Geography
What does the Greek word "Mesopotamia" translate to in English?
Land between two rivers
Most Mesopotamians practiced this, which is the worship of many gods.
polytheism
Developed by the Sumerians, this was the world’s first writing system using wedge-shaped symbols.
Cuneiform
This Babylonian king is famous for his 282 written laws that governed every part of society.
Hammurabi
This happens when irrigation produces more food than is actually needed.
Food surplus
Mesopotamia is part of this larger, arc-shaped region of rich farmland stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean.
Fertile Crescent
These pyramid-shaped towers had long staircases leading to a temple at the top.
Ziggurats
This group created the first alphabet (which the Greeks and Romans later used) to help with their sea trade.
Phoenecians
He was the first leader to create an empire by conquering all of Sumer and northern Mesopotamia.
Sargon of Akkadian
Before coins were invented, Sumerians used this system of trading items directly for other items.
Barter system
This mixture of small rocks and soil is left behind by flooding rivers, making the land great for farming.
Silt
This is the world’s oldest-known story, featuring a superhuman king who fights demons.
This invention allowed Mesopotamians to travel across water to trade their grain for things like lumber and metals.
Sailboat
This daughter of Sargon is the oldest-known author in history.
Enheduanna
This Phoenician product was so expensive and rare that it became the official color of royalty.
Tyrian purple dye
Because there was little rain, Sumerians invented this method of supplying water to their crops using human-made canals.
This Persian religion was different because it was monotheistic, meaning they worshiped only one god (Ahura Mazda).
Zoroastrianism
This mathematical system is the reason we still have 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour.
Base-60 system
Most civilizations in Mesopotamia developed governments called _____________.
Monarchies
Why did the people of Mesopotamia have to rely on trade?
Few natural resources
Why is the term "Mesopotamian" actually a bit misleading?
People living there didn't use that name for themselves
He was the Mesopotamian god of the sun and justice.
Utu
Name two inventions that helped the Mesopotamians become skilled farmers
Wheel & plow
Based on "signs" from gods
Because they had extra food, not everyone had to farm; this is the term for workers specializing in different tasks.
Division of Labor