Download Mesopotamia Study Guide

Mesopotamia Study Guide
Chapter Essential Question: How did geography, government, economics,
and culture shape early societies in Mesopotamia?
3.1: Geography of Mesopotamia How did geography impact life in
Mesopotamia?
A) Mesopotamia: Land between the rivers
B) Geographic features of the region (rivers, mountains, plains, deserts,
plateaus) and how they affected the region (natural boundaries, protection,
farming and agriculture)
C) Fertile Crescent: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, flooding, irrigation
D) Trade Centers and Cities
*Study the Trade and Barter Main Idea Web
*Problems with Land Trade and Overseas Trade
*Benefits/Positive outcomes of Land and Overseas Trade
E) Problems for farmers and how they solved it (see Problem-Solution
Handout)
F) Important Vocabulary:
*Drought, Irrigation, Plateau, Barter, Fertile Crescent, Seeder Plow
3.2: Mesopotamian Society How did religion and gender influence
Mesopotamian society?
A) Religion impacts all areas of life (from top of government to farmers)
B) Ziggurats: temples; areas for surplus goods and crops; places for gods
to stay in return for protection
C) Social Pyramid (study the diagram and social roles notes)
D) Roles of men vs. Roles of women
E) Empires in the region: too large, not enough control, conquered by
outsiders, fight for resources
F) Important Vocabulary:
*Ziggurat, Polytheism, Empire, Scribe
3.3: Mesopotamian Innovations and Contributions How did Mesopotamian
technological and cultural innovations influence future civilizations?
A) Impact of writing on society (Communication, keep records, plan for
future, write down stories and lessons)
B) Epic of Gilgamesh: shows the type of leader that Mesopotamian people
wanted and respected
C) Calendar: led to improvements in agriculture, helped predict flooding
D) Architecture: Ziggurats; walled-cities; Hanging Gardens of Babylon
E) Advancements in technology (wheel, plow, newer metals for tools)
F) King Hammurabi’s Code of Laws: punishments now given by man
instead of by gods
*Purpose of the code: justice, protection, keep order in empire
G) Important Vocabulary:
*Code of Laws, Cuneiform, Epic
Writing Topics:

How did the various innovations and contributions of the
Mesopotamian people affect society?

Why did Hammurabi create a code of laws? What effect did his laws
have on the Babylonian society?

How did the geography of the land have an impact on the civilization
of the Fertile Crescent?