Geography of Mesopotamia and Life in Sumer

Why did they refer to Mesopotamia as part of the Fertile Crescent?

• Historians used this phrase due to the dry desert between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

• Historians used this phrase due to the abundance of livestock native to the region.

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  Historians used this phrase due to the fertile soil of the region being curved in a quarter moon shape.

• Historians used this phrase due to the drastic rise in human population that occurred around the Crescent Sea.

Mesopotamia is Greek for

How did rivers such as the Tigris and Euphrates contribute to the development of early civilizations?

• The silt from the rivers provided rich, fertile soil for agriculture.

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  The rivers isolated people and protected them from invasion.

• The river water carried diseases which wiped out some early civilizations.

• The flooding of the rivers inspired the creation of a god for each civilization.

This is a photograph of a sculpture created in ancient Mesopotamia.

How did inventions like the sailboat impact Mesopotamian society?

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  They allowed laws to develop and be codified in all civilizations.

• They allowed religious leaders to separate themselves from the social hierarchy.

• They allowed the population to travel and spread throughout the region.

• They allowed civilizations to create food surpluses.

How did advancements in metalsmithing impact civilizations in Mesopotamia?

• They allowed people to create complex religions.

• They allowed people to create more efficient tools and weapons.

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  They allowed people to create large metal structures.

• They allowed people to create sturdy metal ships.

How did the use of dams and canals impact early human civilizations?

• They provided steady water sources for villages and farms.

• They provided strong defenses for villages and farms.

• They provided sources of power for religious leaders.

• They provided valuable taxes for government leaders.

What was the first civilization to live in Mesopotamia?

What did Mesopotamian civilizations believe about the world?

• They believed that there were multiple gods that controlled different aspects of the world.

• They believed that they were the only civilization on the planet.

• They believed that humans had complete control over all aspects of the world.

• They believed that nature was guided by the spirits of all people on the planet.

What is the major characteristic of all polytheistic religions?

• They believe in multiple gods.

• They believe in one single god.

• They do not believe in religious laws.

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  They do not believe in any gods.

Why were priests so influential in Sumerian society?

• Priests in Sumerian society ruled the governmental system.

• Citizens relied on the priests to build and maintain the temples.

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  Priests were skilled craftspeople, merchants, and traders.

• Religion was the basis for all of Sumerian society.