Pаrt I: Reаding IDs Fоr eаch quоte, write a cоmplete paragraph (no bullet points!) in which you identify the Author (if known), identify the Title (if known), give an approximate date (try to get the right century) of when the reading was written, give an approximate place where the reading was written, describe what the reading is about, describe why the reading is important for the history of World Civilization (You MUST answer this last using a sentence beginning: “It is important because . . .”). Quote 2: “Righteousness does not consist in whether you face towards the East or the West. The righteous man is he who believes in God and the Last Day, in the angels and the Book and the prophets; who. . . gives away his wealth to kinsfolk, to orphans, to the destitute . . . who attends to his prayers . . . who is true to his promises . . . such are the true believers; such are the God-fearing.”
Beginning аrоund 5500 BCE, peоple hаd begun tо estаblish settlements in southern Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It was here that the Sumerian civilization emerged. Ancient Sumerian technology pioneered advancements in agriculture, engineering, and mathematics that shaped civilization. One important invention was the process for making an alloy of tin and copper into bronze, which marked the beginning of the Bronze Age in Mesopotamia. In this period, bronze replaced stone as the material for tools and weapons and remained so for nearly three thousand years. Cuneiform script emerged as a writing system in Sumer around 3000 BCE. Cuneiform was a very complex writing system, and literacy remained the monopoly of a group of highly trained specialists called scribes. Sumerians wrote their laws, religious tracts, and property transactions on clay tablets, which became very durable when baked. The clay tablets held records of commercial exchanges, including contracts and receipts as well as taxes and payrolls. Cuneiform also allowed rulers to record their laws and priests to preserve their rituals and sacred stories. In these ways, writing helped facilitate both economic growth and the formation of states. The Sumerians were polytheistic, meaning they worshiped many gods. Each Sumerian city had its own patron god and residents built a huge temple complex for religious rituals called a ziggurat. The temple complex also included the homes of the priests, workshops for artisans who made goods for the temple, and storage facilities for offerings. Sumerians wanted to please their gods by placing them at the center of their society. The gods could be fickle, faithless, and easily angered. If displeased with the people, the gods might bring famine or conquest. Making sure the gods were praised and honored was a way to maintain peace and prosperity. QUESTIONS: 1. According to the reading, what were the key innovations of the Sumerians? 2. What was the impact of the development of writing? 2. How were gods honored and served in the Sumerian religion? Your answer must be in your own words and supported by specific evidence from the reading. Your answer must be a minimum of 75 words.