Features of Civilization: Mesopotamia

The Euphrates and Tigris helped irrigate their fields.

• highly developed culture

• stable food supply

• government

• specialization & trade

"If anyone strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive 60...whips in public. If a free-born man strike the body of another equal rank, he shall pay one gold mina."

• highly developed culture

• stable food supply

• social classes

• specialization & trade

Sumer had a variety of jobs including scribes, potters, and fishermen.

• highly developed culture

• social classes

• specialization & trade

• government

Inventions like the seed funnel and plow helped increase their speed and ease.

• highly developed culture

• stable food supply

• government

• specialization & trade

The king in Sumer made judgments when people argued and was responsible for a city-state's trade.

• government

• highly developed culture

• specialization & trade

• social classes

Shopkeepers and craftspeople live closer to the city center than farmers and fishermen.

• stable food supply

• highly developed culture

• specialization & trade

• social classes

The mountains brought rich silt down to the rivers which flooded into the land.

• government

• highly developed culture

• stable food supply

• social classes

Sumerians invented a form of writing called cuneiform which was written on a clay tablet with a reed stylus.

• government

• highly developed culture

• social classes

• specialization & trade

Military in Sumer included soldiers in uniform, bronze weaponry, and war chariots.

• government

• highly developed culture

• specialization & trade

• social classes

In Sumer, slaves were at the bottom of society and the king, priest, and super wealthy were at the top. Everybody else (farmers, artisans, shopkeepers) was in the middle.

• stable food supply

• highly developed culture

• social classes

• specialization & trade