unit 3 mesopotamia

whats a nickname for the region Mesopotamia is part of?

the Fertile Crescent

What three continents does Mesopotamia connect to?

Asia, Europe, Africa.

What is silt? How did it affect farming in Mesopotamia?

a mix of mixture of rich soil carried from the Tigris and Euphrates that made the land ideal for farming in mesopotamia

What did the people of Ancient Mesopotamia build to prevent floods and to help water their farms?

Canals were built that would stop floods from destroying their crops and also lead to irrigation systems to water their farms.

What is a division of labor? How were people able to acquire this?

A division of labor consists of workers specializing in specific tasks or roles. A surplus of food enabled people to not have to focus so much on farming and could branch out in other tasks/jobs.

What is a city-state?

A city and all the countryside/land that resides around it.

What is the difference between rural and urban?

Rural refers to life out in the countryside where it's usually more quiet and much less populated. Urban on the other hand refers to life in the city where there is much more noise and way more people.

What is polytheism? How did gods/goddesses play a role in Ancient Sumerian daily life?

Polytheism is the worship of a variety or “pantheon” of gods and goddesses. In ancient Sumer, the

Sumerians believed that they needed to please the gods in order to have a happy/long lasting life.

Who acted on behalf of the gods/goddesses? What was their role in society?

Priests/priestesses were responsible for interpreting the messages from the gods and also held

offerings to gain their favor.

Describe the social hierarchy of ancient Mesopotamia.

In Sumer, Kings were at the very top of the hierarchy, while priests were right below them. Below priests

were skilled craftspeople, merchants, and traders. Below traders were farmers and laborers.

Invention : wrighting

impact : The Sumerians created pictographs that developed into the first writing system, Cuneiform, which helped scribes keep accurate trade records.

Invention : the wheel

impact : The Sumerians first used the wheel for making clay pots, later adapting it for vehicles like wagons and chariots used in work and warfare.

Invention : agriculture

impact : Most Sumerians lived in small one-story homes, while rulers had large palaces. The most impressive buildings were ziggurats—temples with shrines at the top dedicated to specific gods.

invention : farming achivments

The Sumerians’ plow design allowed them to use animals for farming, breaking through tough clay soil more efficiently and greatly increasing agricultural production

What was the first writing system called?

cuneform

Beyond tracking trade, what other methods did Sumerians use Cuneiform for?

Writing epics, creating laws, sending messages, and record-keeping.

What is a monarch? Who was Babylon’s most famous monarch?

A monarch is a ruler or King/Queen. Babylon's most notorious monarch was that of Hammmurabi.

What kinds of laws were part of the Code of Hammurabi?

The laws in the Code of Hammurabi consisted of everything from trade, loans, theft, marriage, injury,

and murder.

Would you consider all the laws in the Code of Hammurabi as just or fair? Why or Why not?

Many of the laws in the Code of Hammurabi were somewhat unfair as people could be severely punished for things that were out of their control. Such as a building collapsing from poor weather in which the builder would be put to death.

hittities

iron weapons, chariots

assyrions

organized military, strong control over land

babylonians

hammurabis code, strong city of babylon

phoenicians

good traders, created alphebet

chaldeans

rebuilt Babylon, hanging gardens, astroligy