Mesopotamian Job Specilization
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Classes of People in Mesopotamia
Job specialization was very important in ancient Mesopotamia because it meant that there could be classes of people in Mesopotamia. There were three different classes of people. The lowest class of people were slaves. The slaves had no right, and were controlled by their owners. The slaves were not paid for the hard work that they did, but were provided with shelter. Slaves were often captured during wars.
Next came the middle class of Mesopotamia. These were the people that had paying jobs to feed their families. Often these people owned slaves, but were not slaves themselves. Common jobs for these people were merchants, teachers, and farmers.
The very top social class in Mesopotamia were the kings, rulers, and priests. Priests were the doctors of the time, and made sure that all the people didn't do things to upset the gods. The kings made all of the laws and controlled the military.
The social classes of people in Mesopotamia were different from those in the U.S. In the U.S, we have presidents instead of kings. There are no slaves in the U.S, and everyone is allowed to live their life the way they want to. In Mesopotamia, your social class really couldn't change that much: if you were a slave, you would probably stay a slave. However, in the US, you can change your social class by getting a better or worse job and earning more or less money.
Next came the middle class of Mesopotamia. These were the people that had paying jobs to feed their families. Often these people owned slaves, but were not slaves themselves. Common jobs for these people were merchants, teachers, and farmers.
The very top social class in Mesopotamia were the kings, rulers, and priests. Priests were the doctors of the time, and made sure that all the people didn't do things to upset the gods. The kings made all of the laws and controlled the military.
The social classes of people in Mesopotamia were different from those in the U.S. In the U.S, we have presidents instead of kings. There are no slaves in the U.S, and everyone is allowed to live their life the way they want to. In Mesopotamia, your social class really couldn't change that much: if you were a slave, you would probably stay a slave. However, in the US, you can change your social class by getting a better or worse job and earning more or less money.
Cultural Components
Cultural components are parts of a culture such as language, art, and religion.
Language: The people in Mesopotamia spoke Semitic, which was similar to Arabic and Hebrew
Art:
Sumerians were very good craftsmen. They made beautiful pottery, jewelry, and sculptures. The Sumerians made such beautiful pottery that it was used to trade for food, clothes, and other goods. They also made mosaics out of many tiny pieces of painted clay. The Sumerians made jewelry out of gold and lapis. (left.) They also built sculptures to honor their gods.
Babylonians made sculptures of animals. Often times, these sculptures were of lions. The Babylonians built these sculptures to honor their gods.
The Assyrians weren't as interested in art that was pretty. They painted huge painting that showed their daily life, and how fierce their army was in battle.
Religion:
Sumerians worshiped nature, such wind and water. They also believed in immortal in gods that took human shape.
Assyrians practiced two religions throughout their history. First they practiced Ashurism, and then they practiced Christianity.
Babylonians believed that different gods controlled different parts of nature: one controlled the earth, one controlled the ocean, on controlled the air, the sun, the mountains, the rivers, etc. They believed that if they annoyed one of the gods, the part of nature that it controlled would bring bad luck. For example, if you annoyed the river god, a river might flood.
Language: The people in Mesopotamia spoke Semitic, which was similar to Arabic and Hebrew
Art:
Sumerians were very good craftsmen. They made beautiful pottery, jewelry, and sculptures. The Sumerians made such beautiful pottery that it was used to trade for food, clothes, and other goods. They also made mosaics out of many tiny pieces of painted clay. The Sumerians made jewelry out of gold and lapis. (left.) They also built sculptures to honor their gods.
Babylonians made sculptures of animals. Often times, these sculptures were of lions. The Babylonians built these sculptures to honor their gods.
The Assyrians weren't as interested in art that was pretty. They painted huge painting that showed their daily life, and how fierce their army was in battle.
Religion:
Sumerians worshiped nature, such wind and water. They also believed in immortal in gods that took human shape.
Assyrians practiced two religions throughout their history. First they practiced Ashurism, and then they practiced Christianity.
Babylonians believed that different gods controlled different parts of nature: one controlled the earth, one controlled the ocean, on controlled the air, the sun, the mountains, the rivers, etc. They believed that if they annoyed one of the gods, the part of nature that it controlled would bring bad luck. For example, if you annoyed the river god, a river might flood.