Question

Why did the ancient sumerians look for new ways to produce their food?

Answer 1

The ancient Sumerians sought new ways to produce food to sustain population growth, enable the specialization of labor, and support the rise of cities. Advances in agricultural technology and irrigation, and the production of food surplus led to major societal changes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ancient Sumerians looked for new ways to produce their food to support a growing population and the development of early civilizations. Population growth was crucially dependent on the ability to produce surplus food, which allowed larger numbers of people to live together in concentrated areas like cities. In addition to basic survival, a surplus of food facilitated the division of labor, with some individuals becoming artisans, scribes, or priests, while others focused on agricultural production.

The emergence of agriculture, beginning with a simple stick plow and progressing to more efficient tools like the Sumerian plow, dramatically increased food production. This increase enabled one family to grow enough food for themselves and others, fostering a shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled farming community. The ability to produce a reliable and consistent food supply each year also spurred technological and economic advancements such as the domestication of animals, the invention of the wheel, irrigation techniques, and the development of bronze tools and weapons.

The Sumerians' use of technologies like the plow and their innovations in irrigating fields with river water significantly expanded agricultural production, which supported the rise of cities and complex economies. The surplus food from the surrounding rural areas was distributed among the urban population, allowing for a system of specialization and exchange in which different people performed specific tasks and relied on others for goods and services.

Answer 2

Sumer is the name of the earliest known civilization in Mesopotamia, and one of the oldest in world history.

Their growth can be attributed mostly to their success at agriculture, which enabled them to settle in large groups. There were several factors that contributed to the development of new technology and mechanisms of food production.

The first factor is the fact that Sumerians were settled in the valleys of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, however, the area was mostly dry in terms of precipitation. This meant that farmers had to rely on the rivers, and not on rain, for irrigation. This lead them to develop a complex systems of canals that irrigated the crops.

Their irrigation system was so successful that Sumerian population rapidly expanded. Moreover, the soil was fertile because of the continuous flooding of the rivers. This flooding, however, meant that canals had to be constantly tended to and rebuilt, and Sumerians used a large labour force for this purpose.

Pressure to provide enough food for a growing population led them to continue to innovate, and this self-reinforcing cycle led to the development of technologies such as ploughs that allowed them to cultivate large areas of land with ease.