Geography of Mesopotamia
The region where these two rivers flow is called _____
Mesopotamia
A community that included a city and its nearby farmlands was called a _________.
City-State
“picture writing.”
pictographs
Define surplus
Means more than they needed for themselves.
What continent is Mesopotamia in?
Asia
How did the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers support agriculture?
The two rivers helped water crops and helped them trade.
The largest and most important structure in a Sumerian city was the temple it was called a _____________.
Ziggurat
The people who specialized in writing were called ____________.
scribes
Define drought.
A period when not enough rain and snow fall.
Name the two rivers in Mesopotamia
Tigris and Euphrates
The flat land bordering the banks.
Floodplain
What was life like in Sumerian cities?
Sumerian cities had narrow, winding streets.
People built their houses of mud walls that were several feet thick.
A house consisted of a series of rooms arranged around a courtyard
If you were to visit a Sumerian city, one building would stand out from all the rest. The largest and most important structure in a Sumerian city was the temple it was called a ziggurat
How did the Sumerians invent writing?
At first, pictographs showed actual objects.
The Sumerians used a sharpened reed called a stylus to press markings into a clay tablet.
Over time, the Sumerians stopped using pictures and began to use symbols made entirely of these wedge shapes, this wedge-shaped writing is called cuneiform
Define silt.
The fine soil deposited by rivers.
How did geography help Mesopotamians?
Must mention how the rivers are helpful
What made Mesopotamia a good region for farming?
The two rivers allowed for nutrient rich soil. Which allowed for crop growth.
Why are food surpluses necessary for civilization to develop?
The need surplus to trade for other items.
They need surplus to be able to have other jobs.
Why were scribes highly respected in Sumer?
It was a difficult job - over 600 sounds. Not everyone could do the job.
Define civilization
Advanced form of culture.
How did Mesopotamians cope with a lack of resources?
They were able to trade.
How did Mesopotamians water their crops during droughts?
Farmers built canals to carry water from the rivers to their fields. Such a system is called irrigation.
How did kings take over as rulers of Sumer?
Kings led the city-states only during wars. Eventually, they took control of the cities full-time. These new leaders took over some of the priests’ jobs. They maintained the canals, managed the surplus grain, and acted as judges.
How did religion affect who was in the upper class?
The king and the priests were at the top of the upper classes of Sumer. The Sumerians believed their kings and priests had a link to the gods, so they had great influence over people.
Define Semiarid
has a little rain but not completely dry
Explain life in early Mesopotamia. Name at least three things we have learned about in class.
Answers will vary