Directions: Go through this slide show and use the information to fill in the boxes on your notes worksheet.

Ancient Civilizations of the Fertile Crescent

Fertile Crescent – The half-circle shaped area of fertile land in the Middle East that includes Mesopotamia to the Nile River Valley.

Ancient Civilizations of the Fertile Crescent: Mesopotamia Egypt & Nubia Phoenicia Hebrews

Good news! We already learned about Egypt & Nubia (During the stations activity) AND We already learned about Mesopotamia (The Sumer video, and Hammurabi’s Code scavenger hunt) Now, let’s learn about the Phoenicians and the Hebrews!

The Phoenicians

Phoenicians: Location The Phoenicians lived on a piece of land along the Western bank of the Mediterranean Sea. They did not have good farmland, but they did have access to the sea. They became great traders, sailing around the Mediterranean to trade for food and goods.

Phoenician Trade Routes Phoenicia

Phoenicians: Trade Tyrian purple (also known as royal purple) is a purple-red dye. The dye is extracted from sea snails. The ancient Phoenicians were the first to produce and trade the dye. This dye was greatly prized in ancient times because it did not fade. It became brighter and more intense with weathering and sunlight! Mostly royalty wore the beautiful dye. It was very expensive!

Phoenicians: Accomplishments The Phoenicians did not govern a large territory, instead they set up small city- states around the Mediterranean as bases for their trade routes. The Phoenicians became great explorers, spreading various culture all around Europe and North Africa.

Phoenicians: Contributions to the world In order to keep records on all that they traded around the Mediterranean Sea, the Phoenicians developed the world’s first alphabet. In the Phoenician writing system (unlike the Cuneiform of Sumer), letters represented sounds instead of whole words. The alphabet we use is based on the Phoenician alphabet!

You are now done with Phoenicia notes. Turn your attention to the “Hebrew” chart. Be careful! The chart looks a little different.

The Hebrews

Hebrews: Location In the southern part of the Fertile Crescent lies a land called Canaan, where many groups lived. One group was the Hebrews

Hebrews: Religion Abraham was a Hebrew man living in ancient Canaan –He founded a new religion called Judaism after making a covenant with God Covenant = a pact or agreement

Hebrews: Religion Judaism is the first monotheistic religion Monotheism = the worship of only one god

Hebrews: Location Famine and drought forced the Hebrews to migrate to Egypt in search of better land for agriculture In Egypt, the Hebrews were enslaved by the Egyptians

Hebrews: Location In Egypt, a man named Moses led the Hebrews out of slavery The Hebrews eventually settled back in Canaan and established a holy city called Jerusalem

Find Jerusalem:

Hebrews: Religion The Hebrews have a special book called the Torah. The Torah is a written record of the beliefs of the Jews Jews = people who practice Judaism

Hebrews: Laws The Ten Commandments –A set of rules on moral and religious conduct –According to the Torah, Moses received the commandments from their one God King David eventually established a kingdom in Canaan called Israel

Hebrews: Laws The Ten Commandments 1) “I am the Lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” 2) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 4) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 5) Honor thy father and thy mother. 6) Thou shalt not murder. 7) Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8) Thou shalt not steal. 9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against they neighbor. 10) Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.

Hebrews: Exile In 597 B.C.E., King Nebuchadnezzar ruled over the Chaldeans –The Chaldeans conquered Jerusalem and forced the Hebrews to leave! This period is called the Exile Chaldeans = another group of people living in Mesopotamia

Hebrews: Diaspora The Jewish Exile from Israel led to a Diaspora Diaspora = the spread of Jewish people all over the world