1. • Location of Mesopotamia:Rivers: land between Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Used irrigation and canals, rivers would flood unpredictably; the “fertile crescent”

   • City-States (definition; names): A city that is its own country.(bablylon,uruk)

2. Sumerians: First cities: Ur, Uruk, Eridu

   • Inventions of sumerians: writing - cuneiform, wheel, arch, dome, math, astronomy

• Writing: Cuneiform (an invention of theirs) which led to scribes who were nobles sons

• Religion of sumerians:Polytheistic - Gods and goddesses were unpredictable and unfriendly 

• Ziggurat: (a temple/pyramid for worship) made of mud brick and baked brick. Polytheistic - Gods and goddesses were unpredictable and unfriendly 

• Theocracy or sumerians: government is ruled by divine authority (gods/goddesses) in a polytheistic society. At first priests and priestesses had power, but then social structure formed and men/kings were dominant

• Akkadians: an empire that formed from Sumerians 

• Semitic: the people that speak the ancient language of Phoenician and Akkadian (Jews)

• Sargon: ruler of Akkadians

• Empire: Akkadians were conquered by Babylonians

• Babylonians:

  • Hammurabi: Ruler of the Babylonian Empire, made Code of Hammurabi

• Legal Code of babylonians: 282 Laws for aspects of life; favored nobles and men; punishments based on social status

2. Egypt:

   • Geography: The Nile river is the longest in the world, 4,000 miles flow north, split right before the Mediterranean Sea, a triangle-delta. North Egypt = Lower Egypt, South Egypt = Upper Egypt

• Hatshepsut: one of the only queens in egypt

• Tutankhamen: (King Tut) pharaoh of Egypt who restored all gods once Akhenaton died

• Akhenaton: Closed temples of other gods and introduced Aton - the sole god

• Ramses II: Pharoah who was in charge when sea peoples drove out Egyptians and ended the New Kingdom

• Cleopatra VII: one of the only queens 

• Afterlife Beliefs: Mummification (process to preserve dead body) and the significance of the afterlife in Egyptian culture. 

• Religion of Egypt: polytheistic, sun and land gods/goddesses - Atum/Re (sun god). Osiris and Isis is an Egyptian myth where Osiris battled Seth and Seth cut Osiris into 14 pieces, Isis resurrected Osiris (the idea of the afterlife)

• Writing & Education: Hieroglyphics: sacred script stone. They had a Hieratic script. Scribes and men were taught writing while women stayed home.

• Art: significant architectural monuments - pyramids, temples, etc

• Old Kingdom: monarchs and pharaohs ruled, creation of pyramids as a dedication to the dead, ka - a spiritual body, a bureaucracy - the system of government where decisions are made with officials, vizier (high official); collapsed with a long period of chaos and division

• Middle Kingdom: Egypt reunited under Pharaoh Menuhotep II, there was expansion and trade, there were public works and welfare with stability and strength

• New Kingdom: Egypt reclaims under Pharaoh Ahmose I, an empire with lots of famous pharaohs, collapsed with an invasion of “Sea Peoples”

1. Hittites: Nomadic people combined with native people to form the Hittite Kingdom (empire). First Indo-Europeans to use iron; they were conquered by the Sea Peoples, allowing smaller kingdoms to gain power

• Pastoral nomads: domesticated animals, spread technology

• Advancements: Development of iron metallurgy and military strategies

• Interactions: Their role in the region and conflicts with neighboring civilizations

5. Phoenicians: came from a lack of dominance in the Hittite empire, produced lots of goods, and was good at trade

• Writing: Alphabet Development: The Phoenician alphabet influenced later writing systems.

• Phoenician trade: it was the basis of their civilization; with the cities of Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre; they were the great international sea traders tech related to ship building.

1. Israelites: 

   • Monotheism: belief in one god (Abraham), focused on covenant promises, and consequences were given to people who didn’t obey him; the Ten Commandments

• Abraham: G-d of the Israelite religion

• Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

• United Kingdom (King Solomon); capital: successful ruler of Israel, but his death led to divisions

• Divided Kingdom (Judah): Northern Israel, and Southern Judah, both were eventually conquered and the sound of Judah became Judaism and the Jewish religion

Assyrians: 

• Technology in Assyria(weapons): iron weapons, chariots, siege weapons

• Religion of assyrians(Ashur): Worshiped god of war and violence; Ancient Assyrians’ religion

• Postal System in Assyria: kings had absolute power; and formed a postal system of communication to make the first libraries

• Conquering Tactics in Assyria: Through fear and terror, conquered groups and tried to divide them, tortured people, known for being a ruthless group of warriors

• Reason for downfall in Assyria: under the assault of Babylonia and Mede's powers, it collapsed

Persians:

• Location : near Persian golf

• Cyrus the Great: the most well-known leader, and founder of the Persian empire

• Conquering Tactics in Iran: allowed conquered people to practice culture (let Jews return to Jerusalem), treated people with more respect

• Darius: expanded empire to Greece, divided empire into 20 provinces called satrapies

• Satrapies: ruled by governors

• Satrap: governor of ancient persian province

• Royal Road in Iran: a well made road with good organization and transportation

• Immortals: 10,000

• Reason for downfall in Iran: Loyalty to the empire declined, and there was violence and a struggle over the throne, so it was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great

• Religion in Iran :( Zoroastrianism) Zoroaster was a prophet of the true religion; monotheistic; Ahura Mazda (good) vs. Ahriman (evil), holy scriptures Zend Avesta