1. The Rise of a New Religion and New Empires
OBJECTIVE: Trace the development and assess the achievements of early river civilizations, including but not limited to those around the Huang‑He, Nile, Indus, and Tigris­-Euphrates rivers.
The Rise of a New Religion and New Empires

2. Phoenicians Semitic people; eastern Mediterranean coast
Sea traders; established port cities; Carthage
Phoenician alphabet – 22 letters to represent sounds

3. “Children of Israel” Semitic-speaking people
Monotheism – belief in one all-powerful God, Yahweh; Judaism
Abraham – left Ur, 1900 B.C., made covenant with Yahweh- the promised land
Moses – 1200s, led people in exodus – “departure”
Passover – festival celebrating Israelite Exodus from Egypt
Renewed covenant with God – Ten Commandments

4. Abraham’s Journey

5. Moses

6. “Children of Israel”
David fought Goliath on Saul’s behalf & took throne
Divided kingdom – Israel & Judah
Assyrians – 722 B.C., scattered 10 northern tribes (“lost tribes’)
Chaldeans – 586 B.C., carried off two southern tribes – Babylonian Exile
Torah – 400 B.C., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Diaspora – “scattered,” Jewish people living outside homeland

7. David vs. Goliath

8. Ancient Israel

9. Torah

10. Hittites – 1st Indo-Europeans to make use of iron; used chariots

11. Assyrians – Semitic people; 700 B.C.
Exploited use of iron
Most lethal fighting force in the Middle East
Units of soldiers, charioteers, & cavalry
Used terror as an instrument of warfare
Ashurbanipal – king; one of world’s first libraries at Nineveh

12. Assyrian Empire

13. Chaldeans – captured Nineveh 612 B.C.
King Nebuchadnezzar – greatest ruler, 605 – 562 B.C.
Rebuilt Babylon – hanging gardens, one of Seven Wonders

14. Chaldean Empire, 560 B.C.

15. Persians – Indo-Europeans; settled in present-day Iran
Cyrus II – conquered Chaldeans, 539 B.C.; allowed Jews to return
Darius I – best organizer, 522 – 486 B.C.
Satraps – provincial governors
Expanded network of roads – Royal Road