Download Chap 2.2 Completed Cornell notes

CHAPTER 2.2: LAND BETWEEN 2 RIVERS
WHAT IS A SCRIBE?
Professional writer of Cuneiform
Why were scribes important?
Kept written records for kings and
priests
What ages did scribes study for?
Started age 8 and studied for 10
years
Mesopotamia
The Land Between Two Rivers
What two rivers does Mespotamia lie
BETWEEN?
1. Tigris
Fertile Crescent
 Region in Southwest Asia
 where first civilization began
 half-moon shaped area of land
between Mediterranean Sea
and Persian Gulf
The Tigris & Euphrates Rivers were a
source of life. EXPLAIN.
Tigris & Euphrates brought sorrows
as well EXPLAIN.
2. Euphrates
Provided water for:
 Transportation
 Fertile soil
 Clay to build houses
 Reeds for boats
 fish
 Destroyed houses & villages
 Destroyed crops
 Killed people & animals
What is a city-state?
City that is a separate and
independent state
City-States have?
Each one has:
 government / king
 economy
 language
 god/goddess
 ziggurat
 scribe
 army
Ziggurat
“Stairway to Heaven”
 Pyramid made of terraces
 Mad to honor gods/goddesses
 Stairs so gods could descent to
Earth
 Center of each city-state
What is polytheism?
Belief in more than one god
What is monotheism?
Belief in 1 god
What is a myth?
Story about a god/goddess
Why did Sumerian city-states fight
each other?
To gain control of:
Land & wealth
In 2,300 B.C. who conquered Sumer?
Who was the ruler?
 The Akkadians
 King Sargon
 Had control for about 100
years
What did King Sargon do?
 United the Sumerian citystates
 Improved Sumer’s
government
 Improved army