8/16/2019 Student Guide: The First Civilization

HST103A World History | Unit 1: Civilization Begins | Lesson 5

Lesson 5: The First Civilization

Lesson Objectives
Recognize elements that are generally used to define civilization and distinguish it from other
forms of social structure.
Identify social, cultural, and economic characteristics of early Sumerian civilization.
Describe major cultural and technological achievements of Sumerian civilization and their
significance.
Summarize major reasons for Sumer's decline.
Demonstrate mastery of important knowledge and skills learned in previous lessons.
Describe key social, cultural, and economic characteristics of early agricultural villages and the
first cities.

PREPARE

Approximate lesson time is 60 minutes.

Student Materials
River Valley Civilizations (PDF)
Lesson Answer Key (PDF)
World History: Our Human Story
History Journal

Keywords and Pronunciation

Akkad
(AK-ad):
cuneiform
(kyou-NEE-uh-form):
Enkidu
(EN-kee-doo):
Gilgamesh
(GIL-guh-mesh):
theocracy
(thee-AH-kruh-see):

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ziggurat
(ZIH-guh-rat):

LEARN

Activity 1: Lesson Checklist (ONLINE)

Instructions
Read Chapter 1, Section 3, pages 17–23, and answer the questions.
Complete the column for Sumer in the chart on the River Valley Civilizations sheet.
View the Invention of the Wheel activity online.
Complete the Salinization activity online.
Take the Chapter Quiz.

Activity 2: How Civilized (ONLINE)

Instructions
Read

Read Chapter 1, Section 3, pages 17–23, and answer the questions.

You will learn in this lesson that record-keeping is one of several conditions that define a group of
people as a civilization. Before you begin reading, look at the picture on page 21 of the terra cotta
tablet with Sumerian writing. Why do you think the ability to keep records is important in the
development of a civilization?

1. There are five conditions, or characteristics, common to all civilizations. Give a brief description of
each of these characteristics:

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2. Briefly describe the significance of each of the major cultural and technological achievements of
Sumerian civilization. In other words, what impact did each have? Why is each considered an
achievement?

3. There were several causes for the decline of Sumer. Identify and briefly describe three of these
causes and tell whether it was political or geographic (or both) in nature.

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4. Which Mesopotamian civilization eventually conquered the Sumerian city-states? What technology
helped them accomplish this?

5. Match the following terms with their correct definitions:

_____ ziggurat A. a city official trained to record information

_____ polytheism B. an area made up of a city and the surrounding villages and fields
_____ theocracy C. the process whereby salt accumulates in soil
_____ city-state D. a simple drawing that represents a specific object or idea
_____ pictogram E. Sumerian writing that used wedge-like impressions in clay tablets
F. government where the ruler is believed to derive power from, and seeks
_____ scribe
guidance from, gods
_____ cuneiform G. the belief in many gods and goddesses
_____ salinization H. Sumerian temple built as a terraced pyrami

6. How was Sumer different from farming villages or clans of hunter-gatherers? Why was it a
civilization and the others not?

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River Valley Civilizations

In this lesson you will read about five defining elements or characteristics of civilization as they existed
in Sumer. You will describe in a chart the five defining elements of civilization as seen in Sumer and
other river valleys.

Complete the column for Sumer on the River Valley Civilizations sheet. Give examples of each
characteristic of civilization. There is not a lot of room to write on the chart, so use words and phrases
instead of complete sentences to capture the most important facts for each category. You will complete
the chart as you progress through the unit, so keep it in your History Journal for later use.

The Invention of the Wheel

The invention of the wheel was one of Sumer’s major technological achievements. View the Invention
of the Wheel activity online or more information about how the wheel was invented.

Salinization in Sumer

Complete the Salinization in Sumer activity online.

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