6th grade ancient history
review
Mesopotamia
Included in the 2 questions for
Egypt
• Mesopotamia
means land between the two rivers (which
provided water and transportation). It was a series of
independent city-states (cities that ran themselves and had
their own government, rulers, law, religion, etc. with no legal
ties to other cities) lying between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers.
• The yearly flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
created rich soil allowing for good agriculture and early
civilizations. However, the flood was unpredictable.
• New
agricultural technique arose, such as irrigation through
building dams, channels, walls, and ditches. These led to
the rise of cities, religion, writing, science and math.
• Mesopotamia built temples and held religious festivals to
please the gods.
• Hammurabi’s Code organized all laws, but was very harsh.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
• Mesopotamian's wrote using cuneiform. Cuneiform was
first used to keep track of trade.
• Main city-states included Sumer (considered the first
civilization which included specialized workers, record
keeping, religion, government) Babylon, and Assyria.
• Sargon of Akkad had the first empire (a group of cities and
people brought under one ruler).
Hammurabi’s Code of ancient
Mesopotamian
society was important because it
A listed the laws and the
corresponding punishments.
B explained how government officials
were chosen.
C established a single currency for
use across the empire.
D described how to perform formal
religious ceremonies.
Cuneiform and hieroglyphics were
important
achievements in the development
of
A written language.
B religious beliefs.
C agricultural production.
D representative government.
Which civilization did not grow up
in Mesopotamia?
A Babylonia
B Assyria
C Kush
D Sumer
What effect did the annual flooding
of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
have on Mesopotamia?
A People were forced to move from
the rivers to the desert.
B The flooding made the land useless
for agriculture.
C People were able to farm the land
near the rivers.
D The government put up walls to
keep the water away from crops.
What was the most likely effect of
advances such as the plow and
improved irrigation on early
civilizations?
A Population decreased.
B Crop production increased.
C Villages fought over new
technology.
D More farmers were needed to keep
up the supply of food.