Economy
What did a city-state look like?
city-state included a city, surrounding territory, city walls, and densely packed houses.
When did priest need help form kings?
When there was war or conflicts
Name 2 achievements that the Mesopotamians had
The Wheel
Writing / Cuneiform
Bronze
Farming
Math Advances
What is polytheism?
The belief in more than one god.
"Mesopotamia" means
"land between the rivers"
Name 2 improvement for trading
Carried goods on barges
used rivers & canals
Invented the wheel
Put sails on ships
What did Hammurabi do?
Created a set of laws that were very cruel and harsh - like an eye for an eye.
What is cuneiform?
First form of writing, used triangular symbols.
What was a ziggurat?
Rectangular-shaped pyramid that were build for the priest to communicate with the gods.
What were the two rivers Mesopotamia was between?
Tigris and Euphrates
What is bartering?
Bartering is a trading system in which people exchange goods without using money.
What were some things kings did to help the city?
Build temples, roads or canals
What is a scribe?
A professional writer who used reeds to stamp words into wet clay
True or false:
Sumerians believed that some parts of their lives were controlled by the gods.
False - ALL parts of their lives were controlled by the gods.
What was good about the rivers?
They flooded and brought rich soil for farming
What were some materials Mesopotamians traded?
cloth and barley
Who were considered the most important people?
The priests
What advances were there in farming?
Sumerians created a new way to plant crops. Sumerian farmers developed a seed funnel that could attach to their plows. As the plow advanced forward, seeds automatically dropped into the soil. This was a much easier way to plant seeds compared to earlier farmers.
True or false:
Each Mesopotamian city shared the same god.
False - Each city had a different god.
What is irrigation?
Moving water from one place to another.
What is a city-state?
an independent state with its own government and traditions
What did the priest say about the kings?
They were sent from the gods.
Why was the invention of the wheel important?
Led to the first form of transportation
True or false:
Only the priests could speak to the gods.
True
What was Mesopotamia's nickname?
The Fertile Crescent