THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS

WHAT CLIMATE PROBLEMS DID THE ANCIENT SUMERIANS FACE?

• 110 degree heat
• Little rain
• Scorching, dusty wind
• Floods

WHAT WAS THEIR SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS?

• Dams, gates, and canals were made
• Artificial lakes/ponds
• Dug canals to river and opened gates to use gravity to water plants

How did the solution affect the development of Sumerian civilization in the following categories?

Having irrigation systems > gave surplus to the farmers > allowed less people to work at farming > freed time for people to live in cities.

NEW JOBS

• Brick makers
• Canal builders
• Butchers
• Potters

Great temples were built to please the gods and store surplus grain.

TRADE FARMING PRODUCTS FOR

• Jewelry
• Pottery
• Musical instruments
• Fabrics
• Board games

How did the development of Sumerian civilization contribute to new ideas?

KEEPING RECORDS

• They used small clay and stone in different shapes
• They put the tokens into a football shaped clay bulla
• The bulla was scaled while the clay was wet
• They would then press marks into the bulla to stand for what was inside

TECHNOLOGY

• Plow- to break up hard clay
• Wheel- to transport goods over land
• Sailboat- to transport trade on rivers
• Metal tools and weapons- by mixing copper and tin to make bronze