The fertile Crescent & rivers
What are the two main rivers of Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
What is a city-state?
A city and its surrounding land with its own government
Who created the first empire in the world?
Sargon of Akkad
Who was Hammurabi?
The king of Babylon who created one of the first law codes
Where did the Phoenicians live?
Triple points if you say the modern location.
Along the Mediterranean coast (modern Lebanon and Syria)
Why did people settle near rivers?
Because rivers provided water for drinking and farming
Who ruled Sumerian city-states before kings?
Priests
What was the name of Sargon’s empire?
The Akkadian Empire
What is Hammurabi’s most famous achievement?
The Code of Hammurabi
What natural resources helped their trade?
Cedar wood, purple dye, and access to the sea
What is irrigation?
A system that brings water from rivers to crops through canals
What is a ziggurat?
A large temple built to honor the gods
What did Sargon’s name “Sharru-kin” mean?
“The king is established” or “The rightful king”
What does “an eye for an eye” mean?
The punishment should fit the crime
Or something like it
What was their most famous colony in North Africa?
Carthage
What did floods leave behind that helped crops grow?
Double points if you say the name and what it is.
Silt (fertile Soil)
What does “patriarchy” mean in Sumerian society?
A society controlled by men
What ways did the Akkadian Empire gain wealth?
Double points if you say both ways.
Through taxes
Tribute and trade
What made Hammurabi’s Code important?
It was written and visible for everyone to read
What important invention did they create for writing?
The alphabet
How did irrigation and dams change Mesopotamian life?
They helped create food surpluses, allowing people to specialize and build cities.
What were the three social classes in Sumer?
Double points if you include the members of each class — not just the names!
Upper (kings, priests), Middle (farmers, merchants), Lower (enslaved people)
Which empire came after Sargon’s and was led by Hammurabi?
The Babylonian Empire
How did Hammurabi’s laws protect less powerful people?
They included laws protecting wives and workers from abuse
Which civilization adapted the Phoenician alphabet?
The Greeks