Download Mesopotamia NOTES Mesopotamia means

Name: _________________________
Hour: _____
Mesopotamia NOTES
Mesopotamia means ______________________________ and is located between the
___________ and _________________________ Rivers. This area is also known as
_______________________ because of its rich soil and abundant crops.
Agriculture in Mesopotamia used ____________________ and
____________________ to water crops and control the flow of rivers. The use of
____________________ helped agriculture prosper as well.
The first states in Mesopotamia were called ____________________. They were
ruled by a ______.
The most prominent building in these early cities were called ____________________
and they were dedicated to the gods and goddesses who owned the city.
Mesopotamian civilization was considered ____________________, which means
believing in many gods. Eventually, _______________ , large political units under a
single leader, were formed from these early cities. Mesopotamian cities were
considered ____________________, which means dominated by men.
The Babylonian king, ____________________, invented a famous early law code
known as: ______________________________. This law code told courts how to
operate, regulated property rights, told the specific duties of family members, and
decided harsh punishments for criminals. There were __________ different laws.
The ____________________, the name of the local people, did many things to
advance this early civilization. Around 3000 B.C.E. they created a system of writing
known as _______________, which used __________ shapes to stand for “alphabet”
symbols. Two things were used to write with: ____________________ and
____________________. Writing was important because it helped a society keep
_______________ and pass along _______________ from generation to generation.
Other items were used to help tell stories as well. Paintings and _______________ of
gods and goddesses were used for religious purposes and decorative purposes.
These items help historians tell the story of the past.
The Sumerians invented many different things, but the most noted are: the
__________ to help transport people and goods from place to place. The
_______________ was invented to shape containers. The _______________ helped
keep time and the __________ was used in many of their construction projects. The
Sumerians were also the first to make __________ out of two other metals:
__________ and __________. A huge advancement for math came when the
Sumerians came up with a number system based on _____. They were also the first
people to map and study the stars in a field we know as ____________________. The
Sumerians used _______________ as a form of currency to buy and sell goods.
Along with foods and metal items, _______________ were also bought and sold to
help the Sumerians build their cities.