Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent: Sea PeoplesSocial Studies for 10th E.G.B. | Teacher: Mauricio TorresChapter 3, Section 1 (page 72 in your books)

The Phoenicians

At the western end of the Fertile Crescent, along the Mediterranean Sea, was a land known as Phoenicia. They were not powerful, but they were a trade-based society.

Geography

Today, it lies on modern day Lebanon.

Mountains to the north and east, ocean to the west.

They had few resources, and their trading routes were limited due to hostile neighbors.

They were forced to trade through the sea.

Trade

To able to trade, they had to learn and master seamanship (being sailors).

They built the harbor Tyre, which is still used today!

Phoenicians traded all around the Mediterranean: Egypt, Greece, Italy, Sicily and Spain.

They also founded other colonies along the coast, like Carthage.

Trade

Phoenicia grew wealthy from trade.

They traded: lumber, silverwork, ivory and slaves.

Innovations

The Phoenicians developed: Glass blowing: the art of heating and shaping

glass. Purple dye: an ink made from a type of

shellfish.

But their most important development was the alphabet! The one we still use today is based on the one invented by the Phoenician’s Alphabet: a set of letters that can be combined

to form words.

Ask Yourself

Recall: What were the three most important innovations of

the Phoenicians?

Identify: What was the reason why they relied so much on

trade?

Draw Conclusions: Why were the Phoenicians such good sailors? Why were their colonies only along the

Mediterranean coastline?

Write in… Phoenician!

Use the second column from the left as a guide to write your own name in ancient Phoenician.

Practice in class and when you go home, improve the art and bring it back next class so it can be posted in your classroom!

Excercise

Look for the meaning of the words written in italic or with a different color in order to understand the unit better.

This might be helpful in a test!

Bibliography

Burstein, S. M., & Shek, R. (2012). World History (Teacher´s Edition) (1st Edition ed.). (H. McDougal, Ed.) Orlando, Florida, US.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Ellis, E. G., & Esler, A. (2009). World History. (P. Hall, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, US: Pearson Education INC.

Images taken from www.google.com