Download Unit 3 Mesopotamian Society Study Guide

Name _________________________________________ Core __________________ Date ________________________
Unit 3 Mesopotamian Society Study Guide
Overview
 Mesopotamian Religion- Mesopotamians were polytheists. They worshiped many different gods connected
to nature and to particular aspects of life.
 A Social Pyramid- Mesopotamian society was organized into a social pyramid. Your place on the pyramid
was determined by your work. Most people stayed at the level they were born at for their entire lives.
 A Series of Conquests- Mesopotamia was a rich land that many people sought to conquer.
Key Points:
1. Mesopotamia was one of the earliest civilizations to have an organized religion. Their religion helped to shape
their society and culture.
2. Mesopotamian city-states built ziggurats to worship their gods.
3. Mesopotamians believed that their kings were chosen by the gods.
4. People from all levels of Mesopotamian society were important to the success of the civilization, but different
groups had different amounts of power.
5. The king was the most important political and religious figure.
6. Enslaved people were at the bottom of the social pyramid. They had no power.
7. Mesopotamia many natural resources made it a good place to live. It was also a valuable land for leaders to
conquer and rule.
8. The history of Mesopotamia is marked by four great empires. Between each empire’s rule and the next, there
were moments of disorder before another leader conquered the region.
Identify and explain the significance of the following terms:

Ziggurat- __________________________________________________________________________________

Social Pyramid- _____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Cuneiform- ________________________________________________________________________________
Reading Guide:
1. What role did religion play in Mesopotamian society? _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How was Mesopotamian society organized? _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What status did women have in Mesopotamian society? ______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why was Mesopotamia a prized land? ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Name _____________________________________________ Core _________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Organizer
Key Term
Illustrate
Define
Use in a sentence
Key Term
Illustrate
Define
Use in a sentence
Key Term
Illustrate
Define
Use in a sentence