Chapter 4: The Rise of Sumerian City-States
Essential Question: How did geographic challenges lead to the rise of city-states in Mesopotamia?
In this chapter, you learn how geographic challenges led to the rise of city-states in Mesopotamia.
Food Shortages in the Hills
A shortage of food forced people to move from the foothills of the Zagros Mountains to the plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This plains area became Sumer. Controlling Water Supply on the Plains Farmers in Sumer faced times of flooding and drought. They built irrigation systems to create a steady water supply. Maintaining these complex systems required cooperation among villages. From Farming Villages to City-States As villages grew into towns and cities, some became large city-states with protective walls around them. |
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