Social Studies 5: The Fertile Crescent - Phoenicians

Question 1

Meaning of import

Answer 1

Goods or service sold in a country that were produced in another country

Question 2

Meaning of export

Answer 2

Goods or service produced ion a country but sold outside of the country’s borders

Question 3

Meaning of navigation

Answer 3

Art of steering a ship from place to place

Question 4

Meaning of colony

Answer 4

A group of people living in a new territory but with ties to a different state

Question 5

Meaning of cultural diffusion

Answer 5

Spread of cultural traits from one culture to another

Question 6

Meaning of alphabet

Answer 6

Small set of letters or symbols, each of which stand for a single sound

Question 7

Meaning of assmbly

Answer 7

A group organized for a purpose

Question 8

Meaning of profit

Answer 8

to make a gain

Question 9

Where did the Phoenicians come from?

Answer 9

They were in the most western part of the Fertile Crescent, near the Mediterranean Sea (present day Lebanon).

They descended from Canaanites and were also influenced and ruled by nearby Egypt, and started gaining power after the end of Egyptian rule.

Question 10

How did geography influence the Phoenician way of life?

Answer 10

They lived in a mountainous region that did not have much farm land. Instead, they manufactured cloth of a special purple color, as well as pottery, glass and metal objects, and wooden furniture.

They were also expert sailors and navigators, because they lived near the Mediterranean Sea and had to travel to trade with other city-states.

Question 11

What did the Phoenicians import and export? Why was trade such an important part of their culture?

Answer 11

They did not have many natural resources so they traded their goods with other cultures, importing raw materials such as gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, ivory and precious stones.

Their craftsmen used these imported raw materials to manufacture goods such as bowls, tools weapons and jewelry that they exported (along with natural resources that they did have, such as wood, wine, fish, salt, and olive oil) throughout the Mediterranean.

Manufacturing and trade was an important part of their economy.

Question 11

What special knowledge did Phoenician sailors have?

Answer 11

They developed a thorough knowledge of wins patterns and ocean currents that allowed them travel to neighboring states to trade, and also to explore new areas past Egypt, and as far as present day Italy, Spain, Portugal, Britain and West Africa.

Question 12

Why did the Phoenicians travel so far and explore new areas?

Answer 12

They profited from their knowledge and courage to explore and establishing trade with new areas.

Question 13

How did Phoenicians expand their territory?

Answer 13

As they traveled farther, they established settlements along their trade routes that grew into larger colonies. Some of these colonies grew powerful, such as Carthage on the North African coast, extending the Phoenician’s territory and power.

Question 14

What are some important parts of Phoenician culture that left a legacy and influence through cultural diffusion?

Answer 14

Through their travels, their culture influenced faraway regions, and as the the Greeks took over parts of the Phoenician empire, Phoenician culture influenced Greek culture.

For example, the Greeks used the Phoenician standard of weights and measure.

The Greeks also adopted the Phoenician alphabet and way of writing, adding their own vowels.

Later, the Romans adopted the Greek alphabet that eventually developed into Latin letters which led to the English alphabet that we use today.

Question 15

How was writing different using the alphabet vs. cuneiforms?

Answer 15

In order to write in cuneiforms, one had to learn hundreds of different symbols. But the Phoenician alphabet only had 22 letters, so it made learning how to write much easier. The result was that many more people learned to write.

Question 16

Looking back at the history of the Fertile Crescent, what are examples of new technologies that influenced its growth?

Answer 16

Seed funnels, irrigation canals and wheeled carts improved farming, which helped to Sumerian civilization expand beyond its first small villages near rivers.

The development of bronze made armies that used bronze weapons more powerful. Later, armies that used iron weapons became more powerful than those that used bronze weapons.

Question 17

How did the way rulers governed their empires evolve from one empire to the next, in the Fertile Crescent region?

Answer 17

Early empires quickly faded after their strong rules died.

But the Persian Empire survived the death of their kings and lasted much longer, due to:

(1) Persian rulers treating their conquered people better and allowing them to participate in local government, which reduced rebellions and united the empire.

(2) Investment in a network of roads that made communication faster and more effective between the ruler and his governors.

(3) Fairer ways to calculate tribute from provinces, that reduced the strain on local provinces and rebellions.

(4) A common currency united different provinces within the Persian Empire.

Question 18

Did the Phoenician Empire replace the Persian Empire?

Answer 18

No, the Persian Empire actually ruled over the Phoenicians.

The Phoenicians were not known for conquering others to expand. Rather, they were known for their skill in trade and seafaring, and expanded their culture and influence through establishing colonies after exploring new areas.

Question 19

Study this timeline for ancient civilizations and empires of the fertile crescent.

Answer 19

Sumer: 4500 to 1900 BCE

Akkadian Empire: 2334 to 2114 BCE

Babylonian Empire: 1894 to 539 BCE

Persian Empire: 550 to 330 BCE

Phoenician Empire: 1200 to 300 BCE

Question 20

In the timeline, why does the Phoenician Empire overlap with others?

Answer 20

Phoenician city states were founded and became prominent between 1200 and 800 BCE, but were ruled by the Babylonians and Persians and had to pay tribute. But even when they were ruled by others, because they were located on the western edge of the Fertile Crescent and their trading activities took them further west, they were fairly independent.