1. Brittney Paradis

2. Moses is the leader of the Israelites. He led the people from Egypt to Canaan. During the Exodus there were many hardships and disagreements that led to the making of the laws, called the Ten Commandments. The ancient Israelites have contributed to the religious and cultural ideas of many people. The Israelites traced their origin to Abraham. The kingdom of Israel lasted until about 721 B.C., when the Assyrians conquered it. Moses

3. Lydians became the first people to use coined money put out by the government. The Lydians developed a money economy which is based on money instead of bartering. People began to shave electrum from the coins, so they were worth less. Then the government began to require that coins be milled(cut several times along the edge). Lydia became known as Asia Minor, which is now Turkey. By the 500s B.C., Lydia had become a center for regional trade. Lydian money

4. The Phoenicians borrowed Egyptian burial practices and the use of hieroglyphics. They began to write in Babylonian cuneiform or hieroglyphics. The Phoenicians established colonies in Spain and North Africa. Phoenicians created one of the world’s first alphabets. Phoenicia became a center for commerce. Commerce is the buying and selling of goods. Heiroglyphics

5. Cyrus the Great is responsible for building the Persian Empire. In less then 20 years, the Persians conquered lands from Asia Minor to what is now known as Northern Pakistan. When Cyrus the Great died, the Persian Empire’s greatest growth came to an end. Darius divided the empire into 20 territories called satrapies to rule it more efficiently. Darius also introduced to the Persian Empire the idea of a secret service. Cyrus the Great Darius

6. Saul is the first king of the Israelites. King Saul was followed by King David, who began his rule under the influence of the Philistines. The only battle Cyrus the Great lost was the one in which he died. Cyrus was followed by his son Cambyses. Cambyses conquered Egypt in 525 B.C. but died on his way back to Persia. When Darius died he was followed by his son Xerxes, who continued to expand the Persian Empire. Abraham was part of the Israelites. He made a covenant (promise) with God. Abraham became known as father of the Jewish People. Cambyses

7. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, then later Christianity and Islam. Polytheism is the belief in many gods. Monotheism is belief in one god. Zoroastrianism is based on a belief of one god. The Qur’an (bible) contained the most sacred writings of Islam. Qur’anJewish Bible