Geography
What present-day countries are located where ancient Mesopotamia once existed?
Iraq
Which groups of people had the least amount of political power in Mesopotamian society?
farmer
Where did Ancient Mesopotamians believe that the power of the king came from?
The gods
Who was the ancient Babylonian king who created the earliest known code of laws?
Hammurabi
Did the Code of Hammurabi only protect innocent people?
No, they also prevented criminals from being given a punishment that did not fit their crime
How did ancient Mesopotamians benefit from the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?
The floods brought silt that made the soil extremely fertile
Ancient Mesopotamian traders had connections with traders in what other ancient civilizations?
India and Egypt
What was the job of priests?
responsible for making offerings to the gods
What did Mesopotamians make out of gold?
Jewelry
Why did Hammurabi have copies of his Code carved into stone and placed at important locations throughout Babylon?
To make sure that everyone could see and follow the same set of laws
Ancient Mesopotamian irrigation systems helped to do what?
Provide water for crops during times of drought
Why was it uncommon for an ancient Mesopotamian woman to work as a scribe?
Very few women were taught how to read and write
What is polytheism?
There are many gods
Which Mesopotamian invention had the greatest impact on travel and trade?
The wheel
Which legal principle states that the same set of rules should apply equally to all citizens?
Rule of law
Which development made overland travel and trade easier in ancient Mesopotamia?
The invention of the paved road
What is the main feature of a patriarchal society?
Men run both public and private affairs
What was the function of the steps on the side of the ziggurat?
To allow the gods to come down to Earth
What is the name of the earliest piece of written literature that still survives today?
The Epic of Gilgamesh
How did Hammurabi’s Code change the role of judges?
Unlike earlier systems, it established a consistent framework for all judges to follow
What were the major city-states of ancient Mesopotamia and where were they located?
Along the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers
Describes slavery in ancient Mesopotamia.
In ancient Mesopotamia, an individual could become a slave in one of several different ways
Explains why Mesopotamian kings organized the construction of ziggurats.
Ziggurats gave the gods a place in the city-state from which they could protect the people
How did calendars contribute to growth in cities in ancient Mesopotamia?
They helped farmers plan their crops to avoid floods, which allowed them to grow more food and feed more people in the cities
If a man has made the tooth of a man that is his equal to fall out, one shall make his tooth fall out. If he has made the tooth of a poor man fall out, he shall pay one-third of a mina of silver.
–The Code of Hammurabi
This quotation is an example of the Babylonian’s belief that they should do what?
Acknowledge social class differences