Geography and Early Civilizations
What two major rivers flowed through Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers.
What was the name of the wedge-shaped writing system invented by the Sumerians?
Cuneiform.
What is a city-state? (Hint: It's like a country that is just one city and the area around it.)
An independent city that acts like its own country (it has its own government and ruler).
Who was the famous Babylonian king known for creating one of the earliest known written codes of law?
Hammurabi.
Were the Mesopotamians monotheistic (believing in one god) or polytheistic (believing in many gods)?
Polytheistic (they believed in many gods and goddesses).
What does the name "Mesopotamia" mean in Greek? (Hint: It relates to the rivers.)
The land between the rivers."
What did the people of Mesopotamia use to write on, instead of paper?
Clay tablets.
What large, stepped pyramid structure was the most important building in a Sumerian city-state, usually dedicated to a god or goddess?
A Ziggurat.
What principle was used for many of the punishments in this famous law code, often described as "an eye for an eye"?
Retaliation (meaning the punishment should match the crime).
What was the primary job or occupation for most people living in Mesopotamia?
Farming or agriculture.
Why were the floods of these rivers both helpful and sometimes dangerous for the early farmers?
The floods were helpful because they left behind fertile silt (rich soil) for farming, but they were dangerous because they could destroy homes and crops.
What tool did scribes use to press the shapes into the clay tablets?
A stylus (a pointed tool, often made of a reed).
What was the name for the system where people exchange goods or services for other goods or services instead of using money?
Barter.
Who was the first famous emperor to unite the Mesopotamian city-states under a single empire, creating the Akkadian Empire?
Sargon (or Sargon the Great).
How did the Mesopotamians believe their gods and goddesses viewed the world and the people? (Hint: Were they always nice and friendly?)
They believed the gods were very powerful and sometimes unpredictable or harsh, often causing natural disasters like floods.
Mesopotamia is often called the "Cradle of Civilization." What does this phrase mean?
It means it was the first place where many of the key features of human civilization (like cities, writing, and laws) were developed.
Why was writing important for the Mesopotamian civilization, besides telling stories?
It was used to keep records of business deals, trade, taxes, and laws.
What metal did the Sumerians mix with copper to make a stronger material, beginning the Bronze Age?
Tin (the mixture is bronze).
Why was having a written code of law, instead of just rules the king made up, a big step forward for civilization?
It meant that everyone knew the rules and the laws were the same for everyone (or at least all people of the same social class).
What common material did most people use to build their homes in Mesopotamia, since wood and stone were scarce?
Mud bricks (often sun-dried).
Which region is Mesopotamia part of today, a boomerang-shaped area that is known for its fertile land?
The Fertile Crescent.
What was a scribe?
A person specially trained to read and write cuneiform.
List three important inventions created by the Sumerians.
Possible answers include: The wheel, the plow, the sailboat, cuneiform writing, irrigation, or the concept of 60 minutes in an hour.
What was the name of the powerful city, famous for its magnificent walls and Hanging Gardens, that became the capital of a later empire?
Babylon.
What type of professional was very important in Mesopotamian society because they were the only ones who could read and write?
Scribes.