1. Mesopotamia Vocabulary
“Land Between Two Rivers”

2. Mesopotamia

3. Fertile land between the rivers (Tigris & Euphrates)
Mesopotamia
Fertile land between the rivers
(Tigris & Euphrates)

4. Fertile Crescent
ANOTHER NAME for Mesopotamia – The rich land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, also includes the Nile River
- Fertile land made it good for growing crops.

5. FERTILE CRESCENT
Name for the fertile Land surrounding the Tigris, Euphrates and Nile Rivers
Fertile land made it good for growing crops

6. Fertile Soil rich in nutrients and resources
Soil became rich in nutrients from rivers flooding

7. Small particles of rich, FERTILE SOIL.
SILT
Small particles of rich, FERTILE SOIL.

8. Irrigation Shadoof to bring water to DRY LAND (for CROPS)
TOOL used to irrigate dry land

9. Series of canals that brought water from rivers to crops
IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Series of canals that brought water from rivers to crops

10. A city and its surrounding area it controls.
City State
A city and its surrounding area it controls.

11. The first inhabitants of Mesopotamia
Sumerians
The first inhabitants of Mesopotamia
City state was named SUMER

12. Empire Emperor Nation or group of people ruled by one emperor.
Ruler of an empire

13. 1st Emperor with a Code of Laws
Hammurabi
1st Emperor with a Code of Laws

14. CODE OF HAMMURABI
Oldest set of laws ever recorded laws meant to keep order in ancient Babylon

15. CLASS SYSTEM
System in which a society is divided into several social groups, usually by wealth)

16. wedge shaped symbols on clay tablets
CUNEIFORM
Oldest form of writing
wedge shaped symbols on clay tablets

17. Scribe
Professional writer

18. Polytheism
Belief in many gods

19. ZIGGURAT
A pyramid shaped structure with a temple on top used for religious purposes in Mesopotamia

20. CONTRIBUTIONS
Something the Sumerians did or made and passed on to future societies.
Examples
wheel
Cuneiform (writing)
religion

21. Focusing on one specific job or skill … what you’re really good at
SPECIALIZATION
Focusing on one specific job or skill … what you’re really good at

22. SURPLUS
An amount that has been LEFT OVER after a need has been met (Food surplus)

23. To tame; Raising animals for food
DOMESTICATION
To tame; Raising animals for food