The Four Empires Of Mesopotamia

Question 1

What are the four empires?

Answer 1

Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian

Question 2

Sumerian city-states were conquered by a group of people from the north called what?

Answer 2

The Akkadians

Question 3

The Akkadians were led by a powerful military minded king named?

Answer 3

Sargon

Question 4

What did Sargon do to keep his power?

Answer 4

• Destroyed the city walls to prevent a rebellion
• Put governors in place that were loyal to him
• He is the first to insist that his sons take over after his death

Question 5

What did the Akkadians do that made it easier to keep Sumer under control?

Answer 5

1. Kept Sumerian irrigation techniques
2. Used cuneiform, Sumerian writing
3. Worshipped Sumerian gods, but gave them Akkadian names

Question 6

How did the Akkadians contribute to the culture?

Answer 6

i. Using the Akkadian spoken language
ii. Steles – which are sculptures on the sides of stones
1. The “Victory Stele” shows a famous king winning a battle.
2. You can tell who the king is by his size on the sculpture. (page 53)

Question 7

What eventually happened to the Akkadian empire?

Answer 7

In the end, the empire became too large to defend, and the Akkadians eventually lost to a new invader.

Question 8

What was Sargon’s greatest achievement?

Answer 8

He created the first empire.

Question 9

After Sargon, who was the next ruler to unite all of Mesopotamia?

Answer 9

King Hammurabi of Babylon

Question 10

What is Hammurabi best known for?

Answer 10

His ‘code of laws’

Question 11

Describe Hammurabi’s code of laws. (3 main things)

Answer 11

i. These laws unified his empire and kept order
ii. The laws were chiseled onto a stele and placed where everyone could see them
iii. The codes/laws covered everything from trade rules, marriage/divorce, to punishments for crimes.

Question 12

Other than his code of laws, what are two more important things that Hammurabi did?

Answer 12

He had roads built and created a postal service.

Question 13

What eventually happened to Babylonia?

Answer 13

d. Babylonia became very wealthy through trade (business), but eventually got too big to keep under control

Question 14

Who took over the Babylonian empire?

Answer 14

A military power from the north called Assyria.

Question 15

What are some of Assyria’s greatest achievements? (hint 4 things)

Answer 15

i. Perfected the use of horses and iron weapons.
ii. Siege warfare – sealing off a city and forcing it to surrender
iii. Battering rams
iv. Moveable towers

Question 16

Where did the Assyrians build palaces and why?

Answer 16

Palaces were built on hills for citizens to look up to them

Question 17

This Assyrian technology brought drinking water from 30 miles away.

Answer 17

Aqueducts

Question 18

This Assyrian 2-d sculpture is usually placed on walls.

Answer 18

Bas-relief

Question 19

What eventually happened to the Assyrian empire?

Answer 19

In the end, it was too big to control

Question 20

Since the Babylonians retook the area, what did they call it?

Answer 20

They called it the new Babylonian empire, or, “Neo-Babylonian Empire”

Question 21

Who was the most famous king?

Answer 21

Nebuchadrezzar II

Question 22

Why was Nebuchadrezzar II the most famous king? (hint 3 things)

Answer 22

i. A military minded leader that conquered many lands
ii. He knew it was important to keep his capital safe so he built an inner and an outer wall.
iii. Has the “Hanging Gardens” built as a gift for his wife.

Question 23

Nebuchadrezzar II was skilled in what?

Answer 23

Math and Astronomy

Question 24

What did Nebuchadrezzar II build?

Answer 24

The first sundial to tell time

Question 25

What did Nebuchadrezzar II discover?

Answer 25

He discovered the 60 minute hour and the 7 day week

Question 26

What eventually happened to the Neo-Babalonian’s?

Answer 26

They were defeated by the Persians.

Question 27

Hammurabi’s code of laws treated classes differently however women and slaves actually had some rights.

What is an example?

Answer 27

Although dad’s still picked their daughter’s husband, women could own property and keep money for themselves….that’s weird for back then