Chapter 5, Lesson 2: Sumer and Babylon

1. Cuneiform – Cuneiform is the Sumerian system of writing. It was
made up of about 500 symbols, unlike hieroglyphics which is made of
pictures. The word itself means “wedge-shaped.” Cuneiform is written
using the stylus in wet clay, which left a triangular (or wedge)
shape. The clay tablets then were dried to make permanent records.

2. Gilgamesh – Gilgamesh was the hero of the first written epic story.
He was the Sumerian “Hercules.”

3. Oannes – Oannes was “the First Sumerian.” According to the legend,
he swam up out of the Persian Gulf, bring the gifts of civilization to
the people.

4. City-states – A city-state is a self-governing city and the lands
surrounding it. It was the Sumerian form of government and was run by
a lugal, or king. The major states were Ur, Uruk, Eridu, Nippur, and Kish.

5. Ziggurats – A ziggurat is a large brick building and was used as a
Sumerian temple. It was usually the largest building in the city and
it slightly resembled a step pyramid. The ziggurat in Ur was dedicated
to Enlil, the god of storms.

6. Polytheism – Polytheism is a belief in many gods and goddesses. The
main gods of Sumer were Marduk, the chief god; Shamash, god of justice
and the sun; Ishtar, goddess of love; Enki, god of water; and Enlil,
god of storms.

7. Sargon – Sargon was the King of Kish who unified the city-states
into the first Sumerian empire. He ruled from the Persian Gulf to the
Mediterranean.

8. Phoenicia – Phoenicia was a seafaring country on the Mediterranean.
They helped to spread the written language of the Sumerians.

9. The Code of Hammurabi – The Code was the first written set of laws
that applied to everyone, including the king. It was written by the
Babylonian leader, Hammurabi. Under it, justice was simple: “an eye
for an eye.” There were 232 laws, arranged under the categories of
trade, family, work, and property.

10. Nebuchadnezzar II – Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon grew famous
for its beauty and technology. He built the Hanging Gardens for his
Persian wife, Amytis. 

Chapter 5, Lesson 3: The Beginnings of Judaism

1. Judaism – Judaism is the religion of the ancient Hebrews. The
Hebrew Bible (also called The Old Testament) is the record of their
history and their religion.

2. Abraham – Abraham was the first great leader of the Hebrew people.
He had been a shepherd in the Sumerian city-state of Ur when he was
called to lead his people to Canaan.

3. Canaan – Canaan was an area on the western end of the Fertile
Crescent. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River,
it was the “Promised Land” of the Hebrews.

4. Covenant - Judaism started with a covenant, or special agreement,
between Jehovah and Abraham. It is considered by Hebrews to be the
beginning of their history.

5. Moses – Moses, who had been raised as a prince of Egypt and whose
name means “drawn from the waters,” led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt
and back to Canaan. He is considered one of the greatest prophets (a
person who speaks for God) of the Hebrew Bible.

6. The Torah – The Torah is made up of the first five books of the
Hebrew Bible. It comes from the Hebrew word “to teach" and was given
to Moses by Jehovah on Mt. Sinai.

7. Monotheism – Monotheism is a belief in only one God. The Hebrews
were monotheistic, which set them apart from every other culture in
the Fertile Crescent.

8. The Ten Commandments – The Ten Commandments are the core of the
Hebrew religion and its teachings. They differ from the Code of
Hammurabi in that they do not list punishments (other than being
separated from God). 

9. The Sabbath – The Sabbath is a day set aside by the Hebrews for
rest, prayer, and study. In the Hebrew week, it started at sundown on
Friday and continued to sundown on Saturday. 

10. The Diaspora – The diaspora occurred when the Hebrews were
scattered to many parts of the world. Even without a homeland, though,
they continued to live by the teachings of the Torah.