Download File - JB World History

Mesopotamia
World History
vocabulary
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City-states – cities
and the surrounding
countryside that they
controlled
Theocracy –
government and
religion combined
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Facilitate – guide /
help
Polytheistic – many
gods
Monotheistic – one
god
Retaliate – pay back
Nomad – moves from
place to place
Fertile Crescent
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Valley between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
Arc of land from the Mediterranean Sea to
the Persian Gulf
Irrigation from the rivers allowed large
numbers of people to live together in cities
Sumer
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3000 b.c.e.
City-States – Ur and
Uruk
Religion
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Gods and goddesses
Priests and
priestesses
theocracy
Temple - ziggurat
Sumer
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Accomplishments
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invention of the wheel
which facilitated trade
Founders of first
civilization
Excellent record
keepers
Cuneiform writing
Babylon
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1792 b.c.e.
Religious beliefs –
polytheistic
Accomplishments –
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Geometry and algebra
Organized first written
laws
Hammurabi’s Code
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1st Written laws
Harsh – retaliation
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An eye for an eye
Hittites – 1600-1200 b.c.e.
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Used iron to make strong weapons
World’s first peace treaty – with Egypt
polytheistic
Phoenicians
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Traded in the Mediterranean
Improved ships
Created an alphabet with 22 different
signs to represent the 22 sounds (similar
to what we use today)
Introduced purple dye to the royalty
Israelites – 1200-1000 b.c.e
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Monotheistic
Migrated from Mesopotamia to Palestine (Cannan)
Forced to Egypt when drought hit area
Enslaved in Egypt until freed by Moses and returned
to Palestine
King Solomon strengthened Israeli power – made
Jerusalem capital of Israel
Assyrians defeated Israel and scattered the people
Kingdom of Judah were conquered by Babylonians
and taken to Babylon
Assyrians – 700 b.c.e.
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Strong military
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King
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Used iron weapons
Chariots, archers, cavalry
Terrorized people
Used communication system with horses to carry
messages
World first library
Religion - militaristic
Persians – 539 b.c.e.
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Captured Babylon – allowed Jews to
return to Jerusalem
King Darius extended the Persian Empire
into India and Europe