Geography
What are the 2 rivers in Mesopotamia that flooded unpredictably?
Tigris and Euphrates
Sumer was not controlled by a single, unified government. Instead, the are was made up of a dozen advanced, self governing __________.
city- states
____________ believed that their gods ruled the earth and had created humans to serve them.
Sumerians
________ was an orphan & servant to the King of Kish, eventually overthrowing the king.
Sargon
____________ was Babylon's most influential and powerful ruler.
Hammurabi
What is left when rivers in Mesopotamia flood? (an especially fine and fertile soil)
Silt
Sumer had productive farmland (surplus of crops), but lacked other natural resources, such as tin and copper. When combined, tin and copper create ______. The product was used to create tools and weapons.
BRONZE
The period around 3000 B.C. is called the Bronze Age
________ were responsible for conducting religous practices at the ziggurat.
Priests
Sargon's empire stretched from Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. He ruled the ___________ Empire from Akkad.
Akkadian
Hammurabi is best known for creating the
"_____ ___ _____"
Code of Laws
Flat fertile area known as the "land between the rivers"
Mesopotamia
Sumerian society was based on ___________, an order based on power and wealth.
social class
The most important building within a city-state was a huge pyramid-shaped temple called
Ziggurat
Akkad's farmers managed agriculture so well that 100 years went by without _____________ (hunger).
famine
Hammurabi spent the first 29 years of his rule working on domestic improvements such as, ______________
creating straight streets, strong city walls, magnificent temples, and efficient canals.
What is the mountain chain located to the north and east of Mesopotamia?
Zagros Mountains
According to Sumerian society, _______ ruled at the top, with priests just beneath them. Next came administrators, scribes, merchants, and artisans, farmers and less skilled workers, slaves.
Kings
An offering to the gods in an elaborate public manner, always performed in the same way.
ritual
What measures did Sargon take to unite his empire?
He allowed people to keep their local rulers and and customs. Standardized weights and measures, making it easier to trade goods and make payments. He also had policies to keep the peace in the kingdom.
How was Hammurabi's court system similar to the one we have today?
It assumed the defendant was innocent until proven guilty. Judges heard the cases, examined evidence , and witness testimony.
What forms the borders of Mesopotamia?
Zagros Mountains to the north an east, the Euphrates River to the west, and the Persian Guf to the south forms the borders of Mesopotamia.
People who are skilled at making things by hand
Artisans
A belief in many gods is called __________
polytheism
After his death, his sons took over but were unable to maintain order. By 2200 B.C., the Akkadian Empire had come to an end
Sargon the Great
The code of Laws was carved into an eight foot high stone slab and placed where all could see. Why?
It displayed the rules and consequences for ALL; wealthy or poor, strong or weak.