Early Humans and Ancient Mesopotamia Final Review
1. Prehistory (oral tradition): Before written record by stories and songs
2. Hunter-gatherers: Early humans who survived by following the herd (hunting) and gathering food to eat
from plants, trees, leaves and roots.
3. Homo-sapiens sapiens: scientific name for modern humans
4. Culture: the attitude, beliefs and customs of a group of people determined by geography and climate.
5. Domesticate (make tame): select good plants and animals to reproduce, reliable water, prevent some
plants and animals from reproducing
6. Revolution (Neolithic): Shift from food gathering to food producing or development of farming
7. Surplus: more than you need to survive
8. Specialize (division of labor): the ability of a community to divide the labor allowing development of
experts
9. Civilization: (steady food supply, develop a complex society) stable food supply, reliable water source,
job specialization and technology, social levels, system of government, highly developed culture.
10. Sumerian social levels: Noble: most power and fewest people, from rich and powerful families;
Commoner: farmers/craftsmen, Slave: fewest rights
11. Mesopotamia: Middle East, between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Fertile Crescent, bottom of Zagros Mt,
fertile farm land, silt, near by water.
12. Code of Hammurabi: First set of written laws in the ancient world, listed punishments for crimes, based
on social levels, honesty, civic duty and harsh retribution (revenge).
13. Reasons cave art was created: decoration, memorial to special event, influence spirit world
14. Location of earliest hominid fossils: Africa
15. Location of earliest Neanderthal fossils: Neander Valley, Germany, Europe
16. Earliest settlements located by: fresh water
17. Ice Age survival :fire, fur, study shelter because of cold weather
18. Farming advantage: reliable source of food
19. *Read and understand map on p.19 of textbook
20. Sumerian Achievements:
 City-state/king: Why leaders developed: life became complicated and need developed for a strong
leader to organize society. Why walls around city: Used protect people from enemy invaders,
 Cuneiform/writing: define: wedge shaped symbols, first used: to keep record of items traded
 Irrigation: made farming easier, thus increased food production; canals, levees: built to control
flooding of Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
 Mathematics: time: 60 is measure for time
 Plow: made farming easier, thus increased food production
 Wheel: by adding to an ox cart, made farming easier, thus increased food production
 Ziggurat: religious building located in the center of each city-state, priest communicate with gods.
21. Cause and Effect
 Better hunting techniques -> more permanent settlements, larger populations, larger families
 Farming -> stable food supply, increased population, larger families, permanent buildings, villages
and towns, cities
 Food surplus-> specialized jobs, trade
 Domestication of plants and animals-> lead to farming
 Lack of farmland in Zagros Mt.-> settle by Tigris& Euphrates River ->irrigation canals -> citystates built for protection