Geography
What does “Mesopotamia” mean?
Land between two rivers.
What is the name of the system that divided people into groups based on jobs and importance?
The Social Structure
What was the first form of writing developed in Mesopotamia?
Cuneiform
Who created one of the world’s first written law codes?
King Hammurabi
What did the Mesopotamians invent to help move heavy loads?
The Wheel
What two rivers surrounded Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Who was at the very top of the social pyramid?
King
What material did Mesopotamians write on?
Clay Tablets
What was the name of Hammurabi’s famous set of laws?
The Code of Hammurabi
What did they use to measure time?
A 60 base system
In what modern-day country was most of Mesopotamia located?
Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Saudia Arubia, etc.
Who were the people who worked the land and made up the largest class?
Farmers, Merchants, and Craftspeople
Who invented cuneiform writing?
The Sumerian People
What was the purpose of Hammurabi’s laws?
To keep order and justice in society.
What were the star signs called that the Mesopotamians discovered?
Zodiac Signs
Why were the rivers important to people in Mesopotamia?
They provided water for crops, transportation, and fertile soil.
What was the job of scribes?
To read and write cuneiform and keep records.
Why was writing important to Mesopotamian civilization?
It allowed people to record laws, trades, and history.
What did Mesopotamians believe their gods controlled?
EVERYTHING! (Nature, weather, daily lives, etc.)
How did Mesopotamian inventions influence the world today?
We still use many of their systems like writing, laws, and the calendars inspired by them.
What was the region of rich farmland that stretched through Mesopotamia called?
The Fertile Crescent
Name one way someone could move up in social class in Mesopotamia.
Only by becoming a successful trader, scribe, or through military service. Slaves could not move up.
What was the shape of the tool scribes used to write in the clay?
Triangular rod
What large, pyramid-shaped temples were built to honor the gods?
Ziggurats
The famous saying still used today that was in the code of Hammurabi is "an eye for an ear". True or False
False, it is "and eye for an eye"