What does Mesopotamia literally translate to?
the land between the rivers
Who held the highest position in the Sumerian social pyramid?
king
Name one type of person in each social class of ancient Sumer.
Upper class (king/queen, priests, landowners, government officials), Common class (scribes, merchants, craftsworkers, fishermen, farmers) Lower Class- slaves
Name one example of Sumerian arts.
arch, lyre, ziggurat, sculpture/statues, bronze/cooper statues
a contribution made by and passed from one culture to another
legacy
Name one example of Sumerian technology.
wheel, plow, cuneiform, chariot
What made the Israelites different from all other ancient peoples at the time?
They believed in one god (they were monotheistic).
The religion of the Jewish people developed from the ancient Israelites
Judaism
Why did the Israelites have to leave Canaan and flee to Egypt?
a famine
Who is the founder of Judaism?
Abraham
the way people in a society or civilization is organized
social structure
Why did Mesopotamians have to build irrigation systems?
control the flooding of the rivers
Name one use of cuneiform in ancient Sumer.
keep records of trade, keep records of taxes, record laws
Name one job of a Sumerian king.
build temples, lead the army, make and enforce the laws
Who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt?
Moses
the exchange of goods and services without the use of money
barter
Why did people first settle in the Fertile Crescent?
rich, fertile soil from the rivers
Name all the characteristics of civilization.
technology, writing, government, religion, arts, stable food supply, social structure
What was the name of a Sumerian temple?
ziggurat
the type of writing developed by the Sumerians made up of wedges and lines
cuneiform
Name one thing that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have in common.
They are all monotheistic, they all worship the same god, they honor some of the same prophets (Abraham, Moses), they teach the same basic values for behavior