UNIT 1 VOCABULARYSSWH1

Agricultural Revolution

The slow process by which humans learned to grow crops and domesticate animals for food.

Allowed several changes: Humans could settle in one place Not everyone had to gather food, so

some could be employed in other ways = “specialization of labor”

Polytheism

Belief in many different gods “poly” = many “theos” = gods

Sumeria and Babylonia were both polytheistic societies

Monotheism

Belief in one god “mono” = one “theos” = god

Zoroastrianism and Judaism were both monotheistic

Mesopotamia

The region that was the home of the early civilizations of Sumeria and Babylon

The word “Mesopotamia” from words meaning “between the rivers” Tigris River and Euphrates River

Area known as the “Fertile Crescent”

Sumeria

The first empire of Mesopotamia 3500 BCE – 2000 BCE

Many different City-States led by priests and/or kings. Ziggurat = religious and government

building Sumerian Script = early written

language

Babylon

The empire that came after the Sumerians in Mesopotamia

Most important emperor = Hammurabi

Code of Hammurabi A code of written laws that applied to all

Babylonians. Rich and poor could be punished

differently

City-State

A city that is also an independent state/nation.

Has its own government (usually a king)

Pharaoh

The title given to the kings of ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians believed that the Pharaohs were gods.

Pharaohs were mummified in preparation for their burial and afterlife. Most famous tombs = pyramids

Theocracy

A government that is led by a representative of god or gods. Priests God-kings

Zoroastrianism

Early monotheistic religion based on the worship of the god Ahura Mazda

Prophet = Zoroaster

Belief in the world as a struggle between good and evil

Judaism

Early monotheistic religion

Followers know as the Hebrews

“Founder” = Abraham

Laws contained in the books of Moses

Ancient Written Languages

Sumerian = Cuneiform Usually written on clay tablets

Egyptian = Hieroglyphics Written on either clay or papyrus

Papyrus = paper made from reeds

Impact of Phoenicians

The Phoenicians were people who focused mainly on trade Excellent ship-builders and sailors

Their main contribution to the ancient word was their language. Alphabet of letters that stood for sounds United other ancient languages together