Geography
What two rivers flowed through Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
What is a civilization?
A complex society with organized communities, government, jobs, and culture
Who were the Sumerians?
An ancient people who developed one of the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia.
Who was Hammurabi ?
A king of Babylon in ancient Mesopotamia
Who were the Israelites?
An ancient people whose history and traditions are central to the history of Ancient Israel.
What does the word Mesopotamia mean?
Land between the rivers.
What was a ziggurat?
A large, stepped temple built in ancient Mesopotamian cities.
What was the Sumerian writing system called?
Cuneiform
What was Hammurabi's Code?
A written collection of laws?
According to biblical tradition, who led the Israelites out of Egypt?
Moses
What was the Fertile Crescent?
A crescent-shaped region of fertile land in the Middle East where early civilizations developed.
What is irrigation?
A system for bringing water to crops.
What material did scribes use to write?
Clay Tablets
Why did Hammurabi create a written code of laws?
To establish rules and consequences for people in his kingdom.
What was the Promised Land?
The land God promised to Abraham and his descendants, according to biblical tradition.
Why did people settle near rivers?
Rivers provided water, fertile soil, food, and transportation.
What was a city-state?
A city and the surrounding land governed as an independent political unit.
What was a scribe?
A person trained to read and write
How did laws help govern ancient Babylon?
Laws established rules and punishments to help maintain order in society.
Who was Abraham?
A patriarch regarded as an ancestor of the Israelites.
How did fertile soil help early civilizations grow?
It helped people grow crops and produce enough food to support growing communities.
How did a surplus of food change Mesopotamian society?
It allowed people to take on other jobs, such as trading, building, and making goods.
Why was the development of writing important ?
Writing helped people keep records, communicate information, and preserve laws and stories.
How did Hammurabi's Code reflect social differences in Babylon?
Punishments could differ depending on a person's social class.
Why was the journey to the Promised Land important to the Israelites?
It was important to their faith, identity, and connection to the Promised Land.