Download Ancient Hebrews

ANCIENT HEBREWS
Jews in Palestine/Israel
SPECIALIZED WORKERS
 Abraham – a shepherd chosen by God to be the “father” or 1st of the
Hebrew people according to the Torah.
 Slaves – forced into slavery in Egypt. Later led out of slavery by Moses.
 Settled herders, farmers and city dwellers.
 Separate roles for men and women in society.
 Religious teachers were called prophets
COMPLEX INSTITUTIONS
 God = Yahweh
 Monotheism was unique to the Hebrews for the time.
 Covenant made between Abraham and God – God protects them as long as they obey him.
 Passover celebrates being freed from slavery.
 Were originally organized into 12 tribes that were self -governing but during times of crisis
would be led by Judges.
 Tribes united under 3 kings – Saul, David and Solomon – formed kingdom of Israel.
ADVANCED CITIES
 Ur – in Mesopotamia is where Abraham was born.
 Abraham moved his people to Canaan.
 Later, they moved to Egypt, then back to Canaan.
 Jerusalem established under King David.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
 Learned iron smelting from neighboring peoples and produced iron tools
and weapons.
 Solomon built temple to hold the Ark of the Covenant, which held the
tablets of Moses’ law.
 Bronze used in building.
RECORD KEEPING
 Torah containing the teachings and history of the Hebrew people.
 Ten Commandments – given to Moses by God – became basis of the civil
and religious laws of Judaism.
 Ideas influenced Christianity and Islam.
 Taxes were used to pay for massive building projects.