Fertile Crescent Facts #1-20 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Before the rise of civilization people were nomadic. What does this mean/
They traveled from place to place hunting and gathering food.
How was the behavior of nomadic people regulated?
Through unwritten customs
How did ancient people progress in their social organization?
Nomadic clans to villages to city-states to empires
The first civilizations developed near these two rivers.
The Tigris and Euphrates
Why did the first civilizations develop in river valleys?
Annual flooding left silt on the surrounding land which enriched the soil.
How did the first farmers cope with challenges posed by rivers?
They learned to control flooding AND use irrigation systems.
What was the name of the area that gave birth to the first civilizations?
Mesopotamia
What do all civilizations need to survive and grow?
Resources
What was the first civilization of the ancient world?
Sumer
What are the five key elements of civilization?
Government
Writing
Organized Religion
Art, Architecture & Public Works
Job Specialization & Social Classes
What does polytheistic mean?
Believed in many gods and goddesses
How did the Hebrews differ from other ancient people?
They were monotheistic, not polytheistic
What was the most important religious duty of ancient citizens?
to keep their gods happy
What were temples in the Fertile Crescent called?
Ziggurats
What stood at the top of each ziggurat?
A shrine to the chief god or goddess of the city
Why did ancient rulers build large palaces and temples?
To make the citizens believe in the power and strength of the rulers and gods
What claim did ancient rulers make to justify their authority?
The will of the gods
What does it mean that rulers in the ancient world were hereditary leaders?
Leadership was passed from father to son
What caused conflicts among the first civilizations of the Fertile Crescent?
They competed to control land and water.
What developed as a result of the need to control the rivers, collect taxes, and build public works projects?
The first centralized government in history
