Chapter 5 Flashcards
- What are the 7 characteristics of civilizations?
- A stable food supply
- A social structure with different social levels and jobs
- A system of government to ensure that the life in the society is orderly
- A religious system
- A highly developed way of life that includes the arts such as painting architecture music and literature
- Advances in technology
- A highly developed written language
- What two inventions created a stable food supply for the Sumerians?
- Complex irrigation system ( DAMS, CANALS RESERVOIRS)
- A plow out of wood
- What were the 3 social classes in ancient Sumer?
- Highest level: Priest, kings, nobles, and government officials
- Middle level: Merchants, artisans (metal workers, farmers)
- Bottom level: slaves
- List which social class each job belongs to
- Landowners-Upper
- Artisans-Middle
- Fishermen-Middle
- Slaves -Lower
How did religious beliefs make the government more powerful?
People believed that the gods chose the kings. Kings led armies, enforced laws, collected
taxes, and built temples.
Name 2 ways that Sumerians show their religious beliefs:
- Statues that people use to worship
- Religious ceremonies which sometimes involved Human sacrifices
Why was music such an important art in ancient Sumer?
Many people thought music brought joy to the gods.
Name 2-3 musical instruments that Sumerians played.
- Lyre-small harp
- Drums/pipes
Why was the wheel an important technological advance?
They created wheeled carts for farmers and chariots in the army. This helped them use the cart to carry food.
What was cuneiform?
highly developed written language.
How did the Sumerians use cuneiform?
They used cuneiform to record information about goods people would exchange.
What was an arch?
An inverted U shaped structure built above doors
Describe the houses that farmers lived in
Small, mud-brick houses at the edge of the city
Describe the houses that government officials lived in
Luxury houses near the center of the city that were two stories high
