The Rivers
What 3 reasons would people want to settle along rivers?
A grand temple. "To Rise High"
Ziggurat
What civilization/king united northern and southern Mesopotamia?
Akkadia- King Sargon
Why is the area that reaches from the Nile River to Persian Gulf known as the Fertile Crescent?
fertile land good for farming
What was the firstwriting system that Sumer created and was then used by others in Mesopotamia?
What did they use to write?
cuneiform
clay tablets and pointed reeds
What does "Mesopotamia" mean?
Land Between the Rivers
What does polytheism mean?
To worship many gods
Who created a code of laws that had 282 laws?
Hammurabi
Built dams and channels
What type of economy did Sumer have?
Agriculture (farming) and trade
What rivers help support life in Mesopotamia?
Euphrates and Tigris
What is a scribe?
honored person in society that kept written records
Feared for ruthless fighting techniques
How many social classes did most societies have?
3
First piece of literature
Epic of Gilgamesh
How did flooding help the people?
Provided silt (or fertile soil)
What is an empire?
A group of lands/territory led by one person.
What are 3 fighting techniques the Assyrians had?
Tunneled under walls
Climbed over with ladders
Used tree trunks for battering rams to knock down city gates
Once a city was conquered they would set fire to its buildings
Carried away its people and goods
Anyone who resisted would be punished
Where was Babylon located?
Along the Euphrates River
What is a city-state?
An independent city with it's own government
What are irrigation systems and why did the Mesopotomians use them?
Unpredictable flooding meant that dams and channels needed to be built. The irrigation systems help the people direct water to their fields.
What is an epic?
a long poem about a hero
Final Jeopardy Question: What is a civilization AND list all 7 characteristics of a civilization.
You must know the definition and all 7 to receive your points.
A Complex Society
1- Art
2- Economy
3- Government/Laws
4- Religion
5- Cities
6- Class Structure
7-Writing System
Sumer's Invention (list 5)
Cuneiform
Wagon Wheel
Math
Sailboat
Plow
Calendar
Writing System- Cuneiform
Chariot
Molds for building
Irrigation System
What was life like in Babylon?
Had large palaces and temples, had a huge ziggurat, walls had huge watch towers and were large enough for 2 chariots, had a marvel known as the Hanging Gardens, polytheistic, farming/trade, large city that was a trade hub.