PRESENTATION OUTLINE
THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS
WHAT CLIMATE PROBLEMS DID THE ANCIENT SUMERIANS FACE?
- 110° heat
- Scorching dusty wind
- Little rain
- Parched dry land
- Spring flooded marshes
WHAT WAS THEIR SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS?
- Dams helped dry land into fertile plain
- Made canals from rivers to the fields
- Made artificial lakes to hold excess water
How did the solution effect the development of Sumerian civilization in the following categories?
Having irrigation systems gave surplus to the farmers and allowed less people to work at farming. Freed up people time to live in cities.
NEW JOBS
- Brick makers
- Canal builders
- Butchers
- Potters
Great temples were built to please the gods and store surplus grains
TRADE FARMING PRODUCTS FOR
- Wheat
- Barley
- Wool
- Dairy products
- Dates
How did the development of Sumerian civilization contribute to new ideas?
KEEPING RECORDS
- Used small clay tokens of different shapes
- Bulla-container that held tokens
- Shapes to stand for tokens
- Press marks in clay bulla to show what’s inside
TECHNOLOGY
- Plow
- Wheel
- Sailboat
- Mixed metals and created bronze