In 2-3 sentences for each topic, summarize what you learned about the following:
The domestication of plants and animals
The transition from hunter-gatherer communities to the first civilizations
Early religion and beliefs
1. The domestication of plants and animals means that certain organisms started relying on people for survival, while people got different products from them (including meat, milk, vegetables, fruits, wool, etc). The domestication of plants and animals led to the division and specialization of labour, because not as many people had to worry about food, so some of them became crafters, judges and musicians.
2. The hunter-gatherers were not considered a civilization, for several reasons. Since hunter-gatherers did not farm, and didn't develop domestication yet, they didn't have a stable food supply. The hunter-gatherers did not have a developed government and a developed culture. All of this came afterwards, once people started settling. This change, however, didn't happen over night (it took lots of generations).
3. The earliest religions were mostly based on polytheism, or the belief in many gods. Usually, there was a god for each thing that was considered important in the empire (sometimes it was sun, water, air, etc.). There was also the main god, who ruled over all the others. The people back then were very religious, and prayed in zuggurats and temples, as well as made animal and sometimes human sacrfices.
Imagine someone saying to you, "Learning about the Sumerians isn't very
important since they're long gone!" What would you tell them in order to change their mind?
To change their mind, I would tell them about all the Sumerian accomplishments, without which we wouldn't be able to have such a carefree life. Firstly, the Sumerians invented the wheel, which is today used for cars, planes, trucks and other transportation devices. The Sumerians invented the alphabet, which we cannot live without today. Back then, it was used to help with trade. The citizens of Sumer were also one of the first ones to invent geometry and mathematics, as well as law and order.
The domestication of plants and animals
The transition from hunter-gatherer communities to the first civilizations
Early religion and beliefs
1. The domestication of plants and animals means that certain organisms started relying on people for survival, while people got different products from them (including meat, milk, vegetables, fruits, wool, etc). The domestication of plants and animals led to the division and specialization of labour, because not as many people had to worry about food, so some of them became crafters, judges and musicians.
2. The hunter-gatherers were not considered a civilization, for several reasons. Since hunter-gatherers did not farm, and didn't develop domestication yet, they didn't have a stable food supply. The hunter-gatherers did not have a developed government and a developed culture. All of this came afterwards, once people started settling. This change, however, didn't happen over night (it took lots of generations).
3. The earliest religions were mostly based on polytheism, or the belief in many gods. Usually, there was a god for each thing that was considered important in the empire (sometimes it was sun, water, air, etc.). There was also the main god, who ruled over all the others. The people back then were very religious, and prayed in zuggurats and temples, as well as made animal and sometimes human sacrfices.
Imagine someone saying to you, "Learning about the Sumerians isn't very
important since they're long gone!" What would you tell them in order to change their mind?
To change their mind, I would tell them about all the Sumerian accomplishments, without which we wouldn't be able to have such a carefree life. Firstly, the Sumerians invented the wheel, which is today used for cars, planes, trucks and other transportation devices. The Sumerians invented the alphabet, which we cannot live without today. Back then, it was used to help with trade. The citizens of Sumer were also one of the first ones to invent geometry and mathematics, as well as law and order.
