Mesopotamia Geography
The land of Ancient Mesopotamia is between which two rivers?
Tigris River & Euphrates River
What was built in Ancient Mesopotamia to honor gods?
Ziggurats
What was a major achievement of the Sumerians?
Cuneiform, the plow, irrigation system, wheel, bronze, concepts of counting and time
Why did separate city-states develop in Mesopotamia?
Cities were separated by long stretches of desert; hard to communicate or travel; became isolated
What job is in charge of supplying food for the city-state?
farmers
What current-day country is located where Mesopotamia was?
Iraq
What is someone called when they go to school to learn to write and become record keepers?
Scribe
What was a major achievement of the Akkadians?
World's first Empire; Sargon
Who created one of the oldest law codes in the world, dating back to the 1700s BCE?
Hammurabi, king of the Babylonian empire
How was most trade done in Sumer?
Through barter. (Trading system in which people exchange goods without using money).
What bodies of water are Ancient Mesopotamia between other than the rivers?
The Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea
"Land between two rivers"
Mesopotamia
What was a major achievement of the Babylonians?
Hammurabi's Code, trade
What is a major difference between a city-state and an empire?
Each city-state had its own government and laws; independent; isolated
An empire has one government; larger; united
What job involved weaving baskets and creating pottery?
Artisans
What made the Fertile Crescent an ideal region to live in?
Rivers flooded to create very fertile soil.
The belief in more than one god.
Polytheism
What was a major achievement of the Assyrians?
Military; army, iron weapons, government-built roads, library
A common problem that all four major empires experience?
Difficulty controlling such a large area of land
What was the purpose of developing Cuneiform?
it was a way to keep track of the kingdom's wealth/trade; to keep records.
What was the difference between the water supply in the summer and spring?
Little/no rain fell in summer; flooding in spring - could sweep away crops, homes, and livestock but also left rich silt.
What does "cuneiform" mean?
Wedge-shaped writing
What was a major achievement of the Chaldeans/Neo-Babylonians?
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, scientific advancements; astronomy, first sundials, 7-day week, Nabopolassar & Nebuchadnezzar
Why was Hammurabi's Code important?
It was the first written record of laws; applied to everyone; standardized; ATTEMPTED/CLAIMED to balance power/promote justice; basis of future legal systems
What occupations made up the middle class in Sumer?
Farmers and skilled workers