Unit 2Review Guide: Ancient Mesopotamia andEgypt

  1. Describe the geography of the ancient Middle East.

Fertile Crescent:

______

Mesopotamia:

______

Mediterranean Sea:______

Persian Gulf:

______

Asia Minor:

______

Syrian and Arabian Deserts:

______

Egypt and the Nile River:

______

  1. How did geography affect the cultures/civilizations that developed in the Fertile Crescent and Middle East?

Flooding and irrigation projects: ______

The Epic of Gilgamesh:______

Cities:

______

Trade and cultural diffusion:______

Lack of natural barriers:______

Religion and afterlife:______

Cuneiform:______

Astronomy and mathematics:

______

  1. How were the governments and societies of the Sumerian city-states organized?

Independent and rival city-states:

______

Roles and responsibilities of the kings/rulers:______

Hierarchy of social classes

______

Impact of new technology:______

Individualism:______

Roles and rights of women:

______

Religious rituals, ceremonies, and duties:

______

  1. Explain the important accomplishments of Hammurabi and the early Babylonian Empire.

The codifying of laws in Hammurabi’s empire:

______

Civil law in Hammurabi’s Code:

______

Crime and punishment in Hammurabi’s Code:

______

Hammurabi’s other accomplishments:

______

  1. What were the contributions of the Hittites and the Assyrians to early civilization?

Hittite Civilization

Benefits of ironworking technology:

______

Improvements on the horse-drawn chariot:

______

Assyrian Civilization

Conquest and empire:

______

Well-ordered and structured society:

______

Learning and cuneiform:

______

  1. Identify the major achievements of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as well as Cyrus and Darius of Persia.

Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon

Revival and expansion of the late Babylonian empire:

______

Public works projects,the Ishtar Gate, and the Hanging Gardens:

______

______

Cyrus the Great of Persia

Conquests and tolerant policies:

______

Darius I of Persia

Organization of the empire and government:

______

System of roads and capital cities:

______

Money Economy:

______

  1. What were the lasting and influential aspects of Phoenician civilization?

Impact of geography on Phoenician cities and society:

______

Manufacturing and trade:

______

Explorations and colonies:

______

Phoenician alphabet:

______

  1. What were unique aspects of the Persian religion as well as Judaism and Israelite culture?

Zoroaster of Persia

Ahura Mazda vs. Ahriman:______

Divine judgment and afterlife:______

Judaism and Israelite culture:

Monotheism:

______

Torah and covenant:

______

Prophets and kings:

______

Laws and ethics:

______

Division, conquest, and the Diaspora:

______

______

  1. How did geography affect the development of ancient civilization in Egypt?

Agriculture: ______

Natural barriers:______

Gods and afterlife:______

Art and architecture:______

Writing and literature:______

Science and mathematics:______

  1. Identify and describe the characteristics of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms of Egypt.

Old Kingdom:

Pharaohs, viziers, and bureaucracy:______

Great Pyramids of Giza:______

Collapse:______

Middle Kingdom:

Public works projects:______

Trade and conquest:______

Hyksos:______

New Kingdom:

Powerful rulers and conquests:______

______

Decline:______

  1. Describe the important religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Egyptians.

Amon-Re: ______

Osiris, Isis, and Set:______

Anubis, Horus, and the Eater of the Dead:______

The Book of the Dead and “The Negative Confession”:______

Mummification:______

Great Pyramids of Giza:______

Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamen’s tomb:______

  1. What was the social organization and structure of ancient Egypt?

Hierarchy of social classes

______

______

______

Daily life and work of the peasant farmers:______

Roles and status of women:

______

Failed reforms of Akhenaton:

______

Social fluidity in the New Kingdom:

______

  1. What were the major contributions of ancient Egyptians to learning and the arts?

Hieroglyphics: ______

Hieratic and Demotic scripts:______

Medicine:______

Astronomy:______

Mathematics:______

Painting and sculpture:______

Literature:______

The Tale of Sinuhe:______

1.______

2.______

3.______

4.______

5.______

6.______

7.______

8.______

9.______

10.______

11.______

12.______

13.______