076-079 co3-824133 7/14/04 9:27 pm page 76 athencient ......an alphabet, or a group of letters that...

The wall surrounding the old city of Jerusalem

AAncient ncient IIsraelitessraelites

The

c. 1800 B.C.Israelitessettle inCanaan

c. 1290 B.C.Moses leadsIsraelitesfrom Egypt

722 B.C.AssyriansconquerIsrael

A.D. 66Jews revolt againstRomans

2000 B.C. 1300 B.C. 600 B.C. A.D. 1002000 B.C. 1300 B.C. 600 B.C. A.D. 100

76–7

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Chapter PreviewLike the Sumerians, the ancient Israelites developed a society

based on ideas of justice and strict laws. The Israelites believedthat there was only one God.

View the Chapter 3 video in the World History: JourneyAcross Time Video Program.

Chapter Overview Visitjat.glencoe.com for a previewof Chapter 3.

77

The First IsraelitesAbraham founded the 12 tribes of Israel in the land ofCanaan. The Israelites believed in one God.

The Kingdom of IsraelUnder David and Solomon, the people of Israel built apowerful kingdom with a new capital in Jerusalem.

The Growth of JudaismThe Jews continued to keep their religion even though other people ruled them. They settled in many places inAsia and Europe.

Summarizing Information Make this foldable and use it to organize note cardswith information about the Israelites.

Reading and WritingAs you read the chapter,summarize key facts onnote cards or on quartersheets of paper aboutIsrael and the growth and spread of Judaism.Organize your notes by placing them in your pocket foldableinside the appropriatepockets.

Step 1 Fold a horizontalsheet of paper (11”x17”)into thirds.

Gluehere.

Gluehere.

Step 2 Fold the bottom edge up two inches andcrease well. Glue the outer edges of the tab tocreate three pockets.

FirstIsraelitesIsrael’s

KingdomJudaismSpreads

Step 3 Label the pocketsas shown. Use thesepockets to hold notes takenon index cards or quartersheets of paper.

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http://jat.glencoe.com

Main IdeaMain Idea

Finding the Main IdeaMain ideas are the most important ideas in a paragraph,

section, or chapter. Supporting details are facts or examplesthat explain the main idea. Read the following paragraph fromSection 1 and notice how the author explains the main idea.The main idea is identified for you. The supporting details arehighlighted in color.

Through trade, thePhoenicians spread ideasand goods. One of theirmost important ideas wasan alphabet, or a group ofletters that stood forsounds. The letters couldbe used to spell out thewords in their language.

—from page 85Often, the first sentence

in a paragraph will con-

tain a main idea, and

supporting details will

come in following sen-

tences. However, main

ideas can also appear

in the middle or at the

end of a paragraph.

78

Main idea

Supportingdetails

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Choose one of thelisted on

page 93. Use it as atopic sentence, and addsupporting details tocreate a full paragraph.

Read to Write

79

As you read Chapter 3, create yourown graphic organizer to show themain idea and supporting detailsfrom at least one paragraph.

SupportingDetail

SupportingDetail

SupportingDetail

SupportingDetail

Main Idea

Menorah

While in Babylon, small groups ofJews met on the Sabbath. This wastheir weekly day of worship and rest.The Jews would pray and discusstheir religion and history. Thesemeetings took place at synagogues,or Jewish houses of worship. Thesynagogue meetings gave the peoplehope.

—from page 94

Create a GraphicOrganizer

Read the following paragraph. Draw a graphic organ-izer like the one shown below. Write the main ideas in abox and supporting details in circles around the box.

CORBIS

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TheThe FFirst irst IIsraelitessraelites

80 CHAPTER 3 The Ancient Israelites

What’s the Connection?You have read how the Egyptians

built a great civilization. At about the same time, another nation wasforming. The Egyptians called thepeople of this nation habiru, orforeigners. The people calledthemselves Israelites or the Childrenof Israel.

Focusing on the • The Israelites believed in one God

who set down moral laws for hispeople. They recorded their history in the Bible. (page 81)

• The Israelites had to fight theCanaanites to return to theirpromised land. (page 84)

Locating PlacesCanaan (KAY•nuhn)Mount Sinai (SY•NY)

Meeting PeopleAbraham

Jacob

Moses

Deborah

Phoenician (fih•NEE•shuhn)

Building Your Vocabularymonotheism

(MAH•nuh•thee• IH•zuhm)tribe

Torah (TOHR•UH)covenant (KUHV•nuhnt)alphabet

Reading StrategySequencing Information Create a sequence chart to help trace themovement of the Israelites.

c. 1290 B.C.Moses leadsIsraelites fromEgypt

c. 1000 B.C.Israelites settlein Canaan

c. 1125 B.C.Deborah defeatsCanaanites

1400 B.C. 1200 B.C. 1000 B.C.1400 B.C. 1200 B.C. 1000 B.C.

JerusalemMemphis

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CHAPTER 3 The Ancient Israelites 81

The Early IsraelitesThe Israelites believed in one God who

set down moral laws for his people. They recordedtheir history in the Bible.

Reading Focus Where do your ideas about right

and wrong come from? Read on to find out how the

Israelites developed their ideas about right and wrong.

About 1200 B.C., great changes tookplace around the Mediterranean Sea.Empires fell and new people entered theregion. Many set up small kingdoms.Around 1000 B.C., a people called Israelites(IHZ • ruh • LYTS) built a kingdom in Canaan(KAY • nuhn). Canaan lies along theMediterranean Sea in southwest Asia.

Who Were the Israelites? Although theIsraelite population was small, the religionthey practiced would one day affect most of the world. Most people at this time worshiped many gods and goddesses. TheIsraelite religion focused on only one God.The belief in one god is called monotheism(MAH •nuh • thee • IH • zuhm).

The Israelite faith became the religionknown today as Judaism (JOO • dee • IH •zuhm). The followers of Judaism were even-tually known as Jews. Judaism influencedChristianity and Islam, and also helpedshape the beliefs and practices of societiesin Europe and America.

The Israelites spoke a language calledHebrew. They wrote down much of theirhistory and many of their religious beliefsin what later became the Hebrew Bible.Through this book, Jewish values and reli-gion later spread to Europe.

The earliest Israelites were herders andtraders. During the 1800s B.C., they leftMesopotamia and settled in Canaan. Today,Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan occupy theland that was once Canaan.

This painting shows Abraham leading theIsraelites from Mesopotamia to Canaan. Whydid the Israelites eventually leave Canaan?

The Israelites believed they weredescended from a man named Abraham. Inthe Bible, it says that God told Abrahamand his followers to leave Mesopotamiaand go to Canaan. There, they were to worship the one true God. In return, Godpromised that the land of Canaan wouldbelong to Abraham and his descendants.According to the Bible, this is the reasonthat the Israelites settled in Canaan.

Abraham had a grandson named Jacob.Jacob was also called Israel, which means“one who struggles with God.” Later thisname was given to Jacob’s descendants.

Jacob raised 12 sons in Canaan. His family was divided into tribes, or separatefamily groups. These groups later becameknown as the 12 tribes of Israel. The Israeliteslived in Canaan for about 100 years. Then along drought began. Crops withered andlivestock died. To survive, the Israeliteswent to Egypt.

From Slavery to Freedom Life was notgood in Egypt. The Egyptian pharaohneeded men to build his pyramids, so he

Tom Lovell/National Geographic Society Image Collection

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enslaved the Israelites. To prevent a rebel-lion he ordered all baby boys born toIsraelites thrown into the Nile River.

The Bible says that one desperatemother put her baby in a basket and hid iton the riverbank. The pharaoh’s daughterfound the baby and named him Moses.

When Moses grew up, he tended sheepoutside Egypt. Around 1290 B.C., he saw aburning bush and heard a voice. Hebelieved that God was telling him to leadthe Israelites out of Egypt to freedom.

To get the pharaoh to let the Israelitesgo, the Bible says that God sent 10 plaguesto trouble Egypt. A plague is sometimes adisease, but it can also mean something thatcauses problems for a lot of people. The lastplague God sent killed all first-born chil-dren, except for those of Israelites whomarked their doorway with lamb’s blood.This plague convinced the pharaoh to letthe Israelites leave. Jews today celebrate aholiday called Passover to remember

In this painting, Moses watches as the Red Sea closes in on theEgyptian soldiers who were pursuing the Israelites. What is theIsraelites’ escape from Egypt called?


Jews celebratingPassover today

how God “passed over” their homes withthe tenth plague and then delivered themfrom Egypt.

As Israelites headed east out of Egypt,the pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army after the Israelites. According to the Bible, God parted the Red Sea to let his people pass. When the Egyptians followed, the water flowed back anddrowned the soldiers. The Israelite escapefrom Egypt is known as the Exodus.

What Are the Ten Commandments? Ontheir way back to Canaan, the Israelites hadto travel through the Sinai desert. The Biblesays that during this journey, Moses went tothe top of Mount Sinai (SY • NY). There, hereceived laws from God. These laws wereknown as the Torah (TOHR • uh). They laterbecame the first part of the Hebrew Bible.The Torah described a covenant (KUHV •nuhnt), or agreement, with God. In the agree-ment, God promised to return the Israelitesto Canaan if they followed his laws.

Moses and the Ten CommandmentsMoses and the Ten Commandments

(l)North Wind Picture Archives, (r)Leland Bobbe/Getty Images

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The Torah explained whatGod considered to be right andwrong. The most important part ofthe Torah is the Ten Commandments.They are summarized in the feature tothe right. The Ten Commandmentstold the Israelites to be loyal only toGod, whose name was never to bespoken. They must never worship anyother gods or images. The belief that thereshould be only one god became the founda-tion for both Christianity and Islam.

The Ten Commandments helped shapethe basic moral laws of many nations. TheTen Commandments told people not tosteal, murder, or tell lies about others. Theytold people to avoid jealousy and to honortheir parents. The Ten Commandments alsohelped develop a belief in the “rule of law.”This is the idea that laws should apply toeveryone equally.

Explain What covenant wasdescribed in the Torah?


The TenCommandments

According to the Bible, Moses received theTen Commandments and other laws fromGod on Mount Sinai. Moses and theIsraelites promised to follow these laws.

1. Do not worship any god except me.

2. Do not . . . bow down and worship idols.

3. Do not misuse my name.

4. Remember that the Sabbath Day belongs to me.

5. Respect your father and your mother.

6. Do not murder.

7. Be faithful in marriage.

8. Do not steal.

9. Do not tell lies about others.

10. Do not want anything thatbelongs to someone else.

—Exodus 20:3-17

1. How many of the commandments tell people how to interact with otherpeople?

2. How many tell them how to worshipand show respect for God?

Mount Sinai

Moses with the Ten Commandments

The Ark of the Covenant was a box,which, according to Jewish beliefs,held the Ten Commandments.How did the Ten Commandmentshelp shape the basic moral laws of many European nations?

(t)The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, (c)Stock Montage/SuperStock, (b)Laura Zito/Photo Researchers

080-085 C3S1-824133 3/10/04 1:59 AM 3

The Promised LandThe Israelites had to fight the Canaanites

to return to their promised land.

Reading Focus What qualities do you think a good

leader should have? Read on to find out about the lead-

ers of the Israelites.

It probably took the Israelites about 40 years to reach Canaan. Moses neverlived to see the Promised Land. After Mosesdied, a leader named Joshua took over andbrought the Israelites into Canaan. Whenthey arrived, however, they found otherpeople living there. Most were Canaanites(KAY • nuh • NYTS). The Israelites believed itwas God’s will that they conquer theCanaanites, so Joshua led them into battle.

The story of the campaign is told in theBible. Joshua led the Israelites to the city ofJericho and told them to march around thecity’s walls. For six days, they marchedwhile seven priests blew their trumpets. Onthe seventh day, the trumpets sounded onelast time, and Joshua told the Israelites toraise a great shout. According to the story,


According to the Bible story, the walls ofJericho came down as the trumpets of theIsraelites sounded. Who led the Israelites in their return to Canaan? The town of Jericho today

the walls of Jericho crumbled, and theIsraelites overran the city.

Joshua led the Israelites in three morewars. The land they seized was dividedamong the 12 tribes.

Who Were the Fighting Judges? AfterJoshua died, the Israelites looked to judgesfor leadership. A judge was usually a militaryleader. Generally, he or she commanded 1 or 2 tribes, but seldom all 12. The Bible tellsabout Barak, Gideon, Samuel, Eli, Samson,and others, including a woman judge. Hername was Deborah.

Deborah told Barak to attack the army of the Canaanite king Jabin. She went alongto the battlefield as an adviser. WithDeborah’s help, Barak and 10,000 Israelitesdestroyed King Jabin and his army in about1125 B.C.

Over time, the Israelites won control of the hilly region in central Canaan. TheCanaanites kept the flat, coastal areas. Toprotect themselves, the Israelites builtwalled towns. They also created an alphabetand a calendar based on Canaanite ideas.

The Phoenician Alphabet One group ofCanaanites, the Phoenicians (fih • NEE •shuhns), lived in cities along the Mediterranean

(l)Mary Evans Picture Library, (r)Charles & Josette Lenars/CORBIS

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Reading SummaryReview the

• Led by Abraham, the Israelitessettled in Canaan. They latermoved to Egypt and wereenslaved, but then escaped.The Israelites used the TenCommandments as rules to live by.

• Joshua and the judges, includingDeborah, won back territory incentral Canaan for the Israelites.

1. Why was the religion of Israelunique in the ancient world?

2. What is the Torah, and how didthe Israelites obtain it?

Critical Thinking3. Summarizing Information

Use a web diagram like the onebelow to list the parts ofJewish religion that are stillimportant in our society.

4. Analyze What was the importance of the Phoenicianalphabet?

5. Summarize What problemsdid the Israelites face whenthey returned to Canaan?

6. Expository Writing Whichone of the Ten Commandmentsdo you think is most importanttoday? Write a short essay toexplain your selection.

7. Main Idea Writea paragraph by adding support-ing details to this main idea:The Phoenician alphabet had an impact on many civilizations.

What Did You Learn?

Homework Helper Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com


Sea. The Phoenicians were skilledsailors and traders. Their shipscarried goods across theMediterranean to Greece, Spain,and even western Africa.

Through trade, the Phoeniciansspread ideas and goods. One oftheir most important ideas was an alphabet, or a group of lettersthat stood for sounds. The letterscould be used to spell out thewords in their language.

The alphabet made writingsimpler and helped people keeprecords. The Phoenicians broughtthe idea of an alphabet to theGreeks. They, in turn, passed it on to theRomans. Most Western alphabets are basedon the Roman alphabet.

Identify Who led theIsraelites into Canaan, and what city did they conquer under his leadership?

AncientPhoenician

AncientHebrew

AncientGreek

EarlyRoman

ModernCharacters

A

B

D

G

E

F

TH

Z

I

AlphabetsAlphabets

The Phoenician idea of an alphabet waspassed on to the Greeks and then the Romans.It is the basis for the English alphabet today.Which modern letter most closely resemblesits Phoenician character?

Jewish Ideas

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TheThe KKingdom ingdom ofof IIsraelsrael


What’s the Connection?In Section 1, you read about

the constant fighting between theIsraelites and the Canaanites. Thetribes of Israel longed for peace.Many thought the way to peace was to unite as one nation.

Focusing on the • The Israelites chose a king to unite

them against their enemies. (page 87)

• King David built an Israelite empireand made Jerusalem his capital city.(page 89)

• The Israelites were conquered andforced to leave Israel and Judah.(page 90)

Locating PlacesJerusalem (juh•ROO•suh• luhm)Judah (JOO•duh)

Meeting PeoplePhilistine (FIH• luh•STEEN)Saul (SAWL)David

Solomon (SAHL•uh•muhn)Nebuchadnezzar

(NEH•byuh•kuhd•NEH•zuhr)

Building Your Vocabularyprophet (PRAH• fuht)empire (EHM•PYR)tribute (TRIH•byoot)proverb (PRAH•VUHRB)

Reading StrategyCategorizing Information Completea chart like the one below identifyingcharacteristics of Israel and Judah.

Location

Capital City

Date Conquered

Conquered By

c. 1000 B.C.David becomes king

722 B.C.Assyriansconquer Israel

597 B.C.Nebuchadnezzarcaptures Jerusalem

JerusalemBabylonSamaria

1000 B.C. 750 B.C. 500 B.C.1000 B.C. 750 B.C. 500 B.C.

086-092 C3S2-824133 3/10/04 3:05 AM Page 86

Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com and clickon Chapter 3—Student Web Activity to learnmore about the ancient Israelites.

The Israelites Choose a KingThe Israelites chose a king to unite

them against their enemies.

Reading Focus What does “united we stand, divided

we fall” mean to you? Read on to find out what it meant

to the 12 tribes of Israel.

Around 1000 B.C., the strongest peopleliving in Canaan were not the Israelites, but the Philistines (FIH • luh • STEENS). ThePhilistines had strong cities, and they knewhow to make iron tools and weapons. Fearingthe power of the Philistines, many Israelitescopied their ways and worshiped their gods.

In the past, the 12 tribes often quarreled.If they were going to save their religion andway of life, they would have to learn how towork together. They needed a king to unitethem against the Philistines.

The Rule of King Saul In 1020 B.C. theIsraelites asked Samuel to choose a king.Samuel was a judge and a prophet (PRAH•fuht). A prophet is a person who claims to be instructed by God to share God’s words.Samuel warned that a king would tax the Israelites and make them slaves. TheIsraelites still demanded a king, so theychose a warrior-farmer named Saul (SAWL).

Samuel anointed Saul as king. In otherwords, he blessed him with oil to show thatGod had chosen him. Saul was tall andhandsome and had won many battles.

Saul defeated the Israelites’ enemies inbattle after battle. However, according tothe Bible, the king displeased God by dis-obeying some of his commands. God thenchose another king and instructed Samuelto anoint him in secret. The new king was ayoung shepherd named David.

Explain Why did theIsraelites want a king?

According to the Bible, David had to be called infrom the fields where he was tending his sheepwhen Samuel arrived to anoint him. Why didGod have Samuel anoint David?

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DAVIDReigned c. 1000–962 B.C.

The story of David’s life is told in several books of the

Old Testament, including Samuel I and II and Psalms. During

his youth, David worked as an aide in King Saul’s court.While

at court, he formed a close friendship with the king’s son,

Jonathan. David fought courageously against the Philistines as

a soldier in Saul’s army. He also killed the Philistine giant,

Goliath, with only a slingshot and stones. The first book of

Samuel tells how David’s harp playing pleased King Saul.

But the king grew jealous of David’s friendship with Jonathan

and of David’s growing popularity as a brave soldier.

To save his own life, David fled into the desert. During

this time, David led a group of other outlaws. David and

his band protected people from raiders and returned

possessions that had been stolen. By the time David

returned to Jerusalem, he was well-known throughout

the land.

After the death of King Saul, David became the second king of Israel. David

successfully united all the tribes of Israel. He then conquered Jerusalem and made it

the kingdom’s capital. During his reign, David built Israel

into an empire and dominated neighboring kingdoms.

David was not only a brave warrior and successful

leader, he was also a talented poet. Many of the hymns

in the Old Testament’s book of Psalms have been credited

to David, including Psalm 23, which begins “The Lord is

my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down

in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he

restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.”

In David’s time, kings were expected to excel

in battle. Conduct research to find at least

three U.S. presidents who built their

reputations in the military.

David versus Goliath

King David

“The sweet psalmist“The sweet psalmist

of Israel”of Israel”—David, 2 Samuel 23:1—David, 2 Samuel 23:1

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086-092 C3S2-824133 3/10/04 3:09 AM Page 88

David and Solomon King David built an Israelite empire and

made Jerusalem his capital city.

Reading Focus What person do you think was most

important in the history of the United States? Read to

learn why King David is so important to the history of

the Jewish people.

David’s fame as a warrior spread. TheBible shows his fame by telling this story.Just before a battle against the Philistines, agiant Philistine named Goliath called out in a loud voice. He dared any Israelite tofight him one-on-one. David stepped for-ward with his shepherd’s staff, a slingshot,and five smooth stones.

“Am I a dog that you come against mewith a staff?” Goliath roared. He rushedforward with a heavy spear, but David wastoo quick for him. He hurled one stonestraight at the giant’s forehead, and Goliathdropped dead on the spot.

Saul put David in charge of the army. Ashis victories grew, Israelite women sang hispraises. “Saul has slain his thousands, andDavid his ten thousands.” Saul grew envi-ous and plotted to kill David.

David hid out in enemy territory untilSaul and his three sons were killed in battle.The bitter rivalry was over. David was ableto take the throne in about 1000 B.C.

Once in power, David drove thePhilistines from the area. He conqueredother neighboring nations and created anempire (EHM • PYR). An empire is a nation thatrules several other nations. Conquered peo-ples in the area had to pay David and theIsraelites tribute (TRIH • byoot). Tribute ismoney or slaves given to a stronger ruler.

David made the Israelites pay heavytaxes. He needed money to expand his newcapital of Jerusalem (juh • ROO • suh • luhm).He wanted a fine temple there so that


sacred religious objects cherished by theIsraelites would finally have a permanenthome. David died before he built the temple,but for centuries, the Israelites rememberedhim as their greatest king.

The Rule of King Solomon When Daviddied, his son Solomon (SAHL • uh • muhn)became king. It was Solomon who built asplendid stone temple in Jerusalem. Itbecame the symbol and center of the Jewishreligion.

In the Bible, Solomon was known for hiswise sayings, or proverbs (PRAH • VUHRBS), butmany Israelites hated his rule. Solomon taxedthe people to pay for his great buildings.

ProverbsSolomon’s proverbs are recorded in theBible. Read these three, then answer the question.“What you gain by doing evil won’t help you at all, but beinggood can save youfrom death.

At harvest seasonit’s smart to workhard, but [unwise] to sleep.

You will be safe,if you always doright, but you will get caught, if you are dishonest.”

—Proverbs 10: 2, 5, 9

How would the third proverb above convince people to tell the truth?

King Solomon

Stock Montage/SuperStock

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The Israelites in the north were espe-cially unhappy with Solomon. To get moremoney, Solomon had made many of theiryoung men work in the mines of a neigh-boring country.

When Solomon died, the northernersrebelled and fighting broke out. Ten of the12 tribes set up their own nation in the north.It was called the kingdom of Israel, and itscapital was Samaria. In the south, the othertwo tribes founded the smaller kingdom ofJudah (JOO •duh). Its capital was Jerusalem,and its people were called Jews.

Explain Why did Solomontax the people so heavily?

A Troubled TimeThe Israelites were conquered and

forced to leave Israel and Judah.

Reading Focus Have you ever moved and left a home

you loved? Read to find out why many Israelites were

forced to leave their home.

While the Israelites were dividing theirkingdom, the Assyrians and Chaldeans (kal • DEE • uhns) were building empires insouthwest Asia. These peoples wanted tocontrol the trade routes that ran through theIsraelite kingdoms. Small and weak, thekingdoms of Israel and Judah felt threat-ened by their powerful neighbors.

90

The temple built by Solomon was thoughtto be about 180 feet long. It containedlarge quantities of imported cedar woodand fine stone. Why did the Israelitesbecome unhappy with Solomon?

100 km0Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Areaprojection

100 mi.0

N

S

W E

33°N

30°N

33°E 36°E

Jord

anR.

MediterraneanSea

DeadSea

Cyprus

SINAI

SYRIAN

DESERT

Mt.Sinai

Jerusalem

Samaria

Tyre

Sidon

Byblos

Damascus

After the death of Solomon, theIsraelites split into two kingdoms—Israel and Judah.1. Which kingdom lost access to

the Mediterranean? 2. Which kingdom shares a border

with Phoenicia?Find NGS online map resources @www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

PhoeniciansKingdom of IsraelKingdom of Judah

KEY

Ancient Israel

086-092 C3S2-824133 3/10/04 3:13 AM Page 90

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

Elijah

Time PeriodTime PeriodNameName

874–840 B.C.

597–571 B.C.

626–586 B.C.

735–700 B.C.

738–700 B.C.

750–722 B.C.

780–740 B.C.

TeachingsTeachings

Amos

Micah

Jeremiah

Only God should be worshiped—not idols or false gods.

Both rich and poor have to do what is right and follow God.

The kingdom of King David will be restored and will prosper.

Hosea God is loving and forgiving.

Isaiah God wants us to help others and promote justice.

God is just and kind—he rewards as well as punishes.

Ezekiel Someone who has done wrong can choose to change.

Major Hebrew ProphetsMajor Hebrew Prophets

Who Were the Prophets? During thistroubled time, many Israelites forgot theirreligion. The rich mistreated the poor, andgovernment officials stole money.

The prophets wanted to bring Israelitesback to God’s laws. Their special messagewas that being faithful meant more thangoing to a temple to worship. It meantworking for a just society. The prophetAmos said that justice should “roll downlike waters and righteousness as a mightystream.” The goal of a just society becamean important part of Christianity and Islam.

What Caused the Fall of Israel? The war-like Assyrians were feared everywhere inthe region. When they conquered a nation,the Assyrians destroyed its main buildingsand scattered the population. Assyriansthen settled in the territory.

In 722 B.C. the Assyrians conqueredIsrael and scattered the 10 tribes across theirempire. Over time, the Israelites who were


The Israelites believed that God shared hisword with them through a series of prophets.1. Which prophet taught that both the rich and

the poor needed to obey God’s word?2. Compare What do the teachings of Isaiah,

Micah, and Ezekiel have in common?

forced to move lost their religion and wayof life. They are often called the “lost tribesof Israel.”

The Assyrians settled the area aroundSamaria and became known as Samaritans.The Assyrian settlers were afraid thatIsrael’s God might punish them for takingthe Israelites’ land, so they offered sacrificesto Israel’s God. They also read the Torahand followed the Israelites’ religious laws.After many years, the Samaritans wor-shiped only the God of Israel.

The people of Judah looked down onthe Samaritans. They believed that Godaccepted only the sacrifices from the temple

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Reading SummaryReview the • Saul was the first king of the

Israelites. He united the 12 tribesinto one kingdom.

• King David built an Israeliteempire and made Jerusalem his capital. Solomon built a great temple at Jerusalem, butafter he died, the Israelites split into two kingdoms—Israeland Judah.

• The Assyrians and then theChaldeans conquered Israel andJudah, and forced many Israelitesto leave their homeland.

1. Why was David anointed kingwhile Saul was still in charge of the Israelites?

2. Who were the prophets, andwhy were they important tothe Israelites?

Critical Thinking3. Compare Draw a chart like

the one below. Use it to com-pare the accomplishments ofKing David and King Solomon.

4. Summarize What happenedto the Israelites after the deathof Solomon?

5. Describe Who were theSamaritans, and what did thepeople of Judah think of them?

6. Infer Why do you think the Assyrians, and later theChaldeans, moved Jews away from Israel and Judahafter those areas were conquered?

7. Main IdeaChoose one paragraph from theBiography on page 88. Create a graphic organizer to show the main idea and supportingdetails in that paragraph.

What Did You Learn?



at Jerusalem. They did not believe thatother people were God’s people too.

Why Did Judah Fall? Now, only the smallkingdom of Judah was left of the onceproud empire of David. It did not last long,because the Egyptians conquered it about620 B.C. The Jews were able to keep theirking but paid tribute to Egypt.

However, Egyptian rule was cut shortwhen the Chaldeans conquered Egypt in605 B.C. The Chaldeans became the newrulers of Judah. At first, the Chaldeanstreated the Israelites like the Egyptians hadbefore. They allowed the Jews to keep theirking as long as they paid tribute.

Several years later, the Jews united withthe Egyptians to rebel against the Chaldeans.Judah held out against the Chaldean invasion until 597 B.C. That year, King

Nebuchadnezzar (NEH • byuh • kuhd • NEH •zuhr) of the Chaldeans captured Jerusalem.He punished the Jews severely. He made10,000 Jews leave the city and live inBabylon, the Chaldean capital. Then heappointed a new Jewish king.

Soon the new king of Judah was plan-ning a revolt against the Chaldeans. Aprophet named Jeremiah warned him thatanother revolt was dangerous, but the kingdid not listen. In 586 B.C. he revolted. Thistime, the Chaldean ruler crushed Jerusalem.He destroyed the temple, bound the king inchains, and took him and thousands of Jewsto Babylon. In Jewish history, this timebecame known as the Babylonian Captivity.

Explain Why did theAssyrians and Chaldeans want to control the landbelonging to the Israelites?

King David King Solomon

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What’s the Connection?In Section 2, you learned that the

Chaldeans forced thousands of Jewsto go to Babylon. Life in Babylon wasvery difficult. Many of Judah’s peoplelooked to their religion for hope andstrength.

Focusing on the • The Jews continued their religion

during their exile in Babylon. (page 94)

• Jews spread their beliefs to the Greekworld and regained control of Judah.(page 95)

• Religion shaped the Jewish way oflife. (page 97)

• Under Roman rule, the Jews weredivided and rebellious. In response,the Romans destroyed the templeand exiled the Jews. (page 100)

Locating PlacesBabylon (BA•buh• luhn)

Meeting PeopleJudas Maccabeus

(JOO•duhs MAK•uh•BEE•uhs)Herod (HEHR•uhd)Zealot (ZEH• luht)Johanan ben Zakkai

(YOH•kah•nahn behn•zah•KY)

Building Your Vocabularyexile (EHG•ZYL)Sabbath (SA•buhth)synagogue (SIH•nuh•GAHG)Diaspora (dy•AS•pruh)messiah (muh•SY•uh)rabbi (RA•BY)

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Use adiagram like the one below to describethe Maccabees.

TheThe GGrowth rowth ofof JJudaismudaism

538 B.C.Cyrus allows Jewsto return to Judah

168 B.C.Judas Maccabeus rebels against Antiochus

A.D. 66Jews revoltagainst Romans

600 B.C. 250 B.C. A.D. 100600 B.C. 250 B.C. A.D. 100

Maccabees


Jerusalem

Babylon

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Exile and ReturnThe Jews continued their religion during

their exile in Babylon.

Reading Focus Have you ever learned something

important by experiencing a hardship? Read on to find

out what lessons the Jews learned from hard times.

The Jews called their time in Babylon anexile (EHG • ZYL). This means they wereforced to live in a foreign land. During theirexile, the Israelite religion became what wecall Judaism.

While in Babylon (BA • buh • luhn), smallgroups of Jews met on the Sabbath (SA •buhth). This was their weekly day of worshipand rest. The Jews would pray and discusstheir religion and history. These meetingstook place at synagogues (SIH • nuh • GAHGS),or Jewish houses of worship. The syna-gogue meetings gave the people hope.

Why Did Jews Return to Judah? Duringthe 500s B.C., a group of people calledPersians swept across southwest Asia. ThePersians defeated the Chaldeans and tookover Babylon. In 538 B.C. the Persian kingCyrus permitted Jews to return to Judah.

Some Jews stayed in Babylon, but manywent home. They rebuilt Jerusalem and thetemple. Cyrus appointed officials to rule thecountry and collected taxes from the peo-ple. Because Persians controlled their gov-ernment, the Jews looked to their religionfor leadership.

The leaders of the Jews became the tem-ple priests and scribes, or religious scholarsand writers. Under a scribe named Ezra, theJews wrote the five books of the Torah onpieces of parchment. They sewed the piecestogether to make long scrolls. The Torahand writings that were added later madeup the Hebrew Bible.

Torah scrolls are carried in decorated casessuch as this one from the main synagoguein Jerusalem. What larger text is made up of the Torah and other important writing?

94

A rabbi readsfrom the Torah.

Torah scrolls

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The Jews and the GreeksJews spread their beliefs to the Greek

world and regained control of Judah.

Reading Focus How do you show loyalty to friends

and family? In the following paragraphs, you’ll learn

how Jews showed loyalty to their religion and country.

In 334 B.C. a king named Alexander theGreat began taking over kingdoms aroundthe Mediterranean. In 331 B.C. his armiesdefeated the Persians, so Judah came underhis control. Fortunately, Alexander allowedthe Jews to stay in Judah. However,Alexander, who loved all things Greek,introduced the Greek language and Greekways to Judah.

What Was the Diaspora? At the time,Jews were also living in other parts ofAlexander’s empire. Many still lived inBabylon. Some lived in Egypt and otherlands around the Mediterranean Sea. TheJews outside of Judah became known as the

What Is in the Hebrew Bible? The HebrewBible is really a series of books collectedtogether. It includes the five books of theTorah and 34 other books. These booksdescribe events in Jewish history. The Jewsbelieved that God had a special role for themin history and that events had meaning.

For example Genesis, the first book ofthe Torah, tells how God punished theworld for its bad behavior. In Genesis, Godtells Noah to build an ark, or large boat.Noah, his family, and two of every animalon Earth boarded the ark. Then a greatflood covered the land, and only those onthe ark escaped drowning. After the flood,God created a rainbow as a symbol of hispromise to never again destroy the worldwith a flood.

Genesis also explains why the world has languages. It tells how the people ofBabel tried to build a tower to heaven. Goddisapproved and made the people speak indifferent languages, then scattered themacross the earth.

The Jews Look to the Future Parts of theBible described God’s plan for a peacefulfuture. The book of Daniel addressed thisissue. Daniel lived in Babylon and was atrusted adviser of the king.However, he refused to worshipBabylonian gods. The Chaldeansthrew Daniel into a lion’s den, but God protected Daniel from the lions. The story was meant toremind Jews that God would res-cue them.

The Jews believed that evil andsuffering would eventually bereplaced by goodness. Christiansand Muslims share this idea ofgood triumphing over evil.

Identify Whoallowed the Jews to return to Judah?

According to the Bible, Daniel is thrown into a lion’s den for refusing to worship theBabylonian gods. God, however, kept Daniel safefrom the lions. What lesson did this storypresent to the Jews?

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Diaspora (dy •AS •pruh). Diaspora is a Greekword that means “scattered.”

Many Jews of the Diaspora learned theGreek language and Greek ways butremained loyal to Judaism. A group of themcopied the Hebrew Bible into Greek. ThisGreek version helped people who were notJews to read and understand the HebrewBible. As a result, Jewish ideas spreadthroughout the Mediterranean world.

Who Were the Maccabees? In 168 B.C. aGreek ruler named Antiochus (an • TY • uhkuhs) controlled Judah. He decided to makethe Jews of Judah worship Greek gods andgoddesses. A priest named Judas Maccabeus

(JOO • duhs MAK • uh • BEE • uhs) and his fol-lowers rebelled. They fled to the hills andformed an army known as the Maccabees.

After many battles, the Maccabees drovethe Greeks out of Judah. They destroyed all traces of Greek gods and goddesses intheir temple and made it a temple for wor-shiping the God of Israel. Each year Jewsrecall the cleansing of the temple when theycelebrate Hanukkah (HAH •nuh •kuh).

Priests from Judas Maccabeus’s familybecame the new rulers of Judah. Undertheir leadership, Judah took over land thathad been part of the kingdom of Israel.

Analyze How did Alexanderthe Great affect the Israelites?

TimeTimeof Yearof Year

NameName

September or October

LengthLength

Passover

Rosh Hoshana

Yom Kippur

Hanukkah

April

September or October

2 days

8 days (7 in Israel)

25 hours

Reason for Reason for the Holidaythe Holiday

to celebrate the Jewish New Year

to celebrate God’s passing over of the Jews during the final plague in Egypt that enabled the Jews to return to the Promised Land

to make amends for sins of the past year

CustomsCustoms

plan changes for the new year; no work; synagogue services; a shofar (horn) is blown in synagogues

limited work; some fasts; sell certain foods that cannot be eaten or owned during the holiday; perform rituals

no work; synagogue services; pray; fast; apologize for wrongs during the past year

December 8 days to celebrate the Maccabees’ victory, and reclaiming of the temple in Jerusalem

light candles each night; eat fried foods; play a game called dreidel; give gifts

Major Jewish HolidaysMajor Jewish Holidays

Menorah

96CORBIS

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Jews still wear head coverings,but only the most conservative—

Orthodox Jews—wear them at all times.Most Jewish men wear skull caps called

yarmulkes. Jewish women wear scarves or skull caps. Why do you think Jews of the

Diaspora are more reluctant to wear head coverings than Jews in Israel?

Head CoveringsHead Coverings

Under Greek rule, Jewish leaders begancovering their heads to distinguish themselvesfrom the Greeks and to remind themselves tothink about God. Gradually, all Jewish menstarted wearing turbans or skull caps.Jewish women always kept their headscovered because a woman’s hair wasconsidered very private.

Ancient Jewish head covering

Jews in modern-day head coverings


The Jewish Way of LifeReligion shaped the Jewish way of life.

Reading Focus What types of things influence the

way you live? Read to find out how religion influenced

Jewish life.

Jewish law set out many rules for Jews tofollow that affected their daily life. These lawsinfluenced their education, the foods they ate,and even the clothes they wore. The lawsemphasized self-control and reminded Jewsof their religion. This became important whenthey no longer had their own land and king.

Family Life The Jews placed great impor-tance on family. Sons were especially val-ued because they carried on the familyname. Upon a father’s death, the sonbecame head of the family.

Education was also important. Jewishchildren’s first teachers were their mothers.When sons grew old enough, fathers taughtthem how to earn a living and to worshipGod. Later, elders took over the religiouseducation of boys and taught them theTorah. Because reading the Torah was cen-tral to Jewish life, religious teachers becameimportant community leaders.

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Education in Ancient Israel and JudahEarly Israelites placed a high value oneducation. Rabbis—Jewish religiousteachers—taught their followers, “If youhave knowledge, you have everything.”Unfortunately, only boys were allowedto go to school.

Fathers taught their young sons thecommandments. They also taught themabout the meanings of Jewish traditionsand holy feasts. At age five, boys wentto a school that was connected with the synagogue. There, the hazan, orminister of the synagogue, taught themthe Torah. Everything the studentslearned—from the alphabet to Jewishhistory—they learned from the Torah.

Jewish laws decided the stages ofstudents’ education. Different subjectswere introduced at the ages of 5, 10,and 13. Most Jewish boys finished their education at age 13. At that age,boys became adults.

Connecting to the Past1. Why was education important to the

ancient Israelites?

2. What was a father’s role in his son’seducation?

Mothers educated their daughters athome. The girls learned to be good wives,mothers, and housekeepers. This includedlearning Jewish laws about food and clothing. They also learned about the coura-geous women of ancient Israel. One of thesewomen was named Ruth. Her biographyappears on the next page. Her courage anddevotion to her family provided an exam-ple for Jewish girls to follow.

The Jewish Diet Under Jewish law, Jewscould eat only certain animals. For exam-ple, they could eat beef and lamb but notpork. They could eat scaly fish, like salmon,but not smooth-skinned fish, like eels. Lawsabout food were known as kashrut, whichmeans “that which is proper.”

Today, food that is prepared according toJewish dietary laws is called kosher. Animalsused for kosher meat must be killed in aspecial way. The meat must be inspected,salted, and soaked. To be kosher, Jews mustnot cook or eat milk products with meat.

In ancient times, everyday meals weremade up of fish, fruit, vegetables, and bar-ley bread. Beverages included mainly milk,water, wine, and beer.

Jewish Clothing Jewish law forbade mixingsome fabrics. So women used flax or woolto make cloth but did not combine the two.

Jewish men wore tunics made of linennext to their skin. Some men layeredanother tunic on top of the first. In coldweather, they added wool or sheepskincloaks. On their heads, they wore caps orturbans. On their feet, they wore sandals.

Women draped themselves in long, sim-ple dresses. They covered their heads withshawls. Only wealthy women could affordleather shoes. They also wore makeup andjewelry.

Analyze Why were sonsespecially valued in Jewish society?

Children studying the Torah today

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99

RUTH AND NAOMITo show the importance of family love and devotion, Jewish girls learned about the

relationship between Ruth and Naomi. The Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible tells about

Ruth’s life and of her dedication to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Years before, there was so

little food in Bethlehem that Naomi, her husband, and their two sons moved to Moab.

There, one of their sons married Ruth. Tragically, Naomi’s husband and both of her sons

died. Naomi wanted to return to Bethlehem, but she urged Ruth to stay in Moab with

her parents and friends. Ruth refused to leave Naomi by herself. She insisted on traveling

with her to Bethlehem. Ruth said to Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you

lodge; I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the

beginning of the barley harvest. Because Ruth

was from Moab, she was considered an outsider

by the Israelites. Furthermore, because Ruth was

a widow and did not have children, she did not

have any property rights. To survive in

Bethlehem, she had to rely upon her mother-in-

law’s advice and the kindness of a wealthy

landowner named Boaz.

During the harvest, Ruth worked in Boaz’s

fields, gathering grain left behind on the ground

by the reapers. It was hard work that began at

dawn and ended at dusk, but Ruth never

complained. She soon earned the respect and

admiration of her new people. In time, Ruth

married Boaz. They had a son named Obed.

In the Hebrew Bible, at the end of the Book

of Ruth, Obed is named as the grandfather

of David, the future king of Israel.

Naomi and Ruth

To survive in Bethlehem, Ruth had to rely on

Naomi and Boaz. If a present-day woman

moved to a new city, what resources would

she use to help her find work, shelter, and

other necessities?

SuperStock

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The Jews and the RomansUnder Roman rule, the Jews were

divided and rebellious. In response, the Romansdestroyed the temple and exiled the Jews.

Reading Focus Do you consider freedom worth

fighting for? Read to find out what happened to the

Jews after they fought for their freedom.

In 63 B.C. a people known as the Romansconquered Judah. Led by powerful gener-als, the Romans were intent on expandingtheir empire. The Roman capital was far to

the west in what is today the country ofItaly. When the Romans conquered Judah,they renamed it Judaea ( joo • DEE • uh). Atfirst, the Romans allowed Jewish rulers torun Judaea.

The Rule of King Herod The most famousruler of Judaea during this time was King Herod (HEHR • uhd). He was known forhis cruelty and his changes to the Jewishtemple in Jerusalem. He made the templeone of the most awe-inspiring buildings inthe Roman world. Today he is best knownas the king who ruled Judaea when Jesuswas born.

Shortly after Herod died, the Romansreplaced the Jewish king with Roman offi-cials. The Jews were eager to regain control,but because they had splintered into differentgroups, they did not have as much power.

One group of Jews was known as thePharisees (FAR • uh • seez). They taught theTorah and how to apply its laws to dailylife. In doing so, they helped make Judaisma religion of the home and family. ThePharisees taught in synagogues and weresupported by the common people.

The Sadducees (SA • juh • SEEZ) alsoaccepted the Torah. However, they weremore concerned about how it applied to the

priests in the Temple. This wasbecause most of them werepriests and scribes. They didnot agree with many of thePharisees’ teachings.

A third group was calledEssenes (ih • SEENZ). They werepriests who broke away fromthe Temple in Jerusalem.Many Essenes lived togetherin the desert. They spent theirlives praying and waiting forGod to deliver the Jews fromthe Romans.


Dead Sea ScrollsIn A.D. 1947 shepherd boys in theJudaean desert near the Dead Seafound the first of the Dead Sea Scrollsin a cave. The Dead Sea Scrolls areancient scrolls of leather, papyrus, andcopper written between 200 B.C. andA.D. 68. The documents include theoldest complete copyof the book of Isaiahand pieces of manyother books of theHebrew Bible. Mostscholars believe thatthe scrolls were partof a library thatbelonged to an earlyJewish community.

Restoration of the Dead Sea Scrolls

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Today Jews come to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall,to pray. What structure is the Western Wall the remains of?

In A.D. 1947 ancient scrolls were foundin the desert near the Dead Sea. They wereprobably written by Essenes and are calledthe Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls havehelped historians understand more aboutJudaism during Roman times.

Jewish Revolts During the A.D. 60s, Jewishhatred of Roman rule was at its peak. ManyJews were waiting for a messiah (muh • SY •uh), or deliverer sent by God. Other Jewsknown as Zealots (ZEH • luhts) wanted tofight the Romans for their freedom.

In A.D. 66 the Zealots revolted againstthe Romans and drove them out ofJerusalem. Four years later, the Romansretook Jerusalem. They killed thousands ofJews and forced many others to leave. TheRomans also destroyed the temple in

Jerusalem. The Western Wall is all thatremains of it today.

The Jews revolted again in A.D. 132.Three years later, the Romans put down therevolt. This time, the Romans forbade Jewsto live in or even visit Jerusalem. They gaveJudah the name of Palestine. This namerefers to the Philistines, whom the Israeliteshad conquered centuries before.

Jewish Teachers Despite losing their land,the Jews managed to survive. They nolonger had priests. Instead, leaders calledrabbis (RA • BYZ) became important. Rabbiswere teachers of the Torah.

One of the most famous rabbis wasJohanan ben Zakkai (YOH • kah • nahnbehn zah• KY). After the revolt of A.D. 70, hemade sure the study of the Torah continued.

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The TalmudPart of the Talmud declares that most typesof work and business are not allowed on the Sabbath, or Jewish day of worship. This

passage identifies the only times it is okay to break those rules.“One is premitted to remove debris onthe Sabbath in order to save a life or to act for the benefit of the community;and we may assemble in the synagogueon the Sabbath to conduct public business [i.e., matters of communityconcern].”

—The Talmud for Today,Rabbi Alexander Feinsilver,

trans. and ed.

Why do you think these exceptions weremade for the benefit of the community?

Reading SummaryReview the • During their exile in Babylon, the

Jews developed their religion,which is based upon the storiesin the Hebrew Bible.

• Jews spread their ideas to theGreek world. About 168 B.C.,they fought the Greeks for control of Judah.

• Religious laws concerning foodand clothing affected everydayJewish life.

• In 63 B.C. Judah was taken overby the Roman Empire.

1. What was the Diaspora?

2. What was education like withina Jewish family?

Critical Thinking3. Organizing Information

Draw a table to describe thedifferences between thesethree Jewish groups.

4. Summarize How did the Jewspractice their religion duringthe exile in Babylon?

5. Identify Who were theZealots, and why were they important?

6. Draw Conclusions Do youthink that Jewish beliefs andvalues would have spread sowidely if the lands of Israel and Judah had not been conquered by other peoples?Explain.

7. Persuasive Writing Imagineyou are living in Judaea duringthe Roman conquest. Write aletter to a friend describing howyou might have felt about theRomans and what actions youwould like to see taken tomake Judaea free again.

What Did You Learn?



He founded a school in northern Palestinethat became a center of Torah studies for centuries. Other rabbis founded Torahschools in places as far away as Babylon and Egypt.

The rabbis wanted tosave and pass on teachingsabout the Torah. They com-bined the teachings in a book called the Talmud.To this day, the Talmudremains an importantrecord of Jewish law.

For 2,000 years, mostJews lived outside ofPalestine. They often faced hatred and persecution. In A.D. 1948 Palestine wasdivided, and a new Jewish nation calledIsrael was created.

Explain How did theRoman conquest affect the Jews?

Pharisees Sadducees Essenes

Jews reading theTalmud today

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The Growth of Judaism

The First Israelites

Section

Section

Vocabularymonotheism tribeTorahcovenantalphabet

VocabularyexileSabbathsynagogueDiasporamessiahrabbi

Focusing on the • The Israelites believed in one God who set

down moral laws for his people. Theyrecorded their history in the Bible. (page 81)

• The Israelites had to fight the Canaanitesto return to their promised land. (page 84)

Focusing on the • The Jews continued their religion

during their exile in Babylon. (page 94)

• Jews spread their beliefs to the Greekworld and regained control of Judah.(page 95)

• Religion shaped the Jewish way of life.(page 97)

• Under Roman rule, the Jews weredivided and rebellious. In response,the Romans destroyed the temple and exiled the Jews. (page 100)

The Kingdom of IsraelSection

Vocabularyprophetempiretributeproverb

Focusing on the • The Israelites chose a king to unite them against their enemies. (page 87)

• King David built an Israelite empire and made Jerusalem his capital city.(page 89)

• The Israelites were conquered and forced to leave Israel and Judah.(page 90)

Moses with the Ten Commandments


Torah scrolls

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Section 2 • The Kingdom of Israel11. Why did the Israelites choose a king?12. What happened when the Israelites were

conquered?Section 3 • The Growth of Judaism13. How did Jewish ideas spread throughout

the Mediterranean world? 14. How did Romans respond to Jewish

rebellions?

Critical Thinking15. Contrast How was the Jewish religion

different from religions of other ancientcultures?

16. Analyze Why do you think the Israelitesfelt so strongly about a Promised Land?

17. Compare and Contrast How were Sauland David similar, and how were they different?

18. Explain How did the Jewish religion survive during the exile of the Jews?

19. Describe What is celebrated on theJewish holiday Hanukkah?

Review VocabularyMatch the definitions in the second column tothe terms in the first column.

1. tribe a. Jewish house of worship

2. prophet b. claims to be inspired by God

3. synagogue c. family group4. Sabbath d. holy day of worship

and rest5. messiah e. forced absence6. monotheism f. belief in one god7. covenant g. deliverer sent

by God8. exile h. agreement

Review Main IdeasSection 1 • The First Israelites

9. Where did the Israelites record their history and religious beliefs?

10. Why did the Israelites fight theCanaanites?

Main Idea Finding the Main Idea20. Read the paragraph at the right from page 101. Create a graphic organizer that shows

the main idea and supporting details.

In A.D. 1947 ancient scrolls were found in the desert nearthe Dead Sea. They were probably written by Essenes and arecalled the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls have helped historiansunderstand more about Judaism during Roman times.

To review this skill, see pages 78–79.


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100 km0Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Areaprojection

100 mi.0

N

S

W E

Jord

anR.

MediterraneanSea

DeadSea

SYRIANDESERT

Jerusalem

Samaria

Tyre

Sidon

Byblos

Damascus

Israelite Kingdoms

Geography SkillsStudy the map below and answer the follow-ing questions.21. Location Which kingdom—Israel or

Judah—had an advantage when it came to trade? Why?

22. Identify What advantage did Judah haveover Israel?

23. Analyze Why did the Phoenicians focuson trade rather than farming?

Read to Write24. Descriptive Writing Imagine you are liv-

ing in Jerusalem during the time of KingSolomon. Write a letter to a friend describ-ing the things Solomon is doing as leader.Be sure to mention which of these thingsthe people like and which they do not like.

25. Summarize Choose three events in thischapter that you think were the mostimportant to the history of the Israelites.Write a headline for each that might haveappeared in a newspaper of that time.

26. Using Your Use the informationyou wrote in your three-pocket foldable to create a fill-in-the-blank quiz for a class-mate. Write a paragraph about one of thesections, leaving blanks for your classmateto fill in. Leave blanks for vocabularywords or significant places and people.

Using Technology27. Organizing Information Search the

Internet or your local library for informa-tion about the early Phoenicians andPhilistines. Use the computer to create a chart comparing the two cultures.Include headings such as Location, Time Period, Major Contributions, andAchievements.

Linking Past and Present28. Making Comparisons The Israelites

moved from place to place within the sameregion along the Mediterranean. Trace theroute of one of their journeys on a map of ancient times. Then trace the route again on a map showing that region as it is today. Identify the current nations and landmarks in that region.

AnalyzeAnalyze

The following passage describes theeffects of the attack on Judaea. The passage is written by Josephus, aJewish historian in the Roman era.“Throughout the city people were dying of hunger in large numbers. . . . In everyhouse the merest hint of food sparked violence, and close relatives fell to blows. . . .No respect was paid even to the dying; theruffians searched them, in case they wereconcealing food somewhere in their clothes.”

—Josephus, “The Siege of Jerusalem”

29. What does Josephus mean when hesays “No respect was paid even to the dying”?

30. How might this account have been different if it had been written by a Roman soldier?

Self-Check Quiz To help you prepare forthe Chapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com

PhoeniciansKingdom of IsraelKingdom of Judah

KEY

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Where did thesecivilizationsdevelop?

• Between the Tigris andEuphrates Rivers

• Along the banks of theNile River

• In an area called Canaan

• Sargon, c. 2340–2279 B.C.

• Hammurabi,c. 1792–1750 B.C.

• Nebuchadnezzar,c. 605–562 B.C.

• Abraham, c. 1800 B.C.

• Moses, c. 1250 B.C.

• Solomon, c. 970–930 B.C.

• The Maccabees, 168 B.C.

Who are someimportantpeople in thesecivilizations?

AncientEgypt

AncientEgypt

Chap ter 2

AncientIsraelitesAncient

Israelites

Chap ter 3

• King Khufu, c. 2540 B.C.

• Hatshepsut, c. 1500 B.C.

• Ramses II, c. 1279–1213 B.C.

• Kashta, c. 750 B.C.

106

FirstCivilizations

FirstCivilizations

Chap ter 1

Compare the civilizationsthat you have read about byreviewing the informationbelow. Can you see how thepeople of these civilizationshelped to build the world welive in today?

Comparing CivilizationsComparing Civilizations

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

• Some people lived inlarge cities

• Most people lived invillages along the Nile

• Most people lived insmall villages or near the city of Jerusalem

Where did most of thepeople live?

• Most people lived on farms near walled cities

• The center of the city was the ziggurat

(t)Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, (b)Louvre Museum, Paris/Bridgeman Art Library

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What was theirgovernmentlike?

Whatcontributionsdid they make?

What was theirlanguage andwriting like?

• Early Mesopotamianswere ruled by priests

• Later, kings ruled thepeople; they believedkings had divine approval

• King was a ruler-priestand a god

• Pharaoh owned all landin Egypt

• Early Israelites were ledby prophets

• Later, they were led by judges,then kings

• Early: cuneiform: wedge-shaped characters

• Later: a Semitic language

• Hieroglyphics: imagesthat stood for ideas • Adapted Phoenician

characters to formletters and words

• Developed writing

• Created system ofmathematics

• Studied systems of timeand created calendars

• Introduced iron weapons

• Built machines to movewater to crops

• Developed a calendar

• Built large temples and pyramids

• Developed ideas of legalsystem

• Passed on ideas ofjustice, fairness, andcompassion in societyand government

• Believed in one God

How do thesecontributionsaffect me? Canyou add any?

• Similar measurementsare still used in buildingtoday

• Our system of time isbased on seconds,minutes, and hours

• Pyramids and otherstructures still amazepeople today

• Many religions today arebased on ideas similar to those of the earlyIsraelites

AncientIsraelitesAncient

Israelites

Chap ter 3

107

FirstCivilizations

FirstCivilizations

Chap ter 1

AncientEgypt

AncientEgypt

Chap ter 2What werethese people’sbeliefs?

• Worshiped manydifferent gods

• The gods appointed the rulers

• Worshiped gods andgoddesses

• Believed in life after death

• Worshiped one God

• Used the Bible as arecord of their history

(t)Boltin Picture Library, (tr)Stock Montage/SuperStock, (c)Smithsonian Institution, (b)CORBIS

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076-079 co3-824133 7/14/04 9:27 pm page 76 athencient ......an alphabet, or a group of letters that...

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