Chapter 3 ~ Mesopotamia Vocabulary

Meaning of Mesopotamia “The land between two rivers”

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the two rivers that surround Mesopotamia

Skilled workers are known as... ARTISANS

● City-state – the city and the surrounding farmland; each had its own gods and own laws

Scribe – writers

● Levees – raised area of soil used to control the rivers

Ziggurat – a temple in the center of each Sumerian City “mountain of god” or “hill of heaven”

● Priest-kings – Sumerian priests who were also kings of city-states

“Cradle of Civilization” – Mesopotamia was called this because this was the birthplace of civilizations

● Reform – improvement ● Reign – period of power ● Surplus – extra Some more vocabulary ● Culture – Way of life ● Reform – improvement ● Reign – period of power ● Surplus – extra

A few more vocabulary terms! ● Empire – a group of states under one ruler ● Hereditary –passed down from parent to child

Sargon I A leader from the city-state Akkad He created the world’s first empire His reign was the longest empire...50 years!

Gilgamesh ● one of the most famous priest-king... the Story of Gilgamesh is the oldest known piece of literature

Hammurabi Hammurabi – conquered Akkad and Sumer to create a new, great empire Hammurabi extended his rule and his new empire all the way to the Mediterranean Sea Hammurabi made the god of Babylon above all other gods;

Hammurabi Hammurabi began a government housing program. Hammurabi took the best laws from each city-state and created a “Code of Laws”

Hammurabi Hammurabi’s reign was known as “The Golden Age of Babylon”