Geography / Agriculture
This region's name translates literally to "land between the rivers"
What is mesopotamia
In 2334 B.C., this ruler conquered Sumerian city-states to establish the world's first empire
Who is Sargon the Great
This total number of written laws was carved into Hammurabi's pillar-like stone stele
What is 282 laws
Sumerians built these pyramid-shaped brick temples with shrines at the top to honor their city gods
What are ziggurats
Unlike complex Sumerian cuneiform, the Phoenician writing system simplified communication down to this exact number of symbols, each representing a single sound
What is 22 letters
These two great rivers flow through Mesopotamia and empty into the Persian Gulf
What are the Tigris and Euphrates
This Chaldean king rebuilt Babylon, constructing the colorful Ishtar Gate and the soaring Hanging Gardens
Who is Nebuchadnezzar II
Shown at the top of the eight-foot stele, this Babylonian deity of justice is depicted handing the laws directly to Hammurabi
Who is Shamash
Evolving from simple pictographs into wedge-shaped symbols, this was the world's earliest writing system
What is cuneiform
Assyrian soldiers gained a major combat advantage over their bronze-using enemies by forging weapons from this stronger metal
What is iron
This fine, rich soil deposited by annual river floods made Mesopotamian land fertile for agriculture
What is Silt
This founder of the Persian Empire earned respect by practicing tolerance and honoring local religious customs
Who is Cyrus the Great
The introduction to Hammurabi's Code explicitly announced that its main goal was to prevent the strong from oppressing these two vulnerable groups
Who are widows and orphans
To ensure their prayers continued while they worked on earthly tasks like farming, Sumerians placed these small statues in temples
What are Votive Statues
Visitors entered Nebuchadnezzar's rebuilt Babylon through this 38-foot-high gateway made of gleaming blue-glazed bricks decorated with dragons and bulls
What is the Ishtar Gate
What human-made system of canals and water control did Mesopotamian farmers develop to water their fields? Change
Irrigation
This sixth king of Babylon expanded his kingdom and united his empire by organizing 282 written laws onto a tall stone stela
Who is Hammurabi
DAILY DOUBLE: Ranking below merchants and artisans, these two lower social groups made up the majority of everyday workers, yet still ranked higher than enslaved people
Who are farmers and unskilled workers
To govern his massive 2,800-mile empire, Persian King Darius I divided the realm into 20 provinces, each overseen by a governor with this title
What is a satrap
The ancient Greeks gave these Mediterranean maritime traders a nickname translating to "purple dye people" due to their famous export
Who are the Phoenicians
Most of the ancient region of Mesopotamia and the historic ruins of Babylon are located within the borders of this modern-day nation
What is Iraq
Famous for rebuilding Babylon with the Ishtar Gate and Hanging Gardens, the Chaldeans were also known by this historical name
What is the Neo-babylonians
Laws granting fathers legal authority to disinherit sons or cut off a son's hand for striking his father show that Mesopotamia was dominated by male heads of households, making it this type of society
What is a patriarchal society
At the very top of Sumer's strict social class hierarchy ruled the king, followed immediately by this powerful group beneath him
Who are the priests
To maintain rapid communication and governance across his 2,800-mile empire, Persian King Darius I constructed this 1,500-mile-long highway
What is the Royal Road