Lesson 1
Name the two rivers that flow through Mesopotamia.
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Most historians think the first civilization was _______.
Sumer
Name the three social classes and who was in each class.
Upper Class- landowners, government officials, rich merchants In-between Class- all free people Lowest Class- Slaves
What does Mesopotamia mean?
Mesopotamia means "and between the rivers".
Name the five traits of a civilization.
Advanced Cities, Specialized Workers, Complex Institutions, Record Keeping, Advanced Technology
Name two early inventions and how these inventions helped the people of Sumer.
plow- to make farming easier
wheel- to make transportation easier
Cuneiform- used to keep records
Or other appropriate inventions
How did Mesopotamia farmers irrigate their fields?
A. built canals B. allowed water to overflow
C. built mus walls
B. built canals
What is a ziggurat?
A ziggurat is a temple.
Most slaves in Sumer were ____________________.
A. children who worked to pay off parents' debt B. taken as prisoners during the war C. household servants who helped raise the children
B. taken as prisoners during a war
What building materials did the people of Mesopotamia use to build their homes?
A. mud B. trees C. cement D. plastic
A. mud
The people of a city-state would ask a powerful man to rule them and protect the city. What was the title given to these new rulers?
King
Why did Sumerians merchants need a written language?
Sumerian merchants invented written language for record keeping and to label goods.
Why was trade important to the people of Mesopotamia?
Trade was important because the people did not have many resources and they needed to trade for needed goods.
What is cuneiform?
Cuneiform is wedge-shaped writing.
Why were scribes highly respected in Sumer?
Scribes were highly respected because they were the record keepers and they were the only people who knew how to write the language.