Vocabulary 1
A long period with dry weather
drought
a system of writing using wedge-shaped symbols
cuneiform
a professional writer
scribe
belief in many gods
polytheism
prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt in the 1200s BCE
a mixture of tiny bits of soil and rock, deposited by a river
silt
a written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government
code of law
the gradual wearing away of soil and rock by wind, glaciers, or water
erosion
a large pyramid with several stories, often a temple
ziggurat
1700s BCE; founder of Judaism
Abraham
a raised structure built to carry water over long distances
aqueduct
a self-governing city that also governs nearby villages
city-state
a person who speaks for God
prophet
a special agreement between God and the Jewish people
covenant
he united the city-states and created empires
Sargon
the Hebrew bible; "to teach"
Torah
a wall built along a riverbank to prevent flooding
levee
the watering of dry lands through canals and pipes
irrigation
a group of lands and peoples ruled by one government
empire
legendary Mesopotamian king and hero
Gilgamesh
the land promised to Abraham and his wife
Canaan
the scattering of Jews throughout the world
Diaspora
the belief in one God
monotheism
one of the main entrances to the city of Babylon
Ishtar Gate
son of David, responsible for building a great temple in Jerusalem
Solomon