Geography
What does the word Mesopotamia mean?
"Land Between Two Rivers"
A system that ranks people into different social classes.
Social Hierarchy
Who united many Sumerian city-states and founded the Akkadian Empire?
Sargon of Akkad.
What does polytheism mean?
The belief in or worship of multiple gods.
The study of the human past through artifacts and physical remains.
What is archaeology?
Double Jeopardy: Which two rivers were essential to Mesopotamian civilization?
(x2 only if you can name both)
Tigris and Euphrates
What were the three major social classes in Sumer?
(x3 points if you can draw a pyramid on the board and then put roles that would fall into each catagory: Scribes, Priests, Kings, Generals, Farmers, Artisans, Slaves).
Upper, middle, and lower classes.
Which empire was famous for Hammurabi's Code?
The Babylonian Empire.
A large, stepped temple structure in ancient Mesopotamia.
What was a ziggurat?
An independent city that governs itself and the surrounding territory.
What is a city-state?
A region of fertile land in the Middle East where early civilizations developed.
A wedge-shaped writing system developed by the Sumerians.
Cuniform
Which civilization became famous for its use of iron weapons and tools?
The Hittites.
What was a major difference between Mesopotamian polytheism and the biblical Hebrew belief in God?
Mesopotamians worshipped many gods, while biblical Hebrew faith taught worship of one God.
A collection of laws issued by King Hammurabi of Babylon.
What was Hammurabi's Code?
Nutrient-rich sediment deposited by rivers that made farmland fertile.
Silt
A trained person who read, wrote, and kept records.
What was a scribe?
Which empire was known for its powerful armies, siege weapons, and conquest of Egypt?
The Assyrian Empire.
According to the Bible, which false god's statue fell before the Ark of the Covenant?
Dagon
What was one major problem with Hammurabi's Code?
Punishments differed depending on a person's social class.
The process of directing water to farmland using canals or other systems.
Irrigation Canal
A skilled worker who creates goods such as pottery, jewelry, or textiles.
What is an artisan?
Which empire was responsible for conquering Judah and taking many Jews into captivity?
The Neo-Babylonian (Chaldean) Empire.
A god or goddess worshipped in a religion.
What is a deity?
When people focus on particular jobs or skills instead of producing everything themselves.
Specialization
Why did Mesopotamian civilizations build canals and levees?
To control river water, reduce flooding, and supply farms with water.
What number was essential for ancient Mesopotamia when it came to measuring time and angles.
The Number 60
Which king ordered the construction of a golden statue in the Book of Daniel?
Nebuchadnezzar II.
What ancient Mesopotamian story includes a great flood similar to the biblical account of Noah?
The Epic of Gilgamesh.
What is the difference between barter and trade using money?
Barter exchanges goods or services directly, while money serves as a medium of exchange.
What modern day country was Ancient Sumerian located within?
Iraq
An engraved cylinder rolled over wet clay to leave an identifying impression, often for ownership or authentication.
Cylinder seal.
Put these civilizations in chronological order: Assyrians, Akkadians, Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, and Chaldeans.
Sumerians → Akkadians → Babylonians → Hittites → Assyrians → Chaldeans (the simplified sequence used in class).
Who was Nanna (Sin) in Sumerian religion?
The moon god.
Name three military advantages that helped the Assyrians build their empire.
Examples: siege engines, iron weapons, cavalry, organized infantry, and specialized missile troops.