History Test: 1

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as the "fertile crescent."

City-States

Independent cities that function as their own countries, such as Babylon and Uruk.

Sumerians

The first civilization in Mesopotamia, known for cities like Ur, Uruk, and Eridu.

Inventions of Sumerians

Innovations including writing (cuneiform), the wheel, arch, dome, mathematics, and astronomy.

Cuneiform

A system of writing developed by the Sumerians, leading to the emergence of scribes.

Sumerian Religion

Polytheistic belief system with unpredictable and unfriendly gods and goddesses.

Ziggurat

A temple or pyramid made of mud and baked brick for worship in Sumerian culture.

Theocracy

A form of government in Sumer where divine authority (gods/goddesses) ruled, initially led by priests and priestesses.

Akkadians

An empire that emerged from the Sumerians, known for their ruler Sargon.

Semitic

Refers to people who speak ancient languages like Phoenician and Akkadian.

Hammurabi

Ruler of the Babylonian Empire known for creating the Code of Hammurabi.

Code of Hammurabi

A legal code consisting of 282 laws that favored nobles and men, with punishments based on social status.

Nile River

The longest river in the world, flowing north and creating a delta before the Mediterranean Sea.

Hatshepsut

One of the few female pharaohs in ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamen

Pharaoh who restored traditional gods after Akhenaton's reign.

Akhenaton

Pharaoh who introduced Aton as the sole god and closed other temples.

Ramses II

Pharaoh during the invasion of the Sea Peoples, marking the end of the New Kingdom.

Cleopatra VII

Notable female pharaoh of Egypt:Greek pharaoh committed suicide. led Egypt to become a rome province.

Mummification

The process of preserving the dead, significant in Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife.

Egyptian Religion

Polytheistic, featuring gods like Atum (sun god) and myths such as Osiris and Isis.

Hieroglyphics

The sacred script of ancient Egypt, alongside the Hieratic script for writing.

Old Kingdom

Period marked by the rule of pharaohs and the construction of pyramids.

Middle Kingdom

Era of reunification under Pharaoh Menuhotep II, characterized by expansion and public works.

New Kingdom

Period of empire and famous pharaohs, ending with invasions by the Sea Peoples.

Hittites

Nomadic people who formed an empire and were the first Indo-Europeans to use iron.

Pastoral Nomads

People who domesticated animals and spread technology.

Phoenicians

Traders from the Hittite empire known for their goods and maritime trade.

Phoenician Alphabet

An influential writing system that impacted later alphabets.

Israelites

Followers of monotheism, centered around the covenant with God and the Ten Commandments.

Abraham

The central figure in the Israelite religion, representing the belief in one God.

United Kingdom

The period of Israel under King Solomon, which later divided into two kingdoms.

Assyrians

Known for their iron weapons, chariots, and a ruthless approach to conquest.

Ashur

The god of war worshiped by the Assyrians.

Postal System

A communication system established by Assyrian kings, leading to the creation of libraries.

Persian Empire

Founded by Cyrus the Great, known for its respect for conquered peoples' cultures.

Darius

Expanded the Persian Empire and organized it into satrapies. Created the royal road.

Satrapies

Provinces in the Persian Empire ruled by governors called satraps.

Royal Road

A well-constructed road in Persia that facilitated trade and communication.

Immortals

An elite group of 10,000 soldiers in the Persian army.

Zoroastrianism

The monotheistic religion of ancient Persia, founded by the prophet Zoroaster.

Sargon

Ruler of akkadians

Reason of downfall in Iran

Loyalty to the empire declinded, and there was violence and a struggle over the throne. Then conquered by Alexander the Great.

Conquering tactics in Iran

• allowed conquered people to practice culture (let Jews return to Jerusalem), treated people with more respect

Allowed conquered people to practice culture. they let jews return to Jerusalem and treated people with more respect.

Cyrus the great

founder of the persian empire