Geography
What two rivers helped make Mesopotamia a good place for civilization to develop?
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Which ruler is famous for creating a written code of laws in Babylon?
Hammurabi.
What was one major reason farming helped Mesopotamian populations grow?
Farming provided a more dependable food supply.
What writing system did the ancient Mesopotamians develop?
Cuneiform
Who conquered the Assyrian Empire and established an even larger empire?
Nebuchadnezzar II
What type of soil helped farmers grow crops in Mesopotamia?
Fertile Soil
Which Mesopotamian civilization developed first, before the Babylonian and Assyrian empires?
Sumer
What was a ziggurat primarily used for?
Religious worship and shrines.
Which Mesopotamian people became famous for sailing and trading across the Mediterranean Sea?
The Phoenicians.
What was the first set of written laws called?
The code of Hammurabi
What did Mesopotamians build to carry river water to their farmland?
Irrigation canals.
What type of weaponry helped the Assyrians conquer other lands?
Iron weaponry.
How could producing extra food allow some people to do jobs other than farming?
Food surpluses meant fewer people had to farm, allowing others to become craftspeople, traders, or workers in other occupations.
Which Mesopotamian invention helped farmers prepare soil for planting?
The plow
What famous structures were associated with Nebuchadnezzar II's rebuilding of Babylon?
The Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel
What mountain range bordered Sargon's Empire?
The Zagros Mountains
Which Persian ruler was known for respecting the customs and traditions of conquered peoples?
Cyrus the Great
What is a city-state?
A city and its surrounding territory that function as an independent political unit.
What invention from Mesopotamia had a lasting impact on mathematics?
What was one important effect of Hammurabi putting laws into writing?
The laws were recorded in a clear system that people could refer to.
Explain two ways the rivers helped civilization develop in Mesopotamia.
They provided water for farming and helped produce fertile soil. River routes could also support transportation and trade.
How did Cyrus the Great treat conquered people ?
He allowed conquered peoples to maintain their local customs and traditions.
Explain how farming could lead to the growth of villages into cities.
Reliable food supplies supported population growth. Food surpluses allowed people to specialize in different jobs, helping settlements become larger and more complex.
Why was the development of writing important to Mesopotamian civilization?
Writing allowed people to record information, including trade transactions, laws, and other important records.
A ruler conquers several lands but allows their people to keep their traditions. Which ruler from this unit does this describe, and what does it reveal about his leadership?
Cyrus the Great. It shows that he was a tolerant leader, and respected local customs and traditions.