Social studies review Flashcards
When was cuneiform created?
3500 BCE
What was invented in Mesopotamia for the first time ever?
Written records
What is a scribe?
A professional writer.
What did cuneiform allow farmers to keep detailed records of?
Their crops.
What did cuneiform allow merchants to keep detailed records of?
Their sales.
Cuneiform allowed ____ to be recorded and posted for everyone to see.
Laws.
Why do we know so much about the Sumerians and their life in Mesopotamia?
Because they kept written records.
What is the oldest known written story?
The Epic of Gilgamesh.
What are the two aspects of culture can The Epic of Gilgamesh give us clues about Sumer?
Religion and government.
Why did Mesopotamian people make a calendar?
To know when floods will occur.
The ancient calendars were _____ , meaning they were based on the cycles of the moon
Lunar.
What was the plow used for?
Breaking soil and planting.
How did the wheel make life easier in Mesopotamia?
The invention of the wheel lead to the invention of carts.
What was the purpose of irrigation?
To get water to the crops and prevent flooding.
