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Kevin Zhang Period 9 Chapter 2 Assignment Questions How did the need to organize labor resources shape the

political and social structures of these societies? In Mesopotamia, the earliest structure in society appeared when farming families banded together for mutual benefit, forming small villages, sharing tools and supplies. As more and more of these villages appeared, they began to connect to form city-states, where there were more elaborate political and social structures. People living in the city would specialize in metallurgy, crafts, administration, and religion, while people living in the outskirts would farm to feed everyone. This was the beginning of social division, when there was a need for specialized professions. Furthermore, the Mesopotamians built a sophisticated irrigation infrastructure under the direction of leaders, who organized the necessary labor. In Egypt, society started as scattered farming villages that are dated to 5500 B.C.E. As population increased, kings emerged, along with more complex political organization. A large bureaucracy was established to direct human labor for construction projects such as pyramids, to detail records of the countrys resources, and to collect tax. Similar to Mesopotamia, there were different jobs that fit into a hierarchal system. The need for organization in a society inherently created social divisions, specialized jobs, and structured society. To what degree did new technologies, such as metallurgy, writing, and monumental construction, contribute to the power and wealth of elite groups? In Mesopotamia, construction of an elaborate irrigation system required leadership, which gave the opportunity for elite groups to assert power. Writing created positions for administrators and scribes, who were seated in a higher societal position than farmers. Metallurgy created positions for artisans and merchants, who were also in a higher class than farmers and slaves. The progression of technologies naturally separated classes and made it easy for an elite group to form. The Egyptians constructed amazingly large pyramids which required the coordination of large numbers of people. The construction was directed by the elite group, and their ability to succeed in creating religious structures gave them more power as a higher class. Officials became part of a higher class with the invention of hieroglyphic writing a possibility to record information.

Kevin Zhang Period 9 Terms civilization - political and social organization of a species Babylon - the most important city in southern Mesopotamia during the second and first millennia B.C.E. Sumerians - the earliest people living in Mesopotamia during the historical period Semitic - a family of languages that were spoken across western Asia and northern Africa city-state - an independent ancient urban center and their agricultural territories Hammurabi - the sixth king of Babylon, who had a long reign scribe - trained professionals given administrative tasks ziggurat - a multi-story, mud-brick, pyramid-shaped tower amulet - small charms meant to protect the bearer from evil cuneiform - an ancient writing by making wedge-shaped impressions on a moist clay tablet with sharpened reed pharaoh - the king of an Egyptian state maat - what Egyptians believed to be the divinely authorized order of the universe pyramid - a monumental structure with a square or triangular base and sloping sides and steps that meet in a point at the top Memphis - the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, located on the Lower Nile near the apex of the delta Thebes - the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms hieroglyphics - an early Egyptian writing system with picture symbols papyrus - a writing material made of reed mummy - a body of a human being or animal that has been ceremonially preserved by removal of the internal organs, treatment with natron and resin, and wrapping in bandages Harappa - the modern name for an ancient city of the Indus Valley, located in present day northeast Pakistan Mohenjo-Daro - the modern name for an ancient city of the Indus Valley located in present day Sindh, Pakistan

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