The Sumerians Flashcards
What was the FIRST Civilization called?
The Sumerians
What were they organized in?
Organized into separate city-states WITH their own rulers
Who was first chosen from the priests and later the military?
Rulers were first chosen from religious leaders (priests) and then military leaders
What tool did the Sumerians benefit from?
Wrote in cuneiform—the first writing system
What were some tools that were invented?
Invented the wheel, sail, plow, and a base 60 number system
What were the large temples called?
Built large temples called ziggurats
Meaning of polytheistic
Believed in many gods
What was the Sumerians afterlife called and was the use?
The Sumerian afterlife was the “Land of No Return” where everyone was a servant of the gods and ate clay and dirt for all eternity. (We can connect this pessimistic view of the afterlife back to the geographic disadvantages of Mesopotamia)
