Geography
What are the two rivers that surround Mesopotamia?
Tigris & Euphrates
Each city-state had its own dedicated ______ who only the priest could talk to.
God/goddess
The Sumerians invented the _______, which is still widely used today.
Wheel
Who was at the type of the social hierarchy in Mesopotamia?
King
Who was the leader of each city-state?
King
Name one other natural barrier that protected Mesopotamians.
Desert, bodies of water (ocean, gulf), mountains
Sumerians believed in many gods, which is called _____.
Polytheism
True or False: All city-states in Sumer were controlled by the same singular central government.
False
Who was at the bottom of the social hierarchy in Mesopotamia?
Slaves
Under the rule of Sargon, people had to pay a ______, or protection tax.
Tribute
The Sumerians invented the ___________ to help break up the hard sun-baked soil.
Ox-driven plow
What is the name of the religious building in the center of the city-states?
Ziggurat
What tools did Mesopotamians use to write cuneiform?
Stylus & clay tablet
This person would travel to exchange goods with other surrounding city-states.
Trader
Sargon created the world's first ________.
Empire
What gave rise to civilization in Mesopotamia? (Think beyond just the rivers - what did they provide?)
Fertile soil for farming
Everyone paid a temple tax, which was offered to the gods in elaborate public __________
rituals
What basic form of writing based on images of objects was first invented by Sumerians?
Cuneiform
True
How did Sargon win loyalty within the Akkadian Empire?
How did ancient Mesopotamians adapt to their environment to build a Sumerian civilization? List 1 reason.
Built irrigation systems to control the unpredictable water around them
What purpose did ziggurats serve?
- Centers of religious worship
- To please the god
What cultural and technological innovations did the Sumerians develop? List at least 2.
Cultural: Writing, ziggurats, city-states
Technological: Ox-driven plow, the wheel, irrigation
How does the Standard of Ur teach us about Mesopotamian social class?
- Figures are different sizes, showing power/no power
- People are shown doing different jobs in different parts of the panels
Why did Sargon's Akkadian Empire fall?
It grew too big to maintain order