HERITAGE: Civilization and the jews - PBS

PREVIEW QUESTIONS
PROGRAM ONE:
A PEOPLE IS BORN
(3800 - 586 B.C.E.)
Answer these questions as you watch A People Is Born or as you explore the
accompanying multimedia presentations, historical documents, and maps.
1. Where and why did civilization first appear What changes in life-style did
it produce
2. How did the Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures contribute to the history
of the ancient Israelites
3. How did the Exodus shape the Israelites’ understanding of God and their
view of themselves
4. How did the Israelites rule themselves when they came into Canaan
5. What was the prophets’ message What motivated them to speak the way
they did In what ways could it be said that their prophecies were true
MAP
THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
S T U D E N T
HERITAGE:
CIVILIZATION AND THE JEWS
W O R K S H E E T
PEOPLE AND PLACES
The following anagram puzzle contains the names of people or places
appearing in the program. Use the clues in the middle column to
unscramble their names. Write them in the blanks. When you have finished,
unscramble the words in the circles and you will have the name of
a great river in Mesopotamia.
DNEE
SRIIGT
BMAARAH
ANACNA
YOSSKH
TYEPG
DHAUJ
MSURE
A famous
“garden” in
Mesopotamia
An important river
in Mesopotamia
The first Hebrew,
according to the
Bible
The area in which
the Israelites settled
The Asians who
conquered Egypt
The country from
which the Israelites
fled
A land conquered by
Babylonia
Civilization began
here
A famous river in Mesopotamia
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Your teacher will give you instructions.
USING PRIMARY DOCUMENTS
Your teacher will help you understand the following document.
THE FLOOD
The biblical story of the flood is similar to an account found in The Epic of
Gilgamesh. A fragment of this ancient Sumerian work has survived on a piece
of clay tablet. An excerpt is given below:
[...] A flood will sweep over the cult centers;
To destroy the seed of mankind [...]
All the windstorms, exceedingly powerful, attacked as one.
At the same time, the flood sweeps over the cult centers.
After, for seven days and seven nights,
The flood had swept over the land,
And the huge boat had been tossed about by the windstorms on the great waters,
Utu (the sun god) came forth, who sheds light on heaven and earth,
Ziusudra opened a window on the huge boat,
The hero Utu brought his rays into the giant boat.
Ziusudra, the king,
Prostrated himself before Utu,
The king kills an ox, slaughters a sheep.