Sumer
What is the name of the writing system created by the Sumerians?
Cuneiform
Hammurabi, Hammurabi's Code
Who was king of the Akkadians? How did he create the world's first empire?
Sargon; he conquered Mesopotamian city-states
What are the Phoenicians known for?
Their skilled sailing
What is the difference between polytheism and monotheism? Which one is Judaism?
Polytheism is the belief in more than god, monotheism is the belief in only one god. Judaism is monotheism
Name as many Sumerian achievements as you can think of. The team with the most achievements will earn the points.
Cuneiform, Irrigation, seed plow, wheel, sail, division of time, bronze
Why did people fear the Assyrians?
Brutal war tactics such as burning down villages, braking down walls, and killing many people. They were the first to have iron weapons and tools, and the first to use cavalry (military on horseback)
What caused the Akkadian empire to fall?
Sargon died and many invasions and rebellions followed
How is the Phoenician alphabet different than cuneiform?
Phoenician alphabet is based on sounds for each symbol, cuneiform symbols represent syllables or whole words
Who are the 3 patriarchs of Judaism?
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Draw a picture to show the three different social classes in Mesopotamia and who belongs in each class.
DAILY DOUBLE
Top tier: Priests and Kings
Middle tier: farmers, merchants, artisans
Bottom tier: Slaves
What is one of Hammurabi's codes?
"an eye for an eye," paying money for stealing animals (different amounts depending on the owner's social status), If you accuse someone else of a crime without proof you are put to death, if you hit someone on accident you have to pay their medical bills
What evidence supports the idea that the Persian empire was one of the greatest?
They ruled a large area of land for over 1,000 years with different rulers
How were Phoenicians able to navigate the sea? What advantages did this give them?
They learned wind and current patterns. This helped them travel and trade farther than other civilizations, and it helped them defend themselves against enemies.
Name 3 key teachings of Judaism and what they mean.
Ethical monotheism: only believe in one god
Observance of law: laws in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud guide how Jews live and treat others
Love for Others: Love and help others, fight discrimination
Righteousness and Justice: acting in a way that is ethical and obeys God's laws, each individual was created in God's eyes and is responsible for following the law
Women in Judaism: Women could choose who they marry, take cases to court, buy and sell property
Others: observing Sabbath, importance of studying and prayer
Why is Mesopotamia called the "Cradle of Civilization"?
It was where the first civilizations emerged, they invented many important innovations
What was the Assyrian government like?
The Assyrians divided their empire into 70 provinces with a governor at the head of each one. The governor reports back to the Assyrian king.
What are two helpful advancements the Persians created and built? Why were they helpful?
DAILY DOUBLE
The Royal Road helped Persians travel, communicate, and trade
A common currency helped Persians trade easier
Where were most of the Phoenician colonies located? Use the map on page 67 to help you.
On the northern coast of Africa
Name 3 of the Ten Commandments
1. I the Lord am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage
2. You shall have no other gods besides ME. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.
3. You shall not swear falsely by the name of the Lord your God.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy
5. Honor your father and mother
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, nor his wife, nor anything that is your neighbor's
How does settling near a river valley cause a civilization to develop?
Settling near a river provides fertile soil and a way to water crops. Once they create a surplus of food, people can start to specialize in their jobs. After people specialize, they are able to start building a city and a community.
Based on Hammurabi's law code, what conclusion can you draw about Babylonian society and why?
It had strict laws that were often punishable with death or other harsh punishments, they had strict social classes that help determine punishments, they followed the law, Hammurabi was a brutal ruler trying to be fair
How did the Persians keep control of their large empire?
They divided their empire and had a satrap rule each one. The satrap reported back to the king. The king had spies who would check to make sure the satraps were doing their jobs and being loyal.
Why was it important for Phoenicians to trade? What did they export? What did they import?
They had few natural resources of their own, and little land for farming. They imported raw materials like gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, ivory, and precious stones. They exported pine and cedar logs, wine, olive oil, fish, bronze and silver bowls, iron tools and weapons, and gold jewelry
How does Judaism help support social order?
DAILY DOUBLE
Judaism gives people laws to follow and guidelines for how to live life. Jewish people have requirements to help others and behave ethically and morally, which would help create order in a society.