Sumer

Lo1: Define Mesopotamia, Sumer, city-state, dynasty, cultural diffusion, polytheism, Hammurabi

Mesopotamia- Was an ancient region located in the eastern Mediterranean bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the Arabian Plateau, corresponding to today's Iraq, mostly, but also parts of modern-day Iran, Syria, and Turkey.

Sumer- was an ancient civilization founded in the Mesopotamia region of the Fertile Crescent situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

City-State- a city with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

Dynasty- a line of hereditary rulers of a country.

Cultural diffusion- is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group of people to another.

polytheism- the belief in or worship of more than one god.

Hammurabi- was the sixth king of Babylon from 1792 BC to 1750 BC. He became king after his father abdicated, and was the first ruler of Babylonia.

Lo2:  Identify the region of Sumer and discuss aspects of Sumerian culture. 

Sumer, site of the earliest known civilization, located in the southernmost part of Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Known for their innovations in language, governance, architecture and more, Sumerians are considered the creators of civilization as modern humans understand it.

Lo3: Explain the impacts of the Agricultural Revolution on the development of Sumerian civilization

Because the climate of Mesopotamia was dry with little rainfall, farmers depended on the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for water for their crops. ... Mesopotamians also raised sheep, goats, and cows.

Fertile Crescent- This area was the birthplace of a number of technological innovations, including writing, the wheel, agriculture, and the use of irrigation.

Mesopotamia- It benefitted from the area's climate and geography to host the beginnings of human civilization.

City-state- Serving as a center and leader of political, economic, and cultural life.

Cultural diffusion- Its important to the development of culture because it allows cultures to improve based on what they learn from others.

Polytheism- characterizes virtually all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which share a common tradition of monotheism, the belief in one God.

Hammurabi- the development of a code of laws known as the Code of Hammurabi, which was used to regulate Mesopotamian society.

What were the three environmental challenges to Sumerians?- Unpredictable flooding, no natural barriers for protection, limited resources.

How did the Sumerians view the gods? -The Sumerians believed in 3,000 plus gods to explain everything in nature

What areas of life did Hammurabi’s Code cover?- The code lists 282 specific laws dealing with everything that affected the community, including family relations, business conduct, and crime.