Geographic Challenges
What geographic problem forced people to leave the foothills of Mesopotamia?
Food shortages in the hills.
What is the term for a wall of earth built to prevent flooding?
A levee.
What allowed Sumerians to know they had a stable food supply?
Food surpluses or successful crops.
What was the first Mesopotamian empire?
The Akkadian Empire.
What famous set of laws did the Babylonians create?
Hammurabi’s Code.
What problem did Sumerians face with seasonal flooding?
An uncontrolled water supply.
What do we call the system of supplying land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams?
Irrigation.
Name one invention that helped with farming.
The plow or irrigation systems.
Who was the famous ruler of the Akkadians?
Sargon.
What did the Akkadians develop that helped record victories and stories?
Stele carvings (such as the Stele of Naram-Sin).
What major challenge arose because many villages depended on the same irrigation system?
People had to cooperate to build and maintain irrigation systems.
What vocabulary term means a large territory ruled by a single leader?
Empire.
What building shows that Sumer had religion?
A ziggurat.
What empire is known for Hammurabi and his code of laws?
The Babylonian Empire.
What technology did the Sumerians develop that improved transportation?
The wheel.
What problem developed as city-states fought over water resources?
Attacks by neighboring communities.
What word means a military blockade to force a city to surrender?
Siege.
What artifact shows that Sumer had writing?
Cuneiform tablets.
Which empire is known for strong military power and siege warfare?
The Assyrian Empire.
What military technology did the Assyrians use to break through city walls?
Battering rams.
What was one solution Sumerians developed to control the river’s water?
Building levees, dams, and canals for irrigation.
What term describes wealth sent to a ruler to show respect or submission?
Tribute.
What artifact shows that Sumer had government?
The king’s palace, laws, or government records.
Which empire is known for the Hanging Gardens and rebuilding Babylon?
The Neo-Babylonian Empire.
What was one major achievement of the Neo-Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II?
Building the Hanging Gardens or constructing strong city walls.