1. Chapter 2
The Fertile Crescent

2. Section 4 Mediterranean Civilizations

3. Lets get to know the Phoenicians
East coast of Mediterranean Sea
Limited resources
Snails – purple dye
Cedar forest
Increased trade
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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Elements