Mesopotamia/Misc.
To what does the name "Mesopotamia" refer?
The land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Why is Sumer important in world history?
It was the world's first civilization!
Who was the Babylonian emperor who exiled the Jews to Babylonia? (Hint: he has a silly name)
Nebuchadnezzar!
How did the way the Persian government handled religion throughout the empire help preserve social and political order?
They treated conquered peoples well, allowing them to often keep their religions and have some control over their government. This led the people to be content under Persian rule, so they did not try to break the empire apart.
How was Judaism different from other religions in the region?
It was monotheistic, meaning they worshipped only one god
Name two characteristics that allowed Mesopotamia to become the "cradle of civilization"
The flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers brought good soil, and farmers developed irrigation to water their crops
What is cuneiform, and what purpose did it serve?
A Sumerian art form made of lines and triangle-shapes used for recording agricultural trade
Who codified, or made official, all of Babylons laws, and did they treat everyone in society as true equals?
Hammurabi, and no, laws were equally applied to members of the same social class, but not across social classed
Cyrus the Great conquered which empire, and then freed which people?
(Bonus stars: What strategy did he use to help him conquer cities?)
He conquered Babylon, and he freed the Jews
He often used a strategy of building trenches to drain rivers so he could better attack them
How did Diaspora change the ways Jews worshipped?
Because they were no longer in the holy land and able to use those temples, synagogues became far more important to worship and led to tight-knit Jewish communities throughout the world
Why did the Assyrian rulers divide their land into 70 provinces and then personally appoint a governor to each?
To maintain better control of the empire, especially distant lands
How did the Tigris and Euphrates rivers help Sumerian civilization develop?
The rivers’ floods created rich farmland that helped create stable food supplies. In turn, this freed up some people to do other work and allowed for a division of labor. People also worked together to protect homes and farms from the floods and to irrigate the farmland.
Name 2 things that the Greeks adopted from the Phoenicians
Their writing system/the alphabet, and their units for weights and measures
(Bonus stars for stating why they would adopt these two items from their trading partners, the Phoenicians)
How was Darius able to maintain control of such a large empire?
He gave local rulers some control over their government, allowed for diversity, and also invested in creating and maintaining good roads throughout the empire
The Diaspora began for Jews when which empire took over all of the Jewish holy land in 587 BCE?
The Babylonian Empire
What military advances did the Assyrians make?
Assyria’s army included some of the world’s first cavalry. They also developed iron weapons and tools. Iron weapons were stronger than the more common bronze weapons.
What metal gave Sumer a military advantage over other neighboring city-states?
Bronze!
What did the Phoenicians import and export?
They exported purple cloth, pottery, glass, metal objects, wood furniture, and other raw materials such as pine and cedar logs, wine, olive oil, and salt. They also exported goods they manufactured such as bronze and silver bowls, iron tools and weapons, and gold jewelry. They imported raw materials such as gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, ivory, and precious stones.
How did Darius improve the Persian Empire’s finances?
Darius improved the finances by setting tribute to be what a conquered territory could actually pay. He also created a common currency and improved roads to encourage trade.
Why do Israelites believe Canaan to be the promise land?
Because God made a covenant with Abraham that Canaan would belong to his descendants
What empire conquered Sumer, only to then be conquered by the Assyrians?
The Akkadians
What allowed Sumerian culture to live on long after the Akkadian and Babylonian empires collapsed?
The Akkadians and Babylonians borrowed heavily from Sumerian culture, and those empires traded heavily with other nations. As they traded, other nations adopted parts of Sumerian culture. As a result, Sumerian culture spread and remained after these empires fell.
Name 2 main reasons Phoenicians avid skills at sailing led to the spread of their civilization.
As they sailed farther and began to trade with more people, they developed an alphabet that was soon adopted by many others (including the Greeks). They also established colonies through the Mediterranean, Europe, and Africa, and so when their native land was invaded, many fled to and eventually settle in those colonies, taking their culture and civilization with them
What was the official religion of the Persian Empire, and what is its main belief?
Zoroastrianism, and it believes that the universe is in a constant struggle for good and evil
Which Jewish text contains commentaries on the teachings of Moses, and why is studying that text an important part of Judaism?
The Talmud
It discusses Moses's teachings and encourages further learning and discussion because learning leads to wisdom and wisdom brings one closer to God. Moreover, it discuss ethics and how to live a holy life, which would also bring one closer to God