What do ancient stories tell us about the civilisation of Mesopotamia?
Ancient stories tell us a lot about the civilisation of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was situated between the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers (now part of the Republic of Iraq) Mesopotamian civilisation was rich in wealth, city life, literature, mathematics and astronomy. One by one, three civilisation flourished there.
These included Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian civilisation. Its society was divided into three classes, i.e.
1. The upper class
2. The middle class and
3. The lower class
People belonging to upper classes led a life full of comforts and luxury and enjoyed special privileges. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. Their life was normally prosperous. Religion was an important part of their life and people worshiped many gods and goddesses. Shamas was their main God. It was the Sun. Ziggurat was the name given to Sume ian temples. Another description from the Bible: According to the Bible, the flood was meant to destroy all forms of life on the earth. However, God chose a man, Noah, to ensure that life could continue after devastating flood on the earth. Noah, built a huge boat, an ark. He took a pair each of all known species of animals and birds on the board, the arks which survived the flood. When other things were destroyed by the flood, his boat remained safe along with all the species. Thus began a new life on the earth. There was a similar striking story in Mesopotamian tradition, where the principal character was called Ziusudra or Utnapisthim.
Why would the early temple have been much like a house?
Why do we say that it was not natural fertility and high levels of food production that were the causes of early urbanisation?
Which of the following were necessary conditions and which the causes, of early urbanisation, and which would you say were the outcome of the growth of cities:
(a) highly productive agriculture,
(b) water transport,
(c) the lack of metal and stone,
(d) the division of labour,
(e) the use of seals,
(f) the military power of kings that made labour compulsory?
Of the new institutions that came into being once city life had begun, which would have depended on the initiative of the king?
Why were mobile animal herders not necessarily a threat to town life?
Look at the diagram showing the positive feedback mechanism on page 13. Can you list the inputs that went into tool making? What were the processes that were strengthened by tool making?
What were the features of the lives of the Bedouins in the early seventh century?
Why was trade so significant to the Mongols?
Describe two features of early feudal society in France.
Which elements of Greek and Roman culture were revived in the 14th and 15th centuries ?
Compare the civilization of the Aztecs with that of the Mesopotamians.
How did Britain’s involvement in wars from 1793 to 1815 affect British industries?
Comment on any points of difference between the native peoples of South and North America.
What were the major developments before the Meiji restoration that made it possible for Japan to modernise rapidly?
Humans and mammals such as monkeys and apes have certain similarities in behaviour and anatomy. This indicates that humans possibly evolved from apes. List these resemblances in two columns under the headings of (a) behaviour and (b) anatomy. Are there any differences that you think are noteworthy?
Describe two features of early feudal society in France.
Why were Italian towns the first to experience the ideas of humanism?
Compare the civilization of the Aztecs with that of the Mesopotamians.
Write a careful account of how the world appeared different to seventeenth century Europeans.
Describe a journey from Samarqand to Damascus, referring to the cities on the route.
Compare the conditions of life for a French serf and a Roman slave.
Why did knights become a distinct group and when did they decline?
Other than the use of English, what other features of English economic and social life do you notice in 19th century USA?
What were the effects of the Crusades on Europe and Asia?
What were the features of humanist thought?