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Chapter 3 - Mesopotamia

Last updated 2 months ago
32 questions
Note from the author:
Created by Mr. Bergh of San Bernardino City Unified School District at Shandin Hills Middle School.
The following resources were utlilized in the creation of this Formative for educational/classroom use:
“Unit 2: First Civilizations 3500 BCE - 300 CE.” Essay. In EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ACE WORLD HISTORY IN ONE BIG FATE NOTEBOOK, 31–141. Workman Publishing Co., Inc., 2016.
Learning Intention:
I am learning about the early civilizations of Mesopotamia.
Success Criteria:
I can locate and describe the major river systems and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement and early civilizations.
I can trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power.
I understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia.
I know the significance of Hammurabi’s Code.
I can trace the evolution of language and its written forms.
Required
2

What were two inventions of the Sumerians?

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1

What two rivers supported Mesopotamia?

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1

Mesopotamians didn't write using letters. They wrote using wedge-shaped writings called...

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1

Who conquered the Sumerians?

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1

Hammurabi and the Babylonians conquered the Akkadians.

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1

What was Hammurabi known for?

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1

The Babylonians conquered the Assyrians.

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1

The Chaldeans conquered the Assyrians.

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1

What great wonder of the ancient world did Nebuchadnezzar create for his wife?

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1

According to this map, what modern part of the world is the ancient Fertile Crescent?

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1

The Fertile Crescent is regarded as birthplace of the world's first complex civilizations. What does that mean?

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1

Based on the map Mesopotamia can be described as "civilization along the river" and the people as "river people".

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1

Turn to someone sitting next to you.
Is it better to build up (a wall) or build down (a ditch) to stop a flood of water?
After two (2) minutes.
Type down your answer.
Be prepared to explain why out loud!

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1

The United States of America is a theocracy.

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1

Before words were invented there was cuneiform. Which of the following is an example of a cuneiform?

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1

As time has gone on, the meaning of the word epic has changed.
It is now used to describe someone who has the qualities of the main character of an epic.
Google and post, Draw, or Write an example of someone who could be the main character to an epic, who is epic.

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1

What material is cuneiform written on?

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2

In your opinion, does writing in cuneiform appear simple?
Respond in at least 1 full sentence.

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2

In your opinion, does writing in cuneiform appear easy?
Respond in at least 1 full sentence.

Use the helpful instructions below to write your name in one of the first ever writing systems, cuneiform! (P.S. If you bring clay or playdough you can do this assignment on it.)

Step 1
Open this lovely little video game that allows you to write cuneiform in a new tab.
https://myteacherbin.com/games/cuneiform/
Step 2
Notice that when you click the letters on the left the image on the right changes. The image on the right is a translation of our English letters into simple Syrian cuneiform!
Clicking the letter does not change what you write when you click. All of simple Syrian cuneiform is little triangles. Pressing the mouse key places a triangle. To change the direction of the triangle click the arrows on the top to rotate.
Practice rotating and placing triangles for a bit.
Write a single letter correctly.
Then click the RESTART button.
Step 3
Spell out your first and last name by the letter on a piece of scratch paper or another tab.
Slowly and carefully place down triangles in the correct direction to spell out your name.
If you lose track of which letters you've translated, it may be a good idea to cross out letters of your name as you translate it into cuneiform.
When finished click the download button.
Step 4
Go to the assignment on Google Classroom. Click "+ Add or create" in the top right of the assignment page. Click "File". Find the file in the downloads folder. The file will be named "cuneiform". Upload this to Google Classroom. If the picture appears then you've done it! Click turn in.
Extra Credit: Step 5
Write your friends or Mr. Bergh a secret message in cuneiform. If you can write a whole sentence in cuneiform correctly and upload that (in addition to your name) to Google Classroom. I will print out and staple your secret message to the bulletin board outside in the hallways! (Assuming it doesn't say something really bad, thennnnn no.)
Extra Extra Credit: Step 6
Bring your own clay or playdough to class and I will give you a ruler that can be used as a flat stylus to write cuneiform. Write your name in cuneiform on the clay or playdough!
Required
3

Match the jobs of the people who lived in city-states.

Draggable itemCorresponding Item
King
Led the army and settled disputes.
Priests
Regulated trade, collected taxes, and talked to the gods.
Farmers
Grew food and made things.
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0

Open this website:
https://openprocessing.org/sketch/1749387
Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard to change the numbers from Roman Numerals to Arabic Numerals.
Then move your screen and take a screenshot of the sun's shadow on the current time! (Ctrl + Shift + F5)
Upload the screenshot in the show your work section below.

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1

King Sargon I of Akkadia was considered the first great king in history because he conquered Babylonia.

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4

Read the map:
Select below Semitic Languages that still exist today:

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2

Select two reasons why the Kingdom of Babylon under King Hammurabi was considered one of the first empires.

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1

Here is an actual law of the 282 laws of Hammurabi's Code.
"If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out."
Do you think this law is fair?
Why or why not?

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3

Match the consequence to breaking Hammurabi's Code.

Draggable itemCorresponding Item
Put out the eye or break the bone's of a man's slave,
the man's eye shall be put out.
Put out another man's eye,
his teeth shall be knocked out.
A man knocks out the teeth of his equal,
the man shall pay one half of the slave's value.
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1

Hammurabi's Code solidifies into law the idea that men are better then women and that there are some people who are worth less then others.

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2

Do you think this part of Hammurabi's Code is fair? Why or why not?
Use your own words and answer in at least two sentences.

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1

Patriarchal means men are in charge.
Matriarchal means women are in charge.
Is your home a patriarchal or matriarchal home?
How do you know?

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1

Does someone in your home have absolute power? How do you know?

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1

Nineveh had one of the world's first libraries. What information below would NOT be stored in Nineveh's library?

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5

Check off every planet the Babylonians identified in ancient times.

On a sheet of lined paper, title it CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE. This is our study guide. Use your knowledge, the Formative, your notes, and any projects to answer the questions. Write your answers on the sheet of lined paper.
Extra Credit Project: Personal Paper Palace
The Sumerians built ziggurats to honor their gods. The Egyptians built pyramids. The picture to the left shows different temples or holy sites used by different religions across the world and time. There are SO many more types of holy sites then just these. We're going to create our own miniature holy site!
You will need:
Colored Construction Papers, Scissors, Tape, Color Pencils, Color Markers
You will be paired with those sitting next to you.
You will present WHY you added the parts of the temple that you did.
Examples:
"I made my temple tall to reach heaven."
"This square is a library for studying."
"This window takes you into a praying area."
"I used the color yellow because it's gold, and that means you rich like the gods."
Rubric (How you will be graded for this project.)
4 - I created a personal paper palace with a partner and could explain why I added the things to it.
3 - I didn't finish my palace.
2 - I couldn't explain why I added things to it.
1 - I started but couldn't get my thoughts out.
0 - I did not attempt to create or explain a personal paper palace.