Sumer

ancient history · mesopotamia · first cities · writing

World's first cities. Sumer had the earliest cities ever created by humans, built along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. When farmers grew extra food called surplus, they didn't need to spend all their time farming, so people could build towns and become artists, builders, and leaders.

Invented writing. The Sumerians created the world's oldest known writing system, called cuneiform, which used wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay. These written records started appearing around 3350 BC in cities like Uruk, and they kept track of things like grain stores and laws.

Amazing farmers. Sumerian farmers grew tons of grain and crops in the rich soil between two rivers, creating huge amounts of extra food. This surplus meant not everyone had to farm, which allowed civilization to grow in amazing ways.

Cradle of civilization. Sumer is one of the world's very first civilizations, just like ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley, and early China. These places all developed independently around the same time and showed that humans everywhere were ready to build complex societies.