The Fertile Crescent

Name________________ MOD______

The Land Between

Two Rivers

• Scribe – A professional writer• Fertile Crescent –A region in south west Asia: site of the first

civilizations• City State-A city that is also a separate independent

state• Polytheism – A belief in many gods• Myth – A traditional story. In some cultures, a

legend that explains someone’s beliefs

Lesson 1 Questions1. How did Mesopotamia’s geography help civilizations

to develop in the area?

Mesopotamia lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The rivers provide good soil, fish, reeds for making boats and clay for building

2. How did Sumerians practice religion?

Sumerians practiced polytheism. The ziggurat was the main temple in each city. Sumerians honored their gods with ceremonies.

3. What do the religious practices of the Sumerians tell us about their values?

Fertile Crescent Empires

• Empire – Many territories and people controlled by one government

• Babylon –The capitol of Babylonia: a city of great wealth and luxury

• Caravan –A group of travelers journeying together.

• Bazaar A market selling different kinds of goods

• Zoroastrianism –

A religion developed in ancient Persia

Identify

1. Where was the city of Babylon located, and why was it important?

The city of Babylon was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

It was important because it was the first empire in the region and it was a huge source of trade and wealth

2. How did the new Babylon empire build on the achievements of earlier empires?

The new Babylonian empire built on the achievements of earlier empires by advancing themselves in math, science, defense, and government

3. How did the Assyrians build an empire?

The Assyrians were being attacked so they went on the offensive. They took the fight to their neighbors and captured and built an empire

4. How was the Assyrian empire similar to or different from

other fertile crescent empires?

Similar

1_________________

2_________________

3_________________

4________________

Different

1_________________

2_________________

3________________

4_________________

5. Where was the homeland of the Persians?

East of the plains of Mesopotamia is a region of mountains, valleys, and deserts. Today it is modern Iran

6. What has been the main achievements of the Persians and what has been their lasting influence?

The Persians built a government, a network of roads, and a religious belief in one god. They tolerated other cultures and freed the Jews from captivity. Their culture spread as far as Greece

The Legacy of Mesopotamia

• Code –

An organized list of laws and rules

• Hammurabi –

The king of Babylon from about 1792-1750 BC ; Creator of the Babylon empire

• Cuneiform –

Groups of wedges and lines used to write several languages in the fertile crescent

• 1. What was Hammurabi's code and what was its purpose in ancient Babylonia?

Hammurabi’s code was a list of laws intended to keep law and order

Make a sentence

2. What does the expression “eye for an eye” mean in relation to the laws in Hammurabi’s code?

An eye for an eye means that you should expect to be treated the way you treat others

3. Hammurabi’s code was fair in some ways and unfair in other ways. Explain.

If you were of an upper class a monetary fee could pay for your offence. If you were of a lower class you would receive the same punishment as the crime committed

4. What were some of the uses of writing in Sumer?

Some of the uses of writing were to record numbers of animals, taxes, sales, gifts for the gods marriage and death

5. Why was the development of writing an important step in human history?

Writing is important to human history because if it were never written down the events of the past would be lost in time

Mediterranean Civilizations

• Alphabet –

A set of symbols that represent the sound of a language

• Monotheism –

The belief in one god

• Famine –

A time when there is too little food for everyone to eat

• Exile –

To force someone to live in another country

1. How did the Phoenicians become rich and powerful?

The Phoenicians gained their wealth and power through trade. They eventually controlled trade throughout much of the Mediterranean

Identify

Important events in the history of the Israelites were shaped by:

History

•Monotheism

•Famine

•Slavery

•10 commandments

•King Saul

•King David

•King Solomon

War

•Assyria invaded and took Judea

•Chaldeans Babylonians conquered the Assyrians

•King of Judea rebelled

•Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the people to Babylonia

Judaism

• Covenant –

A binding agreement

• Moses –

An Israelite leader that the Torah credits with leading the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan

• Prophet –

A religious teacher who is regarded as someone who speaks for God or for a god

1. What promise did the Israelites believe that God made to Abraham?

The Israelites believed that God would give them a Promised Land

2. What religious laws did the Israelites follow?

The Ten Commandments

3. Why did the Israelites believe that they were God’s chosen people?

The Israelites believed they were God’s chosen people because God had made a covenant with Abraham