Process
Watch this video to explore some images of Mesopotamia.
Using the maps, answer the questions below on your worksheet.
1. Where was Mesopotamia?
2. What present day country includes the area that was Mesopotamia?
3. What two rivers surrounded Mesopotamia?
4. Why do you think this was a good area for people to live?
4. Why do you think this was a good area for people to live?
5. What were city-states? (Remember what we learned in class.)
6. What were some major city-states during this time?
6. What were some major city-states during this time?
Read the story of Gilgamesh and the Cedar Forest
7. Who was Gilgamesh?
8. Why did Gilgamesh want to go on an adventure with Enkidu?
9. What did they accomplish on their adventure? (Summarize in your own words).
8. Why did Gilgamesh want to go on an adventure with Enkidu?
9. What did they accomplish on their adventure? (Summarize in your own words).
Read about Hammurabi here
Read the information from the link above and answer the following questions.
10. Who was Hammurabi?
11. Where were the laws found, and by whom?
12. Read about Hammurabi's Code here. List the three laws that you found the most surprising.
10. Who was Hammurabi?
11. Where were the laws found, and by whom?
12. Read about Hammurabi's Code here. List the three laws that you found the most surprising.
13. What was the Standard of Ur?
14. Examine Ur's location on the map. Why do you think it became such an important city-state?
Read about Ziggurats here.
15. Why were Ziggurats built (explain the people's beliefs)?
16. Where in the community were Ziggurats built?
Explore how Ziggurats were built over time here.
17. Where was one of the oldest Ziggurats built?
15. Why were Ziggurats built (explain the people's beliefs)?
16. Where in the community were Ziggurats built?
Explore how Ziggurats were built over time here.
17. Where was one of the oldest Ziggurats built?
Discovery and Excavation of Mesopotamia
Explore the story of the excavation and discovery of Mesopotamia here and answer the following questions.
18. Who was Claudius James Rich and what did he do?
19. Who was Paul-Emile Botta and what did he uncover?
20. Where did Austen Henry Layard work and what did he find there?
21. What is Henry Rawlinson's nickname and why do you think he has that nickname?
22. What did Hormuzd Rassam discover?
23. What happened to many of the excavation sites when dams were built across the Tigris and Euphrates rivers?
18. Who was Claudius James Rich and what did he do?
19. Who was Paul-Emile Botta and what did he uncover?
20. Where did Austen Henry Layard work and what did he find there?
21. What is Henry Rawlinson's nickname and why do you think he has that nickname?
22. What did Hormuzd Rassam discover?
23. What happened to many of the excavation sites when dams were built across the Tigris and Euphrates rivers?