Words we know
What is SILT?
small particles of rock, minerals, and soil carried in water.
What is a LEVEE?
a wall or barrier built to prevent flooding.
Mesopotamia is also known as the Fertile crescent... but why?
fertile soil
shaped like a crescent moon
The first form of writing was called?
Cuneiform
The job of someone who will copy written information like important events..
A scribe
What is a CHARIOT?
a carriage with two or four wheels, pulled by horses or other animals
a tall, thin grass used to draw on clay
Why was Mesopotamia called a "cradle of civilization"?
rich soil... they can grow a lot of crops
stable food supply led to permanent settlements
"had everything they needed to survive" - like what???
Scribes would write on ______ tablets.
They used _____ to make the markings.
Clay
Reeds
Define CITY-STATE
a self-governing city that controls the land around it.
which word means - the system of how people INTERACT and LIVE together in a community?
SOCIETY
With a surplus of food, how would people's everyday lives change?
Give examples.
they would specialize in things ...
pottery, cuneiform, jewelry etc
Use page 13-14 in your reader.
The Assyrian Empire invented _______. This led to easier trade and travel...
Roads
Sumerians religious belief was _______. They believed in ____ ___
Polytheism
many gods
Define an EPIC....
State one thing from the Epic of Gilgamesh!
a long complex tale that tells the stories of a hero's adventures
Kings would force the cities that he's conquered to pay a TRIBUTE.
Define TRIBUTE
a payment of goods or money paid to a ruler from conquered people.
What could be built to prevent flood damages?
Levees
Use the image on page 7 in your student reader!
What can you learn from viewing the Standard of Ur artifact?
what life was like in Sumer... they traded for lapis lazuli... their social classes
In the Epic of Gilagmesh... what lesson did he learn??
he could not have eternal life
a series of rulers who are all from the same FAMILY
Define an EMPIRE
a group of countries or territories controlled by a single leader
How could floods effect Mesopotamia?
Advantages and Disadvantages??
advantage - SILT from the floods will allow more crops to grow.
disadvantage - floods can damage crops and villages... they had to build levees.
List 5 achievements of the Sumerian Civilizations..
calendar
cuneiform
wheel
chariots
royal game of Ur
weapons
bronze
The purpose of Hammurabi's code was
bring justice to the land....
punish wrong doers
stop people from seeking revenge