02 Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt Free Online FlashCards

Which rivers defined the heartland of Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamia lay chiefly between the Tigris and Euphrates, in what is now Iraq and neighboring areas.

What was a Mesopotamian city-state?

A city-state centered on a city and its surrounding countryside. Sumerian city-states competed, while later rulers built larger kingdoms and empires.

How did Mesopotamians bring river water to their fields?

Canals carried river water to fields, making irrigation essential to Mesopotamian farming.

What was one early purpose of Mesopotamian cuneiform?

Cuneiform developed partly to record supplies, labor, and transactions. Scribes later used it for letters, laws, literature, and scholarly texts.

Why did Mesopotamian merchants trade with distant regions?

Because Mesopotamia lacked some timber, metals, and stones, merchants traded with distant regions for these resources, connecting areas such as the Gulf, Iran, and Anatolia.

What was a ziggurat?

A ziggurat was a stepped temple platform. Temples were considered the earthly homes of the gods.

How is the stele of Hammurabi best understood?

It is better understood as a wide-ranging collection of legal judgments, or case law, than as a modern, comprehensive legal code.

How did the Nile's annual inundation support Egyptian agriculture?

The Nile's annual inundation deposited fertile soil, supporting crops and a large population along the river valley and delta.

Besides supporting farming, what practical role did the Nile play?

The Nile provided a transport route as well as water and fertile soil.

How was Egyptian government often organized?

Egypt was more often governed as a unified kingdom, with the king—commonly called “pharaoh” in later periods—at the center of government. Officials and scribes helped administer the country.

How did agriculture support Egypt beyond feeding its population?

Agriculture produced food for the population and supported officials and temples; produce could also be stored or exchanged.

What did Old Kingdom pyramid complexes demonstrate?

During the Old Kingdom, pyramid complexes at Saqqara and Giza demonstrated royal power and the organizational skills of Egyptian builders and administrators.