EJERCICIO EVALUABLE 1ºA 1ºB
For years he tried to pay his debts. They were so many that he no longer had any friend left to turn to. His children lamented his fate. A few days later he received a message written on a small clay tablet: he had three days to appear before the noble lord. He would have to serve him in order to regain his freedom. With no one to ask for help, he said goodbye to his children and left before dawn. He hated farewells. He was no longer the owner of his own life. He left the loom behind, and before the sun lit up the outlines of the ziggurat on the banks of the Tigris, he could hear the cries of his beloved wife. A deep sadness filled his heart.
1. Social classes in the first civilizations
In the text we find a man who has to abandon his job and serve the “noble lord.”
Explain which social group he might belong to in Mesopotamian societies (privileged, non-privileged, or slaves) and justify your answer by describing the characteristics of that social group.
2. Debt slavery
In ancient civilizations, a person could lose their freedom if they were unable to pay their debts.
Relate this idea to what happens in the text and explain how this type of slavery worked and what consequences it had for the lives of the people affected.
3. The role of the temple and power
The text mentions the ziggurat, a very important building in Mesopotamia.
Explain what functions temples and priests had in these societies and how this structure of power influenced the daily life of lower-class people like the protagonist.
