Fertile arc of land extending from the Persian Gulf to the Nile River in a "C" shape. Home to many ancient civilizations.

A group of many lands under the control of one ruler.

The oldest story ever recorded about a cruel king who seeks immortality and learns a valuable lesson.

One of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World built by King Nebuchadnezzar for his wife. This huge ziggurat featured exotic plants and flowing water.

Famous king of the Chaldeans that rebuilt Babylon and constructed the Hanging Gardens.

Form of government where the religion and the priests hold political power.

A long poem usually telling the story of a hero.

Large "step-pyramid" built to honor the gods. The Mesopotamians believed their gods lived at the top of them.

People who study and map the stars and planets. These people became an important part of Mesopotamian science and religion.

People who owe money. In ancient Mesopotamia these people could be enslaved.

Skilled students who learned to write cuneiform at special schools.

System of trade where there is no money. Instead, people exchange goods and services for other goods and services.

King of the Babylonian Empire who conquered other city-states, expanded his empire and wrote a famous code of laws.

Writing tool used to write ancient Cuneiform on wet clay tablets.

Empire that conquered the Babylonians and reigned in Mesopotamia through military might and fear. They used iron weapons and organized their empire into provinces.

Akkadian conqueror who established the first empire in Mesopotamia around 2340 BC.

System of writing using wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. Oldest writing in the world.

First people to build a civilization in Mesopotamia. They irrigated the land, established city-states and created inventions such writing, the wheel and sailboat.

Independent cities with control of the lands around them.

Political districts ruled by a governor or local official. The Assyrians established these to organize their large empire.

A dry climate with little or no rainfall. Mesopotamia has this climate.

Clothing items. The Sumerians would trade these for wood, metals and other raw materials.

Walls used to keep back the floods of rivers. The Sumerians built these to protect them from the Tigris and Euphrates' floods.

Means "good for growing". The silt from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers made the soil of Mesopotamia this way.

Means the "land between the rivers". The Tigris and Euphrates make this land very fertile.

A system of moving water from a natural source to use for agriculture.

Having more of something than you need. The Sumerians were able to grow more food than they could eat, creating a _____________________.

The belief in many gods.

Forced payments made from conquered people. The Assyrians collected this from its conquered enemies.

Man-made rivers dug to transport water.

Mesopotamian Empire founded by Hammurabi around 1800 BC. One of the oldest and greatest empires.

Descendants of the Babylonians who retook Mesopotamia from the Assyrians and created a glorious empire until being defeated by the Persians in 539 BC.

Minerals or nutrients deposited by floods that create fertile soil.

In Mesopotamia, merchants would travel together for safety in groups called

Which of the following was NOT a Sumerian invention?

What sort of people could be enslaved in Mesopotamia?

True or False: Mesopotamian women could buy and sell property?

True or False: Artisans and merchants were in the "upper class" of the Mesopotamian Social Structure?

True or False: Mesopotamia's geography provided many raw materials such as metal, wood and stone.