The Ancient Hebrews: The Origins of Judaism

Abraham is considered one of the patriarchs of the early Hebrews. 

 Unit Focus Question  How did the Hebrews have a lasting impact on Western Civilization? 

 Today's Focus Question  What were the origins and early beliefs of the Hebrews?

Introduction to the Unit  From our textbook: "The study of the Jewish people (the Hebrews) provides an excellent opportunity to show how a relatively small group of people can have a major impact on other peoples and on the course of history. Although the Jewish people were often enslaved or defeated in wars, their beliefs and writings influenced many civilizations."  

The Origins of Judaism: Vocabulary Study  Next, we will study the key vocabulary related to the origins of Judaism, using the document The Origins of Judaism - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom. We will be using an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook, which has been can also be found in Google Classroom (as well as here), to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts. Some images have also been posted below to help you conceptualize these new terms.

Judaism may have been the first monotheistic religion, but it would not be the last. 

Ethical behavior is an important part of the religion of Judaism. 

According to the Bible, God made a covenant with Abraham. 

Moses and the Ten Commandments. 

There was a large migration of ancient Hebrews from Egypt into the "Promised Land." 

CNN Student News and Current Event Mapping  As we watch CNN Student News today, identify one or two news stories that you can pinpoint geographically and place on the Current Event layer of your Social Studies World Map via Google Maps. 

Paris, France; Turkey and Syria; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin were all featured in today's segment. After pinning at least one of these places on your map, consider the most important question: What happened here? You should include a title for the event, the date(s) the event took place, a brief summary of what happened, and include an appropriate photo or video.

Homework  Complete the assignment The Origins of Judaism - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which will be due on Friday, December 4.