Name: Date: Class: R G B Y SS#: History Alive! Chapter 5 Ancient Sumer Focus Question: Why do historians classify ancient Sumer as a civilization? 1
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Standard of Ur Directions: The Standard of Ur was found in ancient Sumer. Make observations about the artifact. Then make inferences about the society that created it. SIDE 1 SIDE 2 Observations Inferences Why do you think historians might classify ancient Sumer as a civilization? 3
Section 5.2 Characteristics of Civilization. Read History Alive!, 5.2, and fill out the below notes. Complete the spoke diagram below. Follow these steps: 1. Write the title of the section in the large center circle. 2. In each small circle, write one of the characteristics of civilization. 3. Next to each small circle, draw a picture or symbol that represents that characteristic. (Your symbol may be ancient or modern.) 4
Section 5.3 Food Supply. Read History Alive!, 5.3, and fill out the below notes. Complete the flowchart below. In each box, write the name of a Sumerian invention that helped create a stable food supply. Explain what the invention was and how the Sumerians used it. Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of a stable food supply in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 5
Section 5.4 Social Structure. Read History Alive!, 5.4, and fill out the below notes. In the ladder below, list and describe the people who lived at each status level of the Sumerian social structure. Next to each description, draw a symbol that represents that class. Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of a social structure in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 6
Section 5.5 Government. Read History Alive!, 5.5, and answer the questions below. Be sure to restate the question in your answer. 1. Why did religious beliefs in Sumer make the government more powerful? 2. List all the duties (jobs) of the government in Sumerian city-states. Then circle the duty you think was the most important, and explain why you chose this duty. Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of a government in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 7
Section 5.6 Religion. Read History Alive!, 5.6, and answer the questions below. Be sure to restate the question in your answer. 1. What is a religious system? 2. Why was religion important in Sumer? 3. Draw and label a picture that shows two ways Sumerians expressed their religious beliefs. Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of religion in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 8
Section 5.7 Arts. Read History Alive!, 5.7, and answer the questions below. Be sure to restate the question in your answer. 1. Name three types of artists in Sumer and explain what each one did. 2. Why was music an important art in Sumer? Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of the arts in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 9
Section 5.8 Technology. Read History Alive!, 5.8, and answer the questions below. 1. In the flowchart below, draw and label pictures to show what life was like in Sumer before and after the invention of the wheel. 2. Draw and label a picture of a Sumerian arch. Explain why it was an important technological advance. Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of technology in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 10
Section 5.9 Written Language. Read History Alive!, 5.9, and answer the questions below. 1. In the flowchart below, explain the development of writing in Sumer, from 2. Why do you think cuneiform was a better method of communication than pictographs? Look at the artifacts posted around the room. List the artifacts that show evidence of written language in Sumer. Then choose one artifact and write a sentence explaining how it relates to this characteristic of civilization. 11
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