Sumerians Build Walled Cities
This Grade 6 history skill from History Alive! The Ancient World explains how competition over water resources led Sumerian communities to build walled cities. Successful irrigation created agricultural surpluses but also intensified conflict as communities fought over water control — essential for their farms. To defend against rivals, Sumerian settlements built strong protective walls. These walled cities and the surrounding farmland they controlled became independent city-states, each with its own government and army. This development marks a key stage in the rise of the world's first urban civilization.
Key Concepts
Sumer's successful irrigation systems created a new problem: competition . Communities began to fight over the control of water, which was essential for their farms and survival.
To defend themselves from rivals, Sumerian cities built strong walls for protection. These walled cities and the farmland they controlled became independent. They were known as city states , each with its own government and army.
Common Questions
Why did Sumerians build walled cities?
As Sumerian irrigation systems produced food surpluses, competition over water control intensified between communities. To defend themselves from rivals fighting over this essential resource, Sumerian settlements built strong protective walls around their cities.
What is a city-state?
A city-state is an independent city and the surrounding territory it controls, with its own government, laws, and army. The Sumerian walled cities became the world's first city-states, each functioning as a self-governing political unit.
How did irrigation lead to city-state development in Sumer?
Irrigation created reliable food surpluses, which grew populations and wealth. But it also created competition over water control. This conflict pushed communities to build walls for defense, eventually developing into independent city-states.
Where was Sumer located?
Sumer was located in Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now southern Iraq. It is considered one of the world's earliest civilizations and the birthplace of the first cities.
Which chapter covers Sumerian city-states in History Alive! The Ancient World?
Chapter 1: Early Humans and the Rise of Civilization or Chapter 2: Ancient Egypt and the Middle East in History Alive! The Ancient World covers Sumerian walled cities and city-states.