Vocab and Terms
fine earth; particles of soil floating in rivers, ponds, etc.
silt
a complex culture in which large numbers of human beings share a variety of common elements is called a....
civilization
From whom did the Mesopotamians believe kings derived?
the gods
What does polytheism mean?
the belief in more than one god
What very important invention did the Mesopotamians contribute in 3000 B.C.?
the wheel AND/OR writing
government ruled by a divine authority
theocracy
a body of appointed government officials is called a
bureaucracy
the leader who began the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia
Sargon
ziggurat
Most laws from Hammurabi's law code are focused on what?
Marriage and family
wedge-shaped writing
cuneiform
Mesopotamia means
the land between the (or two) rivers
Established the Third Dynasty of Ur
Ur-Nammu
Why were humans created according to Mesopotamian mythology?
to do the manual labor that gods/goddesses were unwilling to do
Who inspired the law code for Hammurabi?
Shamash the sun god
a succession of rulers of the same family
dynasty
name of the creators of Mesopotamian civilization
agricultural
Name two of the four most important Mesopotamian gods or goddesses and what they were god or goddess of
An - god of sky, authority
Enlil - god of wind, proper use of force
Enki - god of the earth, water, inventions and crafts
Ninhursaga - goddess of soil, mother goddess
Name one achievement the Mesopotamians made in mathematics or geometry.
a number system based on 60; multiplication and division; tables for computing interest.
practice of seeking to fortell future events by interpreting "signs" like entrails of animals, smoke patterns, or dreams
divination
Name the 6 basic characteristics of civilization.
1. Urban focus / economy
2. Religious structure
3. Political / military (government)
4. Social classes
5. Writing
6. Arts and culture
Name the 4 major social groups of the Sumerian city-states.
Elites, Dependent Commoners, Free Commoners, Slaves
Babylonian creation epic (many people compare this to Genesis).
Name one achievement in astronomy.
charted heavenly constellations; made a calendar based on 12 lunar months