Sumer
How did Sumerians solve the problem of being attacked by neighboring villages?
They built a wall and a moat.
Why were all 4 Empires located in the fertile crescent?
The Fertile Crescent had rich soil that was good for growing crops and plenty of fresh water.
Africa, Asia, and Europe
What animal was used to transport goods and people across Persian roads?
Camels
What does migrate mean?
To move from one place to another.
Name at least one river that surrounded Sumer.
Tigris River and Euphrates River
What does the word Mesopotamia mean?
The land between two rivers.
Who wrote most of the historical records for the Persians?
The Greeks
How did the Persians communicate and send important messages in times of war?
Using light and mirrors to make signal fires.
What is oral history?
History that is not written down but spoken over time.
What happened when the snow melted in the Zagros mountains?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flooded.
How did many empires get their money?
By forcing other villages to pay tribute.
How long did the Persian Empire last?
1,200 years
Why were the Persian roads so important?
They connected everyone throughout the empire and outside of the empire to trade and communicate.
What are at least 3 benefits of living next to a fresh water source?
1. Fresh water to drink
2. Good soil for crops
3. Food source
4. Trade is easier
5. Transportation is easier
Name three out of four problems ancient Sumer faced.
1. Not enough space to grow food.
2. Uncontrolled water supply.
3. Clogged irrigation system.
4. Attacks by neighboring communities.
*Lack of rainfall in Sumer was also a problem.
What was the Babylonian Empire most known for?
Hammurabi's code of laws.
*Unusually fair for their time.
What are at least 2 out of the 3 reasons why ancient Persia is difficult to study?
1. They relied on oral history
2. Many artifacts were lost, stolen, or damaged
3. Most historical records about Persia were written by the Greeks. These cannot be trusted because the Greeks were biased against the Persians.
Why was the social class pyramid in the shape of a pyramid (triangle). There are two reasons.
There are less people at the top and more people at the bottom.
The people higher in the pyramid have more power while the people lower in the pyramid have less power.
Describe the satrap system in ancient Persia.
The satrap system allowed the king of the Persian empire to rule a large area by assigning certain people to a region. The satraps for a region controlled everyone in the area and reported back to the king.
What mountain range did the Sumerians move away from due to lack of space to grow food?
Zagros Mountains
Put the 4 Mesopotamian Empires in chronological order.
Akkadian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Neo-Babylonian Empire
In what year did the Persian Empire begin?
550 B.C.E.
In what year did the Persian Empire end?
650 C.E.
Which Empire came before the Persian Empire?
Elamite Empire