Chapter 2 Ancient Egypt Study Guide

Chapter 3 The Fertile Crescent Study Guide

Name ______

Key Vocabulary- Definition Vocabulary Word

1. To supply water to crops

An independent area that includes a main city and its 2. surrounding territory A trading system in which people exchange goods directly 3. without using money

4. The belief in more than one god

5. A state containing several countries or territories

The idea that all members of a society, even the rich and 6. powerful, must obey the law

7. A payment made to show loyalty to a stronger power

8. Money, usually bills or coins, used for exchange

The spread of cultural traits (language, religion ,etc.) from 9. one region to another Main Ideas

1. The Fertile Crescent is a region in the Middle East that includes ______, a wide flat plain that lies between two great rivers, the ______and the ______. 2. The world’s first civilization was ______. 3. Although the geography of Mesopotamia offered many challenges, such as unpredictable flooding and hot, dry summers, farmers used ______technology to create productive farmland. 4. As better agricultural techniques helped Sumerians produce more food, the population of villages grew and larger city-states like ______emerged. 5. City-states became centers of trade. Sumerians used new technology such as ______on their carts and ______on their boats to more easily transport trade goods. 6. Sumerian civilization developed ______based on wealth and power, with the rulers and priests on top. 7. Sumerians were ______and believed the gods controlled every part of their lives. 8. Priests had an important role in Sumerian society. They lived and worked in large temples called ______. 9. Sumerian priests also developed the world’s first system of writing called ______. It was originally used to record sales, taxes, and agreements. Later it was used to record literature like the famous poem “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” 10.Sumerians were one of the first cultures to make ______. It is a much harder metal than the copper that was previously used and made much more durable weapons and tools. 11. ______united much of Mesopotamia under one rule creating the world’s first ______. 12.______, created a set of laws to establish and enforce the rule of law. His code of laws was the first major attempt to organize and write down all the laws that governed a society. 13. The ______used cavalry (soldiers on horses) and iron weapons to conquer a vast empire that stretched from Mesopotamia to Egypt. 14. The ______led by Cyrus the Great and Darius, used a large standing army to create the largest empire of its time. They used a balanced government to leave legacies such as a common currency, a postal system, and the religion of Zoroastrianism. 15. The ______were expert sailors and traders who developed the world’s first alphabet, making it much easier to trade and communicate. Essential Question

Sumer, in Mesopotamia, was the world’s first civilization and left many significant legacies. Name three important ideas created by the ancient Sumerians and describe how they continue to affect our lives today.

______