Geography
The Euphrates River and the Tigris River are located here
Mesopotamia / Fertile Crescent
the religious belief in many gods
Polytheism
an ancient form of writing that used symbols carved into wet clay tablets
Cuneiform
a group of countries or territories controlled by a single leader
Empire
payment of money or goods to a ruler from conquered people
Tribute
able to support the growth of many plants; capable of producing new life
Fertile
a Mesopotamian temple with a pyramid shape and staircases on the outside walls
Ziggurat
a tall, thin grass used to draw on clay tablets
Reed
series of rulers who are all from the same family
Dynasty
the system of how people interact and live together in a community
Society
small particles of rock, minerals, and soil carried in water
Silt
What is one reason people create monumental architecture
To express their beliefs
a carriage with two or four wheels, pulled by horses or other animals
Chariot
a self-governing city that controls the land around it
City-State
a person whose job is copying written information
Scribe
a wall or barrier built to prevent flooding
Levee
What did some people believe the gods would do if they were happy
Send good weather and a successful growing season.
a long, complex tale that tells the stories of a hero’s adventures
Epic
created the first written law code in history
Hammurabi
Soldiers, kings, and priests were at the top; enslaved people were at the bottom
Social Structure
Was located in present day Southwest Asia and northeast Africa, between the Nile River valley and the Persian Gulf, in what is today Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.
Fertile Crescent
What do we call ways of thinking and behaving that are unique to a group
Culture
began when Mesopotamians learned to mix copper with tin to make a much stronger metal
The Bronze Age
When might one group force a new way of life on another
When one group conquers another group
An important trade route that existed between Mesopotamia and China
The Silk Road