Mesopotamia's Rivers and Geography
What two Rivers surrounded Mesopotamia?
Tigris and Euphrates
Acted as a small independent country or nation with its own government, ruler, gods, and laws
City State
Provide an Example of a writing system
Cuneiform
What does and Eye for an Eye mean?
Whatever you do to someone as a crime is done to you as your punishment.
What became the Royal color of the Middle east?
Purple
What made the Tigris and Euphrates rivers important? What did they provide?
They provided water, fertile soil, and transportation
The Step-structured Temples used for worship of the gods were called?
Ziggurats
Provide an example of advanced technology
The wheel, plow, and irrigation systems
Who had
A system of roads, messengers, and organized government known for harsh punishments and advanced military tactics.
The Assyrians
What did the Phoenicians use to create the royal color?
Snails
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow through which region today?
Iraq
What is an invention of the Sumerians
The Wheel, 60 base time system, Cuneiform
Provide an example of a complex institution
Organized government, religion, temples
Who created the first library
Ashurbanipal
Explain why only royalty could afford to wear the royal color created by the Phoenicians.
They had to collect so many snails that the process became very expensive, and only royalty could afford it.
Why were the Sumerians easily conquered by the Amorites and Akkadians?
The City States made them weak and un-unified
Provide an example of cities
Ur, Uruk, Lagash, Eridu
What was Hammurabi Known for ?
His law codes
What is an invention of the Phoenicians?
the royal color, The alphabet, cedar wood
What were the 3 Geographical problems and the solutions?
A. Unpredictable flooding – The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flooded without warning, ruining crops.
Solution: The Sumerians built irrigation systems, canals, levees, and dams to control the water.
b. No natural protection – The flat plains of Mesopotamia had no mountains or forests to block invaders.
Solution: They built walls around their cities and organized armies for protection. Gilgamesh oversaw this process
c. Few natural resources – Mesopotamia lacked wood, stone, and metal.
Solution: The Sumerians traded with neighboring regions for the resources they needed.
Provide an example of Specialized workers and agricultural Surplus
Priests, scribes, merchants, artisans
Irrigation allowed extra crops, supporting populations
Where were the Phoenicians located and because of that what kind of work did they do?
Along the Mediterranean
Traders and sailors