Geography of the Fertile Crescent
A __________________ is an organized society within a specific area.
Civilization
Why was Sargon important in history?
He established the world's first empire
The Hittites were masters at ___________
Ironworking
What was the Phoenicians’ most important achievement?
Alphabet
Who created the Persian Empire?
Cyrus I
How did the use of irrigation affect life for the Mesopotamians?
It allowed them to produce a surplus of food.
Why was the development of writing important to the government officials in Sumer?
It allowed them to keep records of taxes collected.
Why was it important that Hammurabi’s Code was written down?
People could view each law themselves.
The Phoenicians used what for naval navigation?
Polaris, the North Star
Who was Cambyses and how did he expand the Persian Empire?
He was Cyrus the Great's son and he conquered Egypt
What physical feature made southern Mesopotamia ideal for farming?
A flat plain between rivers.
What religion did the Sumerians believe in and why was it so important to them?
Polytheism. Believed gods were responsible for natural events.
The most Chaldean King was ___________ and he rebuilt _______________ into a beautiful city.
Nebuchadnezzar; Babylon
The Phoenicians invented _________ from a type of ______________
Purple; shellfish
Why did the Persians invade Greece?
To punish Greek city-states for supporting other Greeks who rebelled against the Persian Empire
Name the 2 ways Mesopotamians interacted with the environment to improve their society?
They created building bricks from clay from the riverbanks.
They used irrigation to make grazing areas for cattle and sheep.
Name 4 advancements of the Sumerians
Possible Answers:
Math system based on number 60, Science, cuneiform, cylinder seals, the wheel, the plow, sewers, medicine using ingredients from plants and animals
What did the Assyrians accomplish and what did the Chaldeans accomplish?
Assyrians built a royal library containing legal, medical, religious, and literary texts. Chaldeans rebuilt Babylon into a center for astronomy.
Name the 3 empires that conquered Phoenicia.
The Egyptians, Hittites, and Persians
Name the 4 things Darius I accomplished during his time as a leader of the Persian Empire
1. Standardized currency
2. Constructed roads across the empire, including the Royal Road
3. Built a new capital, Persepolis
4. Divided the empire into 20 provinces and appointed satraps
How did Mesopotamians use a division of labor to make their society more productive?
Mesopotamians produced enough food that fewer people needed to farm. This allowed people to specialize in different jobs or skills. Some people became miners. Others became tool makers, weavers, or pottery makers. Having different people perform so many different jobs allowed Mesopotamian society to be more productive.
How was Sumer’s society organized? Give one example of who occupied each level.
Sumer’s society was organized into a five-level social hierarchy.
1. Kings or queens 2. Priests and nobles. 3. Merchants/Craftspeople/Traders. 4. Farmers. 5. Slaves
How was Hammurabi’s Code fair for all citizens? How was it not? Give one example of each.
Hammurabi’s Code was fair because each crime dealt a specific punishment. This meant that judges could not give a harsher punishment to different people who committed the same crime. It was unfair because the punishment for injuring a wealthy person was harsher than the punishment for injuring a poorer person.
Name the 3 major city-states of Phoenicia.
Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre
How did Cyrus’s treatment of conquered people affect his empire?
Conquered people under Cyrus’s Persian rule were treated fairly well. They could keep their own customs. Because they were not mistreated, few conquered people rebelled against Cyrus. This allowed his empire to remain strong.