Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian were the first to began which major practice?
Farming
This civilization invented cuneiform
Sumer
Name TWO city states of Sumer
Kish, Ur, Uruk, Umma
Babylon is not a Sumerian city-state
This job was the lowest on the social pyramid
Slaves
What did Hammurabi use to write his law codes?
Cuneiform
People who worked this job would trade with others
Merchants
Mesopotamia means what in ancient Greek?
"The Land Between Two Rivers"
Cuneiform, the main writing system from Mesopotamia, means what?
"Wedge Shaped"
What is the definition of a city-state?
An independent city able to support itself with its own laws and government
This job was the highest on the social pyramid
Ruler
For what purpose were the punishments of Hammurabi’s Code so harsh?
The punishments were harsh to try and prevent people from breaking the law
People who defended the city-state had this job
Soldiers
Which TWO countries is Mesopotamia found in today?
Iraq and Syria
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, this was Gilgamesh's beast man friend
Enkidu
How many people lived in city-states throughout Mesopotamia?
Around 65,000 people at the maximum
Name TWO inventions of the Sumerians?
Wheel, Pottery (Potter's Wheel), Writing System, Farming, Created First Social Pyramid
What TWO ways did Hammurabi transform Babylon into an empire?
Military victories and peace negotiations
City-States would often have these to protect from invaders
City Walls
What were the names of the two rivers that gave Mesopotamia its name?
The Tigris and Euphrates
In the Epic of Gilgamesh story, what was Gilgamesh's goal?
To become immortal
Mesopotamians were polytheistic, meaning what?
Worshiped/Believed in many gods
Name TWO achievements by the Babylonians
Created first calendar, first to map stars/planets to create astronomy, built the Hanging Gardens one of the Ancient Wonders
Why did Hammurabi place giant stone slabs with his laws written down for everyone to see?
If everyone knew what the laws were, there would be no confusion about them
What job was born out of the creation of a writing system?
Scribe
Mesopotamia existed in the Fertile Crescent. Explain the meaning of these two words
1. The area was fertile, meaning that it had life and was good for farming. 2. The area had a round and curved shape, or “crescent” like the moon at times
Identify TWO uses for cuneiform
1. Priests wrote down religious texts/rituals 2. Merchants would record trade deals 3. Rulers wrote down laws and punishments for breaking those laws. 4. People wrote down stories
What are TWO details you know about ziggurats?
1. Massive stepped pyramids. 2. Center for political and religious life. 3. Priests would perform religious ceremonies and rituals 4. Believed the city's main god lived within
What evidence do we have that Babylon respected the Sumerians?
Babylon copied many of Sumer’s techniques for creating a civilization, including city-state building, the social pyramid, and the use of cuneiform
What famous expression do we associate with Hammurabi's Law Code and what does it mean?
"An Eye For An Eye". Any pain inflicted by someone on another person will be inflicted back on that person as a punishment
Mesopotamians began working with bronze. This is a mixture of what two metals?
Copper and Tin