Writing and Gilgamesh
The Sumerians are credited with creating the first writing system what was it called?
Cuniform
Why did irrigation allow civilizations to develop in the fertile crescent?
It allowed farming to be more productive
What were the two rivers that ran through the fertile crescent?
Tigris and Euphrates
What was the king of Babylon Hammurabi MOST famous for?
His code of laws
Most City States were democracies
False - Monarchies
What was most ancient Mesopotamian writing put on?
Clay tablets
What was the name of the mudbrick temples that sumerian city states built?
Ziggurats
What does Mesopotamia roughly translate out to mean?
(Land) Between rivers
Who was the king that created the first empire?
Sargon
Most City states only recognized one god
False - Many gods
What Mesopotamian city was known for its large library?
Nineveh
Why was the Plough considered so important to farming in ancient Mesopotamia? (even in the modern day)
It helps tear up the ground to allow plants to put their seeds into soft soil
When it comes to geography, what do all of the ancient civilizations tend to have in common?
Started in River Valleys
What was the specific name kings in Mesopotamia were called? (Not Emperors)
Lugals
As Kings became more established they would often take over the duty of High-priests
True
What City State did Gilgamesh rule over?
Uruk
What weapon of war allowed the Assyrians to conquer the other city states of Mesopotamia
Siege weapons OR Chariots
List at least two modern countries that you could find ancient Mesopotamian city states in
Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, etc.
What civilization was best known for its contributions to mathematics and astronomy?
Babylon
Most of early Mesopotamia did not use coins for their economy, instead they relied on the barter system (trading one thing for another)
True
What is the lesson/moral of the epic of Gilgamesh?
No matter how great you are all humans must face the inevitability of death.
Before the use of iron by the Assyrians, what metal was primarily used in warfare in ancient Mesopotamia
Bronze
Zargos, Caucus
In chronological order, list the civilizations we have studied so far.
Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians
Mesopotamia was generally a stable and peaceful region
False