Transcript Uncovering Clues to Our Past

The Fertile Crescent
Life between the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
The Fertile Crescent
Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of
civilization - it was the first time that
humans created and sustained (3,000
years) an urban, literate, technologically
sophisticated society where people
shared common values and a common
view of the origins and order of the world.
The Fertile Crescent
plateau:
elevated flatland
The Fertile Crescent
silt:
tiny bits of rock and soil
The Fertile Crescent
drought:
long periods of dry weather
The Fertile Crescent
irrigation:
the watering of land with canals
or pipes
The Fertile Crescent
cuneiform:
Sumer’s system of writing; one
of the first writing systems
invented
The Fertile Crescent
scribe:
record keepers of ancient times;
Sumer’s writers
The Fertile Crescent
city-state:
a self-governing city that also
governs surrounding villages
The Fertile Crescent
ziggurat:
a large, mud-brick building with a
temple at its peak used for
religious purposes
The Fertile Crescent
polytheism:
the belief in many gods and
goddesses
The Fertile Crescent
monotheism:
the belief in one god or deity
The Fertile Crescent
empire:
a group of lands and peoples
ruled by one government
The Fertile Crescent
code of law:
a written set of rules that applies
to everyone
The Fertile Crescent
aqueduct:
a new kind of watering system; a
raised waterway; carries
mountain stream water to city
The Fertile Crescent
moat:
a canal used for protection
The Fertile Crescent
tax:
money collected by the
government
The Fertile Crescent
“Hanging Gardens”
Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzar built these for
his wife
The Fertile Crescent
“Hanging Gardens”
The Fertile Crescent
“Hanging Gardens”
The Fertile Crescent
“Hanging Gardens”