Mesopotamia
Which factors helped Sumerian agriculture flourish?
fertile soil, irrigation projects, ox-driven plows
Which Mesopotamian people were known for their seafaring skills and extensive trade?
Phoenicians
Which statement best describes the geographical location of Mesopotamia?
between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
How long after the beginning of agriculture did city-states begin to form?
about 6,300 years
DOCUMENT 2:What purpose does Marduk intend his creation to fulfill?
Marduk intends man to serve the gods and build shrines for them.
What significant contribution did Hammurabi make to Mesopotamian civilization?
the codification of laws
What did ancient Sumerians house in ziggurats?
religious shrines
What did the city-states of Sumer and Akkad have in common?
They were built along rivers.
How many empires ruled the lands of ancient Mesopotamia?
five
DOCUMENT 2: What does Marduk tell Ea that he will do?
Marduk tells Ea that he will make man to inhabit the earth
What result did agricultural surplus have?
growth in population
For what achievement was the New Babylonian Empire known?
the Hanging Gardens
What geographic features bordered Sargon’s Akkadian Empire?
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Which empire ruled ancient Mesopotamia the longest?
Babylonian Empire
DOCUMENT 3:How is the god represented in the stele?
The god in the stele is represented as a strong human.
What did the Assyrians use to conquer Mesopotamia?
iron weaponry
Which ruler conquered Sumer to establish the powerful Akkadian Empire?
Sargon the Great
In which directions did the Akkadian Empire largely expand?
north and west
What similar challenges did the empires of ancient Mesopotamia face?
Empires in ancient Mesopotamia faced the challenge of ruling a widespread area with many local city-states and peoples. They had to rule a growing population with different customs and defend against external threats from other peoples
DOCUMENT 3: What details in the stele suggest that the god is more powerful than the king?
The god is seated, while the king stands; the king is making an offering to the god and, so, seeking the god’s favor.
DOCUMENT 1: Why did people likely pray or make offerings to deities such as Enki, Enlil, and Ninurta?
People likely prayed to these gods for good weather to help raise crops and keep their homes safe from flooding and storms
How did Darius I improve communications in the Persian Empire?
by building a system of roads
How did geographic features likely help and hurt the expansion of the Akkadian Empire?
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers and surrounding lowlands supported the movement of soldiers and trade. The fertile soil of the river valley also supported agriculture in the expanding empire. However, the Syrian Desert and the Zagros Mountains made expansion difficult
DOCUMENT 1:What did the gods and goddesses of ancient Mesopotamian largely represent?
They largely represented elements and forces of nature, such as rivers, mountains, earth, rain, flooding, and thunderstorms.
How did religion shape the lives of ancient Mesopotamians?
Ancient Mesopotamians worshipped many gods. Everyone, from ordinary people to kings, made offerings to the gods. Mesopotamians’ religious beliefs explained not only the creation of the world but also every natural and human event