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Mesopotamia Study Guide Vocabulary Study all Vocab. Words!!! Know the following material: The two major rivers in Mesopotamia -Tigris and Euphrates – how flooded and left rich soil (silt) The first civilization -Mesopotamia – why did it start there? Hint – rivers, rich soil… The area between the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf -Fertile Crescent Important contributions made by Mesopotamia -Wheel – faster in war, easier to harvest, could travel farther, accomplish more -Writing system, cuneiform – 1st known writing, kept records, business (scribes) -Irrigation – levees/dams/ditches/canals – allowed for surplus, led to division of labor -Money – Lydians – 1st coins – everyone wanted wealth -Mathematics – kept track of sales, place value (Babylonia) Why Mesopotamia built such huge religious temples – ziggurats -show the importance of religion to society –gods lived on top How Mesopotamia farmers solved the problem of low rainfall -irrigated their crops/fields What allows people to control when and how much they water their crops? -irrigation – important because of dry season How did the people of Mesopotamia get the things they lacked? -Trading – Mesopotamia did not have enough natural resources and had to look to other city-states. Could not travel far by foot because of mud flats and deserts, had to resort to the rivers. Trade was done in city-centers in the city-states. City-centers was a Mesopotamian creation that helped with trade. Everyone would meet there. City-states were independent governments, cultures, traditions, beliefs, etc. These were small areas of people that were separated from others because of the mud flats and deserts. City-states only answered to themselves and had their own rulers/kings. How were kings chosen in Mesopotamia? -Kings chosen by the gods Who was abandoned on a river, raised by a farmer, and soon became king -Sargon – created 1st empire in Mesopotamia – conquered entire area “An Eye for and eye and tooth for a tooth” is part of what set of laws? -Code of Hammurabi – famous king who conquered 20 of the 30 city-states of Mesopotamia. Punishment was sometimes cruel. Took into account the status/wealth/social position of the guilty party and of the victim. 282 laws that dealt with almost every facet of life. He set the path for thorough, written laws. Polytheism -Belief in many gods – all of Mesopotamia was polytheistic, except the Israelites (Hebrews). They were monotheistic (belief in one god). They started Judaism. The essential element for human development -Fresh Water Surplus and how it affected the rise of civilization (vocab. word) -having more than you need. An extra supply. -Allowed Mesopotamia to grow and become powerful (city-states, city-centers) The link between heaven and earth for Mesopotamia -Ziggurat The Sumer class system 1. Kings and Priests 2. Wealthy Business people, Government Workers, Land Owners 3. Farmers/Artisans (people who worked with their hands) 4. Slaves The inventor of the modern alphabet - Phoenicians The inventor of the first coins Lydians Babylonia -what was their advancement in math? Place Value Monotheism -Belief in one god