Chapter 2 The Fertile Crescent

Section 4 Mediterranean Civilizations

Lets get to know the Phoenicians East coast of Mediterranean Sea Limited resources Snails – purple dye Cedar forest Increased trade 1100-800 B.C. – great sea power In Mediterranean Sea & Atlantic Ocean Returned with stories of sea monsters Kept people out of waters Brought goods to Tyre & Sidon – 2 major cities Bazaars filled with different foods Example: Figs - Giraffes Olives - Warthogs Honey - Bears Spices Very Expensive

New Alphabet Used for trade Created alphabet – 22 symbols Set of symbols that represents the sounds of the language Basis of alphabet used today Each letter stood for one consonant sound Easier than cuneiform Before only educated understood Now – everyone could understand it Alphabet helped with trade who spoke different languages Trade spread the alphabet

Hello Israelites Lived around Jordan River Valley – called Hebrews No great civilization Influenced our civilization Their history is known from the Torah – Israelites most sacred texts Abraham was their leader

Abraham Israelites began as shepherds in Mesopotamia According to the Torah – Abraham taught monotheism – belief in one God Mono = one He lead them from Mesopotamia to Canaan Famine spread there A time when there is so little food that many people starve Fled south to Egypt Lived in Egypt for hundreds of years Thrown into slavery – fearful of their power

Abraham Israelite leader – Moses led them out of Egypt This was called Exodus – wondered desert through Sinai Peninsula for the next 40 years While in the desert Moses given Ten Commandments God’s code of laws Eventually returned to Canaan They united under their 1st king – Saul – defended against enemies Next king – David established capital in Jerusalem Solomon (David’s son) Built temple in Jerusalem Split in 2 after his death North – Israel South – Judah Assyria conquered Israelites and gained Judah

Here comes an Exile 722 B.C. – Assyrians exiled – thousands to different parts of the empire Forced people to live in another place or country Assyrians controlled Judah – 612 B.C. Conquered by Chaldeans Then Chaldean Babylonians 587 – King of Judah rebelled King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed capital city of Jerusalem – exiled people to Babylonia

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