Mesopotamia Geography
The land of Ancient Mesopotamia is between what two rivers?
Tigris & Euphrates River
What was built in the center of each city in Mesopotamia to honor gods?
The Ziggurats
What are the manmade canals called that brought water to the crops?
irrigation canals
An early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government is known as a what?
City-state
Why were Tigris and Euphrates rivers important for settlement (3 reasons)?
trade with other civilizations, irrigation, fertile soil
The way a civilization is organized?
Social structure
What is this area of land called?
Fertile Crescent
What did the Ancient Mesopotamians believe in?
Polytheism
What agricultural achievements did the Mesopotamians create?
irrigation, plow
What empire was know for its ruthless warfare and advanced weapons?
Assyrian Empire
What were the jobs in Ancient Mesopotamia?
Merchants, artisans, farmers
Who makes up the Upper Class of Ancient Mesopotamia?
who are kings and priests
What is the name of the modern day country?
Iraq
In Ancient Mesopotamia, what does Polytheism mean?
The belief in multiple gods
What was one of the world's oldest laws called?
Hammurabi's code
Who created the oldest code of law?
Hammurabi, king of the Babylonian empire
What was built in Babylonian Empire that improved trade and communication?
network of roads
Who makes up the Middle Class of Ancient Mesopotamia?
merchants, farmers
What large bodies of water are at the top and bottom of Mesopotamia?
Mediterranean sea and the Persian Gulf
The Mesopotamians believed that gods have control over what?
nature and human activity
What inventions were the Assyrians known for that helped them to conquer land?
war tactics: chariots, battery rams, slings, bows and arrows, iron weapons
The name of a territory that contains several regions and groups under one ruler is an
empire
What was the capital of the Assyrian Empire?
Nineveh
Who makes up the Lower Class of Ancient Mesopotamia?
enslaved people
Fine particles of rock that made the land fertile in Mesopotamia is
Silt
The Ziggurats were used for what 2 purposes?
housed the priests and were places for religious ceremonies.
What written language did Ancient Mesopotamians Create?
Cuneiform
The Hammurabi's code created order and had clear what?
rules and punishments
What was Nineveh famous for?
learning, big library
What made the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires rich?
trade and conquest
What does Mesopotamia mean?
land between two/the rivers
Hammurabi believed that the laws were given to him by whom?
the gods
Cuneiform was written on what?
Why was government created?
keep order, make laws, oversee building projects
The first Sumerian city-stated emerged by what two bodies of water?
Tigris and Euphrates
Name 2 inventions by the Mesopotamians
wheel, plow, sailboat calendar based on the moon