Geography
Give two reasons why Mesopotamia was a good place for people to settle.
fresh water, fertile soil, rivers for transportation and trade
Polytheism
Cuneiform was used for...
keeping written records, communication, writing down laws, recording history
Kings believed they got their power from...
From the gods
Women could not be king
This made Mesopotamia a difficult region to live...
unpredictable rivers (could flood too much and cause destruction or there could be a drought and not enough water, they were surrounded by mountains and desert
This group on the social hierarchy communicated with the gods for the people
priests and priestesses
The reason not everyone learned to read and write using cuneiform
It was a difficult language to learn and it was not necessary for most jobs.
A monarchy is...
A single ruler inherits their power (the oldest son becomes king when their father dies)
This part of the social class has the most power
The upper class...mainly the king
How the Mesopotamians overcame geographical difficulties
Irrigation (to water crops), dams and canals (to control flood waters), sailboats to travel, carts to carry goods, 12 month calendar to let them know when to plant/harvest
The purpose of a ziggurat
Temples to honor the gods and goddesses
Name a mathematical achievement and how it changed life in Mesopotamia
Geometry (helped to measure fields and plan buildings), Tables for division and multiplication, Calendar (record events, planting schedule), 60 minute hour/60 second minute to keep track of time.
The purpose of Hammurabi's Code was
for people to know the laws and what the punishments were if they broke them
The role of merchants was
To barter (trade) items that they had for items that they needed
Name the benefits of having a surplus of food
specialization, trade (towns begin to grow)
The impact that religious beliefs of Mesopotamians on agriculture
If the gods were happy, there would be a good harvest. If the gods were unhappy, their crops would not do well.
Wheels (made the first carts, chariots for the military)
Wooden plow
Potters Wheel
Made bronze out of copper and tin (used for tools, weapons, and jewelry)
What Hammurabi's Code tells about life in Babylon
It was important for people to follow laws
They believed that harsh punishments would encourage people to obey laws
The role of craftspeople was to
make goods that were needed and that could be bartered for items they could not provide for themselves
Mesopotamia means
land between two rivers
Only a few people-mostly boys from wealthy families-were trained. They were valued and important in society for their knowledge.
You just received 500 bonus points!
The cause of conflict between city-states along the rivers
They fought over control of farmland and the water from the rivers
The social class responsible for consistent food supply