In the Beginning
Rise of Sumer
Mesopotamian Empires
More Empires!
It's all Random
100
Mesopotamia means what in Greek?
Land between the rivers
100
What is a major geographic problem with Sumer when communities began to defend themselves from each other?
No geographic barriers (no mountains, major rivers).
100
This northern people conquered the Sumerian city-states in 2300 BCE, becoming the first empire in human history.
Akkadian Empire.
100
This northern people conquered all of Mesopotamia by 900 BCE, and are arguably the world's first superpower.
Assyrian Empire.
100
This Sumerian invention helped farmers plant seeds far quicker than originally, and is still used 5000 years later.
The plow.
200
Food and land shortages made many ancient peoples leave these mountains for Mesopotamia.
Zagros Mountains
200
What is a city-state?
A city that acts like a country.
200
The ruler of the world's first empire was named what?
Sargon of Akkad.
200
Weapons, like the this one above, gave the Assyrians an edge over all the people's they faced and conquered.
Battering rams and siege weapons.
200
This Sumerian invention helped revolutionize transport, making it faster to move people and goods.
The wheel.
300
These two rivers help provide for agriculture in Mesopotamia.
Tigris and Euphrates rivers
300
This writing system was developed by the Sumerians and then adopted by every major Mesopotamian civilization for the next 3000 years.
Cuneiform
300
Carved sculptures, like this one of Akkadian King Naram-Sin, used three-dimensional sculptures to show achievements. They were called...
Steles
300
King Ashurbanipal was known not only as a conqueror but also keeping what in his palace?
A library.
300
This mythical Sumerian king of Uruk is the basis of one of the oldest stories in existence, and was found inside the ruins of Assyria.
Epic of Gilgamesh.
400
Early formers built these systems to divert water from Mesopotamia's rivers to their farms.
Irrigation systems
400
The Sumerians believed these supernatural entities supported their kings and governments.
The gods.
400
The world's first known written code of laws was created in the Babylonian Empire around 1750 BCE, called...
Code of Hammurabi.
400
This empire replaced the Assyrians after successfully revolting and allying itself Assyria's enemies in 612 BCE.
Neo-Babylonian Empire.
400
Another name we use for Mesopotamia that emphasizes how good agriculture was there.
Fertile Crescent.
500
A major problem farmers faced with irrigation systems and early canals was what?
Being clogged with silt.
500
These religious temples were built by the Sumerians, who believed their gods lived at the top of them.
Ziggurats.
500
True or false. The Babylonian Empire was usually quite fair for its time period, giving women and slaves rights.
True!
500
This Neo-Babylonian king heavily fortified Babylon, as well as deporting all the Jews to Babylon after a failed revolt.
Nebuchadnezzar II.
500
What is a social structure?
The way classes are organized in a society, from top to bottom.