Ch. 3 Mesopotamia Vocabulary Words

The use of connected ditches/canals/dams/dikes to move water to dry areas

Irrigation

mixture of bits of rock & soil carried or deposited by water

Silt

huge mud-brick temple built by the ancient Sumerians

Ziggurat

Wedge-shaped symbols used by Sumerians for writing & communication

Cuneiform

system of government (gov’t.) in which a king or queen rules

Monarchy

A city and its surrounding farmlands, with its own leaders & government(gov’t.)

City-state

A belief in one God

Monotheism

A belief in many Gods

Polytheism

Different people doing different jobs, based on each person’s ability/skill

Division of Labor

domestication of plants and animals; farming

Agriculture