I know about the city of Babylon and why it was important to Mesopotamia. Babylon was the center of the Babylonian empire. Its location made it a crossroads of trade making it a very rich city.

I know about the Phoenicians, their accomplishments, and contributions. The Phoenicians were masters of trade, selling dyes and dense cedar wood. They used the Mediterranean Sea to spread their trade. The Phoenicians developed a simple alphabet with just 22 symbols making it easy to learn.

I know the location of Mesopotamia and why civilization began there. Mesopotamia was located in an area called the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The rivers created very rich farmland. People in the Middle East tended to settle in river valleys or near an oasis. They developed a system of writing called cuneiform which is a combination of symbols to make groups of wedges and lines.

I know about the development of writing systems in Southwest Asia, and which writing system helped more people learn to read and write. The Mesopotamians developed a system of writing called cuneiform which is a combination of symbols to make groups of wedges and lines. This developed over time and was usable in many languages.

I can explain the contributions of Hammurabi. Hammurabi organized a list of laws that were known as Hammurabi’s code. This was the first time that laws were written down. The code told the people of Babylonia how to settle conflicts in all areas of life.

I know the 5 pillars of Islam. a. Declaration of faith – proclaiming belief in one God and Muhammed is his messenger b. Prayer – reciting prayers five times a day c. Almsgiving – giving charity d. Fasting – not eating or drinking during the day during Ramadan e. Pilgrimage – making the hajj to Mecca once in a lifetime

I know the sacred sites for Islam, Christianity, Judaism. Islam – Mecca – holy city, destination of the hajj The Dome of the Rock – spot where the Islamic prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven Christianity – Jordan River – where Jesus was baptized Judaism – Western Wall – remaining wall of the second temple of Jerusalem, destroyed by Romans All three religions view Jerusalem as a sacred city.

I know religious holidays for Islam, Christianity, Judaism Islam – Ramadann – a month of fasting, Muslims purifying their soul through prayer and self sacrifice Christianity – Christmas – Celebrating the birth of Christ Easter – Christ rising from the dead. Judaism – Passover – celebrates Moses leading the slaves out of Egypt Yom Kippur – fasting and atonement (asking for forgiveness of their sins)

I know dietary and cultural restrictions for Islam, Christianity, Judaism Islam – in a conservative Islamic culture, drinking alcohol, eating pork, and woman being in public without a veil is forbidden Christianity – no eating meat during lent Judaism – only eating kosher foods (see 11)

I know the origin, founder, and basic beliefs of all three monotheistic religions Islam and Christianity adopted many of the ideas of Judaism, including the Israelites belief in one God. Christianity began with the death of Jesus Christ Islam began with the prophet Muhammed wrote the Quran Judaism began when Abraham led the Israelites to believe in one God.

I know what the following terms mean: Shariah, Pilgrimage, Hajj, Communion, Kosher, Baptism, Synagogue, Mosque, Jihad, and Script. Shariah – name for Islamic law Pilgrimage – a religious journey Hajj – pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca Communion - the bread represents the body of Jesus and the wine represents his blood Kosher – foods that conform to the rules of Jewish dietary laws Baptism – represents the accepting of God in the Christian religion Synagogue – a Jewish place of worship Mosque – a Islamic place of worship Jihad – “struggle” striving in the way of Allah (Muslim) Script – ancient writing

I can identify farming methods and successful crops in Southwest Asia Farmers must use all available land, including the mountains for their crops. Irrigation comes from underground wells or rivers. Rotating crops keeps the land fertile Dates are an important crop because they grow well in the desert.

I can explain the positive and negative effects of the use of irrigation systems in Southwest and Central Asia. Aggressive irrigation has allowed farmers to grow crops in many desert areas. Too much irrigation has dried up wells that will take thousands of years to refill and has lowered river levels to the point that they no longer flow to the sea.

I can describe the physical geography of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in an area called the Fertile Crescent. It is East of the Mediterranean sea and Northwest of the Persian Gulf. It has large areas of flat, fertile land.

I can identify the source of current tensions between Arab and Jews. After WWII Jewish people were allocated Palestine as their homeland. Palestinians living there and other Arabs were not accepting of this. Violence and struggle continues there today as both sides claim the area as their home land and their holy land.

I can explain how trade has impacted the spread of culture in Southwest and Central Asia. The Middle East’s location has made it a center of trade. The Phoenicians spread civilization throughout the Mediterranean by using ships to trade goods with other people. The Silk Road spread culture between the people of Central Asia and the people of East and Southwest Asia and Europe.

I can explain why Southwest Asia is often called the Middle East. It is the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe.

I can identify the impact of Middle East oil on the region’s relationship with countries in the Middle East and the relationship with the rest of the world. Many countries, including the United States, strive to keep a good relationship with oil producing countries to have access to their oil. Oil producing countries can impact world economy through their oil prices giving them much influence in world events.

I can explain the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its goals for the Palestinian people. The PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), under Yasser Arafat, had the goal of creating an independent Palestinian state.

I can identify the current top oil consuming countries. United States, China, and Japan

I know the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources. A renewable resource is one that can be replaced. Tree’s can be re-grown making them renewable. Non-renewable cannot be replaced. Oil took millions of years to form making it non-renewable.

I can explain the effects of petroleum production and export on a country’s standard of living. Countries with oil have a higher standard of living than those countries without oil reserves.

I know the meaning of OPEC and its global impact. OPEC stands for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Being a member of OPEC gives a country economic influence over the price of petroleum an political influence over countries which are oil dependent.

Double Booyah! Throw Again!