likely WRITING.

Sumerian writing was called CUNEIFORM. Scribes (people who knew how to write and keep records) wrote on clay tablets using a STYLUS (a sharpened reed)

Writing (continued)

Writing was first invented so the Sumerians could keep track of business transactions. Later people started writing about wars, floods, kings, etc. Sumerians, called SCRIBES, began to write down their history and became the first group of people to write down information for us to read thousands of years later. This really cut down on all the guessing historians had to do.

Multiple Choice

Why was writing originally invented?

• Grocery lists

• Love letters

• Writing history

• Keeping track of business

Multiple Choice

What do you call a person in Sumer who can read and write?

• teacher

• artisan

• scribe

• holy man

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT a Sumerian invention?

• wheel

• plow

• hunting

• bronze

Conclusion

Writing makes it easier for people to pass on knowledge from generation to generation. Other inventions, such as the wheel and the plow, greatly improved the lives of ancient Sumerians.

Open Ended

Write five facts about ancient Sumerians that was presented in this Quizizz presentation. Do not begin any sentences with , "They, It, He, or She."

Complete sentences only. Begin each sentence with a capital letter and end with a period.

If any portion of your work has been copied and pasted, your score will be zero. Please do your own work. Do not copy another's work and claim it as your own.