Mesopotamia Study Guide

After the Akkadian Empire ended, many cities and empires tried to control Mesopotamia. Around the 1790s BCE, which empire started controlling Mesopotamia?

• the Akkadian Empire

• the Babylonian Empire

• the Elamite Empire

• the Neo-Sumerian Empire

After the Babylonians, the next major empire to unite Mesopotamia was the Assyrian Empire. The first Assyrians had their capital at the city of Ashur. Look at the map of Mesopotamia. Then answer the question below. Where was the city of Ashur in relation to the city of Babylon?

• Ashur was on the Tigris River. Babylon was on the Euphrates.

• Ashur was on the Euphrates River. Babylon was on the Tigris.

This map shows the Assyrian Empire at its peak, or largest size. At its peak, the Assyrian Empire touched which bodies of water? Select all that apply.

• the Euphrates River

• the Mediterranean Sea

• the Persian Gulf

• the Nile River

• the Tigris River

Read some of King Hammurabi's laws. Then answer the question below.

If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out.

If [a man] put out the eye of a man's slave . . . he shall pay half of [the slave's] value.

If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out.

If [a man] knock out the teeth of a freed man (a man who was once a slave), he shall pay one-third of a gold mina (weight for measuring money, about 1 pound)

Which of these statements best describes Hammurabi's laws?

• The laws' punishments were the same for everyone.

• The laws only applied to enslaved people.

• The laws did not treat everyone equally.

• The laws were only about taxes and debts.

People in the Babylonian Empire went to school and learned about Mesopotamian history. One famous legend about ancient Mesopotamia was called The Epic of Gilgamesh. Look at the table showing other epics. Based on the table, what is an epic?

• a long poem about legendary heroes

• a long speech by the king of an empire

• a collection of Greek songs about the gods

• a short book about love and death

Read the passage below. Then select the sentence that tells which group took over Mesopotamia after the fall of the Babylonian Empire.

Around 1792 BCE, the first Babylonian Empire started with King Hammurabi and lasted for about 200 years. Around 1595 BCE, the Hittites attacked the Babylonian Empire. The Hittites were a group of people who lived north of Mesopotamia. Soon after the Hittites attacked, a group of people called the Kassites attacked next. The Kassite and Hittite attacks helped end the first Babylonian Empire. When the Babylonian Empire fell in 1595 BCE, the Kassites took control of most of Mesopotamia. The Kassites worshipped the same gods as the Babylonians. They also kept Babylonian traditions and culture. They even helped to rebuild Babylonian temples that had been destroyed over time. The Kassites ruled Mesopotamia from the city of Babylon for around 400 years.

• Around 1595 BCE, the Hittites attacked the Babylonian Empire.

• When the Babylonian Empire fell in 1595 BCE, the Kassites took control of most of Mesopotamia.

• Around 1792 BCE, the first Babylonian Empire started with King Hammurabi and lasted for about 200 years.

Complete the text.

Around 1792 BCE, the Babylonian Empire took control of Mesopotamia. The Babylonian leader was named King Hammurabi (hah-mur-RAH-bee). King Hammurabi is most famous for (a)   .

• designing a mosaic of Babylonian history

• building a giant library in the city of Nineveh

• writing a book of Babylonian legends

• making a code of law for his empire

Many of the first civilizations started around big rivers. Civilizations are organized human communities. Look at the map of early river civilizations. Which letter marks Mesopotamia?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Select the two rivers that surround Mesopotamia.

• the Mississippi River

• the Euphrates River

• the Potomac River

• the Tigris River

A group of people known as the Sumerians started building towns and villages in Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE. Around how many years ago was 3500 BCE?

• around 350 years ago

• around 2,000 years ago

• around 5,500 years ago

• around 8,000 years ago