Civilization World History/Napp

Civilization World History/Napp

“Agriculture marked a dramatic change in how peoplelived together. They began dwelling in larger, more organized communities, suchas farming villages and towns. From some of these settlements, cities graduallyemerged, forming the backdrop of a more complex way of life – civilization. As peoplegradually developed the technology to control their natural environment, theyreaped larger harvests. Settlements with a plentiful supply of food could supportlarger populations.

To cultivate more land and to produce extra crops, ancientpeople in larger villages built elaborate irrigation systems. The resulting foodsurpluses freed some villagers to pursue other jobs. Specialization occurred or people performed different jobs. Individuals who learned to become craftspeople created valuable newproducts, such as pottery, metal objects, and woven cloth. In turn, people whobecame traders profited from a broader range of goods to exchange. Two important inventions – the wheel and the sail – also enabled traders to move more goods over longer distances. As other special groups of workersformed, social classes with varying wealth, power, and influence began to emerge.

A system of social classes became clearly defined as cities grew. Religion also became more organized. Farming peoples worshiped the many godsand goddesses who they believed had power over the rain, wind, and other forces ofnature. Early city dwellers developed rituals founded on these earlier religious beliefs.

Most historians believe that one of the first civilizations arose in Sumer. Sumerwas located in Mesopotamia (the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers), a region thatis part of modern Iraq. A civilization isoften defined as a complex culture with fivecharacteristics: advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology. Cities were the birthplaces of the first civilizations. Food surpluses made cities possible and provided theopportunity for specialization – the development of skills in a specific kind ofwork. An abundant food supply allowed some people to become expert at jobsbesides farming. Some city dwellers became artisans – skilled workers who makegoods by hand. Specialization helped artisans develop their skill at designing jewelry,fashioning metal tools and weapons, or making clothing and pottery. Thewide range of crafts artisans produced helped cities become centers of trade. The soaring populations of earlycities made government, or a system of ruling, necessary. Incivilizations, leaders emerged to maintain order among peopleand to establish laws.

Complex institutions, such as government, religion,and the economy, are another characteristic of civilization. As government, religion, and the economybecame more complex, people recognized the need to keeprecords. Most civilizations developed a system of writing, thoughsome devised other methods of record keeping. Around3000 B.C., Sumerian scribes – or professional record keepers – invented a system of writing called cuneiformmeaning ‘wedge-shaped.’” ~ World History

Identify and explain the following terms:

Food surpluses Mesopotamia

Specialization Civilization

Sumer Cuneiform

Wheel and Sail Artisans

“To be honest, as the son of a slave, your career options are quite limited.”

Critical Thinking:

• How did the social structure of village life change as the economy became more complex?

• What role did irrigation systems play in the development of civilizations?

• What are the key traits of a civilization?

• How did life in Sumer differ from life in a small farming community of the region?

• Why was writing a key invention for the Sumerians?

“Ur, one of the earliest cities in Sumer, stood on the banks of the Euphrates Riverin what is now southern Iraq. Some 30,000 people once lived in this ancient city. Ur was the site of a highly sophisticated civilization. By around 3000 B.C., Ur was a flourishing urban civilization.People in Ur lived in well-defined social classes. Rulers, as well as priestsand priestesses, wielded great power. Wealthy merchants profited from foreign trade. Artists and artisans created lavish jewelry, musical instruments, and gold daggers. Yet still the majority of people were peasant laborers who farmed to produce the food surpluses necessary for civilization.

A large-scale irrigation system was developed to provideUr with food surpluses, which kept the economy thriving. The government officialswho directed the public works project ensured its smooth operation. From the farmers’ fields to the city’swall, society was carefully organized. Inside the city’s wall, citydwellers went about their daily lives. Most lived in windowless, one-story, boxlikehouses packed tightly along the street. A few wealthy families lived in two-story houses with an inner courtyard. On some streets, artisans worked in their shops. A metalworker made bronzeby mixing molten copper with just the right quantity of tin. Later, he hammered the bronze to make spearheads – weapons to help Ur’s well-organized armies. In the city’s bazaar, or marketplace, coins were not used to make purchases because money had not yet been invented. But merchants and their customers knew roughly how many pots of graina farmer must give to buy a jug of wine. This way of tradinggoods and services without money was called barter. More complicated trades require a scribe. He carefully formed cuneiform signs on a clay tablet.

Ur’s tallest and most important building was thetemple. Like a city within a city, the temple was surroundedby a heavy wall. Within the temple gate, a massive, tiered structure towered over the city. This pyramid-shaped monument was called a ziggurat, which meant “mountain of god.” On the exterior of the ziggurat,a flight of perhaps 100 mud-brick stairs led to the top. At the peak, priests conducted rituals to worship the city god who loomed over Ur. The temple also housed storage areas for grains, woven fabrics, and gems – offerings to the city’s god.Sumerians had elaborate burial rituals and believed in an afterlife.

The Sumerians lived in city-states. Each city had its own government and was surrounded by its own fields for farming.” ~ World History

Identify and explain the following terms:

Ur

Bronze

Barter

Ziggurat

Cuneiform

Scribe

Euphrates River

Irrigation System

Rituals

City-states

• In what ways does the ziggurat ofUr reveal that Sumerians had developed an advancedcivilization?

• Choose a person from Urwho has a specialized skill, such as an artisan, a trader, ora scribe. Write an expository (intended to explain or describe something)paragraphexplaining thatperson’s contribution to the economic welfare of the city.

Summary: For each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance.

• Civilization

• Specialization

• Artisan

• Scribe

• Cuneiform

• Bronze Age

• Barter

• Ziggurat