Population & settlement
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Earliest Settlements
The origins of the people of Israel were hard to determine for historians for a long time, because evidence suggests a composite of many people. However, the general consensus is that there is a primarily Babylonian descent. During the Babylonian expansion and domination (approximately 1600 BCE) a party of people from the lower Euphrates came to the region of Canaan, which at the time was used to describe the region of modern day Israel and the area surrounding it. Certain families went farther South and West, and eventually there were settlements scattered east and West of the Jordan River. This is where Hebraic people claim descent. At this time in the Bronze Age the environment was going through many changes that made the region almost unlivable. At the time there was an increased level of precipitation and an increase in the water level of the Dead Sea. Because of the increased water level there were drainage problems because some areas of settlement were even lower than the water level. Because of the increased rainfall and the increased water table, watersheds and drainage basins were not effective at all. This led to the increase of swampy marshy areas. These such areas made it almost impossible for agriculture to exist, and with nothing to produce there was nothing to trade. The people settling in this region at this time were faced with almost no means of supporting themselves. They were unable to prosper economically because their trade was crippled by the lack of agriculture. These challenges led the settlers to look elsewhere for a place to live. At that time people in Egypt were prospering, so most of the Hebraic people migrated to Egypt. However, with a change in the Egyptian kings Hebrew people began to be oppressed to a degree that was unlivable. They were being used as slaves for anything the Egyptian king desired. Moses, a Hebrew of Egyptian education led the Hebrew people back to Canaan where they would be free of the oppressive Egyptian rule. Before leading them out Moses had been under the care of Kenites where he adopted their god Yahweh. Once he led people to Canaan, “it became easier for the fugitives to make the worship of Yahweh their own” (JewishEncyclopedia.com, 2002). They began to prosper. Moses became the founder of Israel in that he gave his people a national spirit along with the religion of Yahweh. He became the first priest, civil leader, and supreme judge. His interpretation of Yahweh also gave him the title of the first prophet. In the meantime, Joseph, a tribal leader, wanted to consolidate his two groups, one of which was east of the Jordan. He met resistance so he joined with the Israelitish population that was already East of the Jordan and their allies. This drove out the Amorites and led to new Israelitish settlements in what is now Palestine. After the death of Moses, Joshua, the leader of the Ephraim tribe took his place. Joshua led the Hebraic people across the Jordan and joined together with the Israelites already in Palestine, for the purpose of gradually occupying the land of promise. This was the birth of the realization of a national ideal with “the spirit of a world-conquering religion”( JewishEncyclopedia.com, 2002). Israel extended itself for more than a century. This expansion was mostly by peaceful assimilation, but also sometimes by conquest. Soon the sense of nationality was destroyed by the effect of farming on a traditionally nomadic people. Canaanitish customs were also adopted with separate city governments and the worship of local deities. At the same time, the Philistines were constantly attacking Israel which significantly weakened the Nation. Samuel, the judge at the time, saw that only a king could reclaim and unite Israel. A wealthy landowner named Saul was chosen for the position, and with his victories over the Ammonites and Philistines Israel became strong and united again. The settlement period was over and they were ready to start laying the foundations for a country that would endure hardship after hardship but survive to share its culture with the world. |
More Information:
For more information, this site: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8269-israel-people- is a wonderful resource for more information about the twelve tribes and what happened to Israel following King Saul, including a more detailed account of the settlement of modern day Israel.The site: http://cuwhist.wordpress.com/worldviews-hist-103/hebrews/ provides more information about the geography of Israel and how it relates to the settlement of the Hebraic people, including some other reasons they had for choosing it.
For more information, this site: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8269-israel-people- is a wonderful resource for more information about the twelve tribes and what happened to Israel following King Saul, including a more detailed account of the settlement of modern day Israel.The site: http://cuwhist.wordpress.com/worldviews-hist-103/hebrews/ provides more information about the geography of Israel and how it relates to the settlement of the Hebraic people, including some other reasons they had for choosing it.
Population Pyramids
Citations
Image Citations:
Earliest Settlements Citations:
Map Citations:
Population Pyramid Citations:
Image Citations:
- Anonymous. (2013). Retrieved August 28, 2014, from http://www.hashastravel.ro/wp-content/gallery/israel/israel1.jpg
- Anonymous. (2011, September 14). Retrieved August 28, 2014, from http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ijDnD_Qbyus/Tm_8dyVI23I/AAAAAAAACjY/mGdNatxJUvQ/s1600/World_Israel_Mar_Saba_Monastery_007612_.jpg
Earliest Settlements Citations:
- JewishEncyclopedia.com. (2002, January 1). Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8269-israel-people-of
- Faust, A., & Ashkenazy, Y. (2009, January 1). Settlement Fluctuations and Environmental Changes in Israel’s Coastal Plain During the Early Bronze Age. Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://www.bgu.ac.il/~ashkena/Papers/LEV_41_19_2009.pdf
- Katz, J. (n.d.). History of Israel. Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~jkatz/israel.html
Map Citations:
- Ancient Jewish History: The Twelve Tribes of Israel. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/tribes.html
- Hebrews. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://cuwhist.wordpress.com/worldviews-hist-103/hebrews/
Population Pyramid Citations:
- De Wulf, M. (2012, January 1). PopulationPyramid.net. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http://populationpyramid.net/israel/1950/
- De Wulf, M. (2012, January 1). PopulationPyramid.net. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http://populationpyramid.net/israel/1990/