1
Around 3300 B.C., historians believe that the early Mesopotamians developed the world's first
civilization
The early Mesopotamians organized themselves into
city-states.
The highest-level leader in ancient Mesopotamia was a
King
What name have historians given to the land that lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers?
Mesopotamia
A __________ contains soil that is enriched by the overflowing waters of a nearby river.
floodplain
Priests collected payments and conducted religious services at
the city's ziggurat.
Which group was part of every class in Sumerian society?
Women
Why did the ancient Sumerians build with bricks made from mud?
it was the most abundant resource
Which group of people was in the middle class of Sumerian society?
free people, farmers and artisans
A __________ climate is hot and fairly dry.
semiarid
What was the main purpose of a ziggurat?
for religious services
Because they worshiped many gods, the Sumerians are said to have practiced
polytheism
The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia arose in a region that is part of what present-day country?
Iraq
Why was the area along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers so good for growing crops?
The flooding rivers deposited silt on the land
Flooding rivers enrich the areas around them by depositing __________ on the land
silt
A city with nearby villages and farmland
city-state
Why were the Sumerians able to develop the different kinds of job skills needed to have a civilization?
Food surpluses allowed people to do other work than farm.
For what initial purpose did the Sumerians develop the world's first writing system?
to keep business records
What was the main building material of the ancient Sumerians?
mud
When not enough rain or snow falls in an area over a long period of time, __________ results
a drought
The use of the plow in farming showed that the Sumerians had advanced________
technology
Because Mesopotamians had a crop __________, they were able to engage in trade.
surplus
What common item of life today was invented by the ancient Sumerians?
wheel
The first civilization that arose around 3300 B.C. in southern Mesopotamia is known as
Sumer
By about 6000 B.C., farmers in Mesopotamia built __________ to carry water from rivers to their fields.
canals