Fertile Crescent Vocabulary Review and Study Guide Civilization

Fertile Crescent Vocabulary Review and Study Guide

Civilization Definition: GREATS – government, religion, economics, agriculture/artisans (division of labor), technology, social classes Connect: Mesopotamia in the Fertile Crescent was the first civilization.

irrigation Definition: supplying land with water through a network of canals (ditches) Connect: Fertile Crescent farmers used irrigation to water crops.

scribe Definition: professional writer Connect: Fertile Crescent scribes used cuneiform to record history, business, laws, stories, etc.

Cuneiform /kyo oˈnēəˌfôrm/ Definition: wedge-shaped writing of the Mesopotamians that originally began as pictographs Connect: Fertile Crescent scribes used cuneiform to record history, business, laws, stories, etc.

City-state Definition: area with its own traditions, laws, and government Connect: Fertile Crescent was divided into city-states.

polytheism Definition: belief in many gods Connect: Sumerians believed in many gods/goddesses.

monotheism Definition: Belief in one God Connect: Abraham taught the people of the Fertile Crescent about one God.

famine Definition: period of time with little food (starvation) Connect: Some Fertile Crescent people (Israelites) traveled to Egypt during the famine.

Producer Definition: someone who makes a product or provides a service Connect: The ancient Mesopotamians produced chariots using the wheel.

Consumer Definition: someone who uses a product or services Connect: Mesopotamians ate a lot of the grain they grew.

Primary Source Definition: original artifacts, writings, buildings, etc. that were from/created at an event or time period Connect: Hammurabi’s Code written in cuneiform is an example.

Secondary Source Definition: replicas or retellings of artifacts, writings, buildings from an event or time period; things created LATER than that time in history Connect: The Our World textbook is an example of information as a secondary source.

Science/Technology Accomplishments • • • • • Levees to control flooding (wall to block water) Irrigation/Canals to control flooding (ditches to bring water to crops) dividing the sky into 12 parts; zodiac calendar (12 -month) – predicting the flooding of rivers multiplication table wheel Chariot, battering ram System of writing (cuneiform) water clock architecture – ziggurats, arch, etc. potter’s wheel Glass math – base 10, base 60, place value, number zero 60 -minute hour Baked-brick ovens Stringed musical instruments (probably!) Trousers Plow; Using animals to pull the plow First chemists

Hammurabi’s Code What was Hammurabi’s Code? • code of laws Why was it important? • united city-states with common laws • first to be written down and posted (hung up)

Trade Barriers Why did some city-states have trouble trading with each other sometimes? • City-states were often in war with each other • Some city-states were too far apart • Some city-states were separated by water or desert

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Give three reasons to support the opinion: The Tigris and Euphrates rivers were important to the Fertile Crescent. – water for crops – flooding brought nutrients to soil – Trade/transportation

Religion Judaism Islam Who Started: Abraham Muhammad Important Book: Torah Qur’an (Koran) Place of worship: synagogue mosque Monotheis m or Polytheism monotheism

CHRISTIANITY FOUNDER - Jesus IMPORTANT BOOK - Bible PLACE OF WORSHIP – church or anywhere MONOTHESISM – only one God

MAP Map: Be able to label • 1. Tigris River • 2. Euphrates River • 3. Mediterranean Sea • 4. Mesopotamia • 5. Fertile Crescent

Shade Fertile Crescent

Tigris River Euphrates River Mediterranean Sea Mesopotamia

REVIEW What geographical feature did most civilizations develop by? RIVERS!

Surplus Why is a surplus of food necessary to develop a civilization? qsurplus of food allows time for people to specialize qspecializing produces more advanced technology and trade