| A | B |
|---|
| plateau | an area of elevated flatland |
| drought | long periods of dry weather |
| fertile crescent | a region in western Asia that is lush and green as a result of two rivers |
| Sumer | the first civilization in Mesopotamia; developed around 3000 B.C. |
| Babylonia | a region in Meso. that expaned into Sumer about 1800 B.C. |
| Assyria | a region in northern Meso. that conquered Babylon in 689 B.C. |
| Cuneiform | the system of writing invented in Sumer |
| ziggurat | a large building with a temple on its peak |
| city-state | a self-governing city that also governs surrounding villages |
| Sargon | king of the city-state Kish, united all the city-states in Sumer |
| Hammurabi | Babylon's king who began the drive to gain control over the city-states of Sumer |
| code of law | a written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government |
| monotheism | the belief in only one god |
| polytheism | the belief in more than one god |
| Torah | five books of laws and teachings in Judaism |
| Ten Commandments | part of the laws that Jews believe God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai |
| Sabbath | weekly day of rest, prayer, and study |
| Jerusalem | a center of both religious and political life for Jews |
| Muhammad | founded the religion of Islam |
| Koran | the Islamic holy scripture |
| Five Pillars of Islam | represent the duties of a Muslim |
| Allah | the Islamic name for God |
