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Mesopotamia
Ancient Mesopotamia Review
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fertile Crescent | An area of fertile land in the Middle East, located by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. This is where ancient civilizations flourished. |
| City-States | The basic units of Sumerian civilization – a small area surrounding a large city. |
| Theocracy | A government where priests rule in the name of a god or gods. (divine right) |
| Ziggurat | A temple where Sumerians believed gods and goddesses ruled the city. Ziggurats served as shrines. |
| Empire | A group of states (or city-states) under a single authority. |
| Code of Hammurabi | A strict and harsh set of laws in ancient Mesopotamian times, created by the Babylonian king, Hammurabi. |
| Cuneiform | Wedge-shaped writing on clay tablets. This was the writing system of the Sumerians. |
| Polytheistic | To worship multiple gods or deities. |
| Patriarchal | A society controlled by men, or a society that favors men. Women typically have very few privileges or rights. |
| Nomad | A wanderer, someone who travels place to place without a permanent residence. |