CHAPTER 4 NOTES

Name the two last key problems that was faced by Mesopotamia?

Difficulties in building and maintaining irrigation systems to serve the needs of villages at once. And attacks by neighboring communities.

Where is Mesopotamia located?

In modern day, Iraq.

List two reasons why the foothills of Zagros Mountains were a good place to farm.

It was good to farm at the foothills of Zagros Mountains because the plains had richer soil and when the rain and the mild weather came it allowed more rich soil to farm.

Why was it so hard to raise crops in Sumer?

It was hard to raise crops in the Sumer because there was either too little or too much water.

Why did neighboring communities attack each other?

Neighboring communities attacked each other because everyone wanted to control the water (water= power)

What one the biggest challenge faced by the farmers in Sumer?

One of the biggest challenges faced by the farmers in Sumer was the uncontrolled water supply.

What were some of the advantages of living in the foothills of the Zagros mountains?

Some advantages of living in the foothills of the Zagros mountains was mild weather, plentiful rains, wood for shelter and stone for tool-making.

What was the long term result of the Sumerians working together?

Sumerians started to live in larger cities and towns.

What does Mesopotamia mean?

The "land between the rivers"

What did the Sumerians do to prevent attacks from the neighboring communities?

The Sumerians built walls to keep everyone safe and protect them from neighboring community attacks.

In other ways did the Sumerians control the water supply?

The Sumerians controlled the water supply by constructing dams, canals and levees.

Why did the Sumerians no longer work independently?

The Sumerians no longer worked independently because they had to work together for common good.

Why did Sumerians go from small villages to large, walled cities?

The Sumerians went from small villages to large, walled cities because there were attacks from neighboring cities and the walls prevented any harmful attacks.

What are the two rivers by Mesopotamia?

The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers.

Where did the ancient Sumerians live?

The ancient Sumerians lived in the Sumer.

What could possibly happen if the irrigation systems weren't cleaned?

The canals would get clogged with silt.

What was the solution to the food shortage in the hills?

The farmers moved to the river area so they can raise crops better.

Why did the irrigation systems need to be cleaned regularly?

The irrigation systems needed to be cleaned regularly because the canals were becoming overflowed with slit.

What was the problem caused by an uncontrolled water supply?

The problem caused by the uncontrolled water supply was because the farmer fields were flooded or too dry.

What was the problem that occurred in 500 BCE?

The problem that occurred in 500 BCE was the space was too little for the farmers to farm.

Why did the villages start to suffer from food shortages?

The villages started to suffer from food shortages because there were a lot of people coming into the village and enough of good soil to farm and make more food.

How did the weather affect the rivers in spring?

The weather affected the rivers in the spring because there was snow or rain that flooded the rivers.

What's another key problem that was faced by Mesopotamia?

There was an uncontrolled water supply on the plains.

How did the physical geography of Sumer leave its cities unprotected?

There we no mountains or rivers for the Sumerians to hide in.

What's one key problem that was faced by Mesopotamia?

There were food shortages in the hills.

Explain two reasons in which farmers in Sumer controlled the water supply.

Two ways the farmers in Sumer controlled the water supply was by making irrigation systems and building earth walls called levees.

What is a city state?

An early city that was like a small, independent country with its own laws and government.