Fancy Farming
What is another word for agriculture?
farming
Sumerians were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped ______________ gods
Many
What is included in a city-state?
a city and the land under its control
Why did cities want to protect alliances?
trade
What is one invention made by the Sumerians that we still use?
wheel, calendar, irrigation, government, writing
The Assyrians’ harsh treatment of their subjects led to many ________
Rebellions
What is the purpose of irrigation?
To move water
What was cuneiform?
The Sumerians’ writing system
What group was not educated or trained for jobs in Sumer?
women
How did the Assyrians protect and expand their empire?
With a powerful military
What Sumerian invention do we still use in cars, bicycles, and wagons?
Wheel
An archeologist studies ____________ _________ through artifacts and ruins
Human history
What did floods bring that was good for farmers?
Silt
How were stories told before writing?
oral storytelling
Who was the largest group in the Sumerian social structure?
Middle class
Sargon of Akkad built the first _____________ by conquering the city-states of Mesopotamia.
Empire
According to the Sumerians, who lived at the top of the ziggurat?
City god
What was the largest danger of living and working near the river?
floods
Why was the land around Mesopotamia called the Fertile Crescent?
Excellent farmland
Who were the official record keepers of Sumerian society?
scribes
How did Sumerians gain goods that they didn’t have?
trade
Where did the city kings claim their power came from?
city gods
What did Mesopotamian city-states use to build most buildings?
Mud-bricks
What does hereditary mean?
passed from parent to child
What two sources of physical labor allowed farms to grow larger?
Animals and slaves
What does “Mesopotamia” mean in Greek?
“land between the rivers”
Why did Sumerians use clay tablets to write cuneiform?
No paper
What was something Hammurabi’s Code did differently than previous law systems?
Listed punishments for each crime
Many laws protected the less powerful
Introduced the concept of written laws
What was Hammurabi’s Code?
Set of laws
What was the goal of total war?
scaring people into surrendering