Early River Civilizations 

Factors of civilization  

Vocab for unit 2 ←clicky 

✩‧₊˚ Ancient  mesopotamia   

Slides: 9/23 + 9/24     

Advanced cities

-large concentration of a population that is also a center for trade and artisanship (skill in a particular craft) 

-Ur, Lagash, Uruk, and Umma all had large populations of at least 10,000 people by 3000 BCE

(these are called city-states in mesopotamia) 

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Specialized workers 

-people who have skill in a specific kind of work including:

Artisans: skilled craftsmen, such as potters, weavers, and metal workers

merchants: engaged in trade and marketing

Soldiers: protect the community 

example:

-sumerian necklace made of bronze and lapis lazuli, created by skilled artisans

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Complex institutions 

-long lasting patterns of organization within a community including:

Government: creates and enforces laws

Religion: maintains religious sites (temples) and conducts rituals

Education: trains scribes (record keepers, they write records for us) 

-sumerian ziggurat, severed as center for both religion and government

-each city had one where a statue of a major deity (god) was located at the top to make offerings to 

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Record keeping 

-allows for documentation of important legal, historical, and economic records

-scribes used cuneiform style writing to keep records in clay tablets; cuneiform means wedge-shaped 

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Advanced technology 

-new tools and techniques that are created to solve complex problems and advance society

-sumerian metalworkers combined copper and tin to create bronze, a much stronger metal for artistic and military use; ushered in the bronze age c. 3300-3000 BCE when started 

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The fertile crescent (the invaders)

-sumerian technology emerged around 3500 BCE in the southern region - mesopotamia 

“Land between the two rivers”

-sumerians developed the first civilization in world history 

-the land is crescent shaped  

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An environment shaped by rivers

-tigris and euphrates rivers deposited thick silt each year, which allowed farmers to produce large crops of wheat and barley each year 

-tigris a swift (fast) river

-euphrates much slower

The land was (and still is) flat and swampy - todays “Marsh Arabs” still live in this region of present-day Iraq 

Unpredictable flooding and droughts made life chaotic - sometimes there was too much water and sometimes there was too little 

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Sumerians 

Sumerian technology 

-sumerians created irrigation systems to control flooding and maximize crop production 

-they built structures from sun-dried bricks made of clay

-they invented the wheel, the sail, and plow 

(improved farming and trade)

-they were the first people to forge bronze from copper and tin around c 3000 BCE 

-innovation allowed for stronger weapons and tools 

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Sumerian writing and mathematics 

-sumerian cuneiform emerged as the first formal writing system; scribes used a stylus to make wedge-shaped marks in wet clay tablets 

-record keeping was essential for documenting laws and keeping track of commerce

Commerce: trade and exchange of goods

It also enabled the creation of the first lunar calendar and the development of a number system based on 60 - used for measuring time and circles today 

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Sumerian social classes 

-specialization of labor gave rise to a complex social class structure

Kings, priests and city administrators made up the highest class, served by scribes 

Merchants traded for goods that could not be obtained in sumer, such as stone, wood, and metals 

Artisans and farmers made up he vast majority of the people

Slaves and unskilled workers were the lowest level of society, but slaves could work their way to freedom 

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Textbook outline 1

Outline 1 of textbook

Land between rivers

-geography of mesopotamia helped with living

• Tigris + euphrates rivers (east)

-today it is found in Iraq

The tigris river is swift (flowed fast) and is good for transportation

Euphrates river flowed slowly and is good for farming

• Mesopotamia 

-people: mesopotamians

It is flat fertile area

-supported early civilization 

• silt

-floodwaters (water overflowing because of floods) gave silt (fine & fertile soil)

-good for farming 

-populations grew & cities developed

Farming fertile crescent 

-9800 BC

• irrigation

-watering fields using human-made systems

-canals carried water from rivers to fields

-stored rainwater

-built walls from mounds of earth to hold floodwaters

Sumer 

-southern part

-3500 BC

• city-state

-includes city & its surrounding lands & settlements

-happened when villages united to build major irrigation projects

-fishing & trade, frequent wars

Centers of civilization 

-managing so many people

-around bronze age 3000 BC

• Social class

-order based on power & health

1. Kings

2. Priests

3. Administrators, scribes, merchants, artisans

4. Sumerian slaves

• artisans

-people who are skilled at making things by hand

Land of Many Gods

• Polytheism 

-belief in many gods

-believed that their gods ruled earth and that they created humans to serve them

Example: Ishkur was a storm god who was believed to have the power to cause destructive rains and floods whenever he liked

Temple offerings 

• ziggurat

-most important building within a city-state that was a huge pyramid-shaped temple 

-means “mountain top”

-each city was dedicated to each god

-religious practices here and the government 

-religious practices include rituals and purification

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Hammurabi’s code & invaders of Mesopotamia

Slides: 9/25 + 9/26 - mesopotamia & hammurabi’s code

• The law code shows how it is unequal due to social classes

Even if they do establish equal punishments for the crime, the social classes still make it unequal

Sumerian city states 

-Sumer developed as independent city states, including Ur, Uruk, Lagash, Umma, Nippur, and Kish. There were about a dozen total

-each city state controlled its city and the surrounding farmland 

-complex governments emerged that could plan irrigation systems, resolve disputes involving property, and defend their own city state

-priests ruled from ziggurats, which served as both temples and government centers 

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Sumerian arts and culture 

-serumerian art works offered evidence of a wealthy society that valued religion, music, and natural beauty 

-sumerian artists produced many works of pottery,metal, and ornamentation 

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Sumerian religion 

-followed a polytheistic system of religious belief

-believed in many gods, each of whom controlled an aspect of nature

-gods behaved much like humans and sumerians offered worship and sacrifices to them to avoid their wrath

-believed the souls of dead passed on to a gloomy afterlife 

-did not have a concept of peaceful and pleasant afterlife

-the epic of gilgamesh tells the story of a mighty king who failed in his quest to find immortality - (earliest known work of literature we have found) 

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Akkadians 

2334 to 2184 BCE

-akkad (located in central mesopotamia) will be the first to dominate the region

-in 2334 BCE, Sargon conquered Sumer to the south, and lands to the north (created the world’s first empire)

Empire: group of different lands and people governed by one ruler

Akkidan became the new official language and Sumerian was used for religious purposes only

-the akkadian empire lasted 150 years, and King Sargon ruled for 56 of them 

-empire fells after Sargon’s sons divided control of the empire and the city-states rebelled against the centralized government

For the next hundred years, city states battled for control

Babylonians 

-hammurabi was the sixth king of the city-state of Babylon 

-circa 1800 BCE, he won control of a region of mesopotamia 

Built a large empire united through law and a bureaucratic government 

Bureaucracy: a system of (non elected) officials that carry out the work of a government 

-they continued the building of ziggurats 

Hammurabi created the first written law of “Hammurabi code”

-provided some rights for women and lower classes

-laws were harsh, but provided the basis of stable society 

-punishments would fit the crime (“an eye for an eye”)

-law posted all over town for everyone to read

After his death, the babylonian empire steadily declined until around 1500 BCE

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Hittites 

(from turkey, asia minor, anatolia)

-were originally involved in trade in the mediterranean sea

-took control over northern region of mesopotamia (modern day turkey region)

-created a peace treaty with Egypt

-invaded northern mesopotamia after Hammurabi, and were able to rule because they were first to make iron 

-used chariots and iron-working technology that led to military successes due to the superiority of the harder metal

-first the hittites were able to keep the recipe for iron a secret, but then it was revealed 

-they lost control of their empire that lasted from 1600 BCE to 1180 BCE as knowledge of iron spread around the world, started the Iron Age

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Assyrians 

-originally under babylonian rule, fought their way to independence

-were there own state for over two centuries, expanded over that time and created their own empire

-the empire was in mesopotamia and the Sinai Peninsula

They were harsh brutal  warriors who conquered the mesopotamian and egyptian river valleys from 1100 BCE to c. 612 BCE

-known for destroying cities as they captured them and killed or enslaved residents

The king named Ashurbanipal built the first library at nineveh which contained thousands of clay tablets

-included a copy of the Epic of Gilgamesh

EPIC OF GILGAMESH!!! - an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia that is often regarded as the earliest surviving great work of literature

-assyrians developed advanced weaponry, such as the siege engine, which protected soldiers as they fired arrows 

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The Chaldeans

-under king nebuchadnezzar, the chaldeans conquered the territory of the assyrians and were as brutal

King Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon and ruled from it from 612-539 BCE until Persians conquered Babylon 

-the palace contained the Hanging Gardens of Babylon ---one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world 

-jews being exiled to this region

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Textbook outline 2

The eight gods of ancient egypt 

Horus - sky god

Hathor - goddess of love, birth and death

Re - god of the sun (sometimes called Ra)

Nut - sky goddess

Anubis - god of the dead

Osiris - god of agriculture and judge of the dead

Isis - wife of Osiris and mother of Horus 

Thoth - god of writing, counting and wisdom 

1.3 pages 94-95 - 2.1 ~ 2.2 pages 98-101 

• Menes

-king of upper egypt that conquered lower egypt & became ruler of ALL egypt 

• Dynasty

-a series of rulers from the same family 

-egypt had 31 dynasties and was ruled by a total of more than 330 kings

• Pharaoh

-after 100 BCE

-used generally for all Egyptian kings

-most pharaohs were men

-people used it because they were afraid to speak of the king’s name

-the pharaoh was worshiped  as a living god himself

-main role to keep harmony with people and their gods

• Viziers 

-these were the chief officials, people who did work for the pharaoh

-1 to two viziers ( one for upper & lower Egypt)

-1000’s of lesser official supported viziers

• Pyramids 

-pharaohs used their enormous wealth & power to build these 

-massive monument tomb to house dead bodies

-represent that life is a passageway to the afterlife

-careful preparations for death

• Great Pyramid of Khufu

-so huge that people believe Khufu had been a cruel king

-khufu must have had exceptional power and wealth to build his great pyramid

-used copper tools, ropes, ramps, limestone, granite and took over 20 years and 18,000 workers

• Hierarchy 

-people belonging to different social classes

Top

-pharaoh 

-priests and nobles (ran country and army)

-officials and scribes (kept government running smoothly, collecting taxes, organizing, and keeping records)

-craftsmen and merchants

-farmers

-unskilled laborers, slaves (who had the hardest work)

Bottom 

• Re

-most important god (the sun god)

-created the world

Osiris - god the underworld

Anubis - weighed each dead person’s heart against the weight of an ostrich feather

(if the heart is lighter or the same, they go to the afterlife)

Main idea: Egyptians had strong beliefs about religion and burial that affected all social classes

-women shared some rights with men unlike mesopotamia

-could own property, take part in businesses, court cases, and do almost any job

-but their main role was to be a wife and raise children

Mummies - preserved dead bodies 

-they would remove internal organs (except the heart for which is to be weighted by anubis), dry out the body, wrap it in linen, and place in a coffin

-performed rituals that were to give life to the mummy

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✧.* Ancient egypt 

Slides: 9/27 + 9/30 

-3200-1000 BCE

-the “Gift of the Nile”

Nile river shapes egyptian life

-Herodotus, greek historian, referred to egypt as the “Gift of the Nile”

-water from central and eastern Africa flows north through the deserts, making life possible

“Black land” = fertile soil

“Red land” = desert soil

Predictable annual flooding made life orderly

Summer - flooding

Fall & winter - planting and growing

Spring  - harvesting

Egypt and its unique geography and environment 

Surrounded by seas

-mediterranean sea

-red sea

Natural barriers

-seas

-Sahara Desert to West

-Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas to East

Orange: old kingdom

Yellow: middle kingdom

Red: new kingdom 

Ancient Egyptian kingdoms 

Old, middle, new kingdoms

Old kingdom: 2660 to 2180 BCE

-period of internal turmoil for 100 years

Middle kingdom: 2080 to 1640 BCE

-Hyksos conquest (1640-1570 BCE)

New kingdom: 1570 BCE to 1075

-also known as the Egyptian empire

Egyptians technological advancements

-engineering 

-architecture

-solar calendar

-numeric system and geometry 

-navigation

-boat building

Pyramid builders 

-rulers of the Third Dynasty (start of the old kingdom) began to build pyramids as royal tombs

-started with the Step Pyramid of Djoser in c. 2650 BCE

-Imhotep ( was an Egyptian chancellor to the King Djose), royal architect, designed the Step Pyramid

-called it the “castle of eternity” from which that pharoah’s ka (divine spirit) could continue to rule in the afterlife

-Great Pyramid of Giza, completed by 2550 BCE as a tomb for Cheops (Khufu), represents the greatest architectural achievement of the ancient world

-one of the seven wonders of the world that is still standing today

 Textbook outline 3

3.2,   pages 108-109     -    3.4,  pages 112, 113

A long and powerful reign 

• Ramses II (Ramses the Great)

-1279 - 1213 BC

-ruled for 66 years

-egypt was powerful when he ruled

-led Egypt's army against the Hittites at the battle of Kadesh 

-built strong economy and city

• Hittites 

-powerful empire centered around present day Turkey

-tried to control eastern Mediterranean

Battle at Kadesh

-stopped Hittites advance

-war still went on after for 15 years

-ended with a peace treaty (between Hittite king and Ramses)

The new kingdom ends

-members of ruling dynasty clashed

-un the new kingdom, egypt was conquered and controlled by many foreign powers

-final pharaohs were Macedonians (from Greek peninsula)

-last pharaoh was Cleopatra VII

-Rome conquered Egypt (30 BC)

The rise of Kush

• Nubia 

-south of Egypt, across the nile

-rich in copper, gold, and other natural resources

-provided a trade route for exotic goods from central africa 

-adopted many egyptian practices, customs, religion

-were first dominated by Egypt

-gold was important to Nubia

• Nubian kingdom of Kush

-asserted its independence

-Kushite king, Piankhi, invaded Egypt taking control of Thebes, Memphis, upper and lower Egypt 

-(728 BCE), united kingdoms of Egypt and Kush

-the Kushite kings continued Egyptian religion, social, and political practices

-Kush finally lost control of Egypt to the Assyrians due to iron weapon wielding (use and power)

Trade in iron and gold

-kush continued as independent power

-the city of kush remained a international trade center

-kushites had lots of gold  and produced iron 

-(500 BC), Kushite capital moved south to another important trade center called Meroë

-nubians expanded their kingdom and opened trade centers for iron

-Meroë had lots and lots of iron ore

-iron made stronger tools

-the city remained an important economic and political center for centuries 

Main idea: Nubian Kingdom of Kush followed Egypt as a center of power, culture, and trade

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Slides 10/1 + 10/2

Egyptian Hieroglyphics 

-Egyptian tombs and temples are covered in art and hieroglyphics that gave insight into Egyptian life

Hieroglyphics = “sacred carvings” that are Egyptian writing 

-pictograms originally represented ideas but shifted to representing sounds

-invention of papyrus, made from marsh reeds, provided an easier writing and artistic surface (similar to paper)

-a French scholar deciphered hieroglyphic writing in 1822

 -used text provided on the Rosetta Stone, discovered by Napoleon’s invading troops in 1799.

-we can infer about ancient egyptian society and economy that the Nile river was very important

Economic system

-depended on using their goods, mostly crops including grains, in a bartering system

Bartering system: trading goods through their shops and in public marketplace

Ships sailed up and down the Nile River, bringing goods to various ports

Traded with neighboring Nubia, importing slaves and raw materials

How did Egyptian society help to promote social order? 

-The pharaohs in egypt were considered gods (while in mesopotamia the kings were appointed by the gods) and the elite governed Egypt for the pharaoh 

How did Egyptian society compare with Mesopotamian Sumer culture? 

-Both were different based on their religion but were both polytheistic (believing in many gods). They both worshiped gods and goddesses who served different roles.

Mesopotamia had a bad look at the afterlife while Egypt thought of the afterlife in a positive way, building pyramids for their pharaohs for the afterlife. 

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Social Structure

egyptians had a strict firm social class system 

-the pharaoh was considered a god and was on the top (A GOD KING!!!1)

-next came the visors, who executed his orders

-Priests and nobles came next

-Soldiers and scribes were followed by merchants and skilled artisans

-Farmers and workers were near the bottom

-Slaves were at the bottom of the societal pyramid. Slavery was common and accepted.

Social classes were determined by your heritage

-if your parent was a scribe, you became a scribe 

Roles of women and children  

-gender inequality between men and women like most ancient civilizations

-women were mainly expected to take care of their homes and families 

-Some women did work as artisans, doctors, scribes, priests, and government officials

women had more legal rights in Egypt than most civilizations at the time

-ex. Owning property, making contracts, and divorcing their husbands 

-children played with toys and learned sports such as swimming

-children were expected to do the same job as their father when they became adults

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Egypt Unites as One Kingdom

-5000 BCE

-people in egypt were living under two kingdoms

-lower kingdom in the north, upper kingdom in the south

Unlike mesopotamia:

-egyptian cities and villages united into one large kingdom in 3100 BCE

Menes (king of upper egypt) 

-conquered Lower egypt and established his capital at Memphis 

-united the two crowns of egypt into one “double crown”

-started the first dynasty (power passes to next generation)

-menes is considered the first pharaoh (GOD KING!!!11) of egypt 

-all powerful by the egyptian people

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Egyptians Embrace the Afterlife

pyramids were designed to help pharaohs ascend to the heavens to join the sun god, Ra

-viewed as a symbol of national unity and hope in an eternal future

-egyptians viewed in a good afterlife 

-viewed death as a transition from this world to the eternal “Other World”

Mummification

- was first used with Old Kingdom Pharaohs to preserve their bodies for eternal life

-later became common to all classes of egyptian society 

-egyptians were buried with artifacts from daily life that would prove useful in the afterlife

-including their mummified pets

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King Tut

- (1334-1325 BCE)

-most famous mummy ever

-discovered in 1922 by a british archaeologist named Howard Carter

-remarkable since his tomb remained untouched by robbers for 3300 years

-Tutankhamen (King Tut), was used by the priests to restore the polytheistic faith 

- he took the throne at the age of 8 or 9 after his father’s death, who had tried to convert Egyptians to one god

How did the gods and goddesses reflect Egyptian beliefs about the world around them and their future destiny?

-

 They dictated how people lived their lives, how they treated other people, how they farmed and worked, and all their beliefs about the afterlife.

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The Book of the Dead

-a collection of texts and images that helped to guide the soul to eternal life

Ancient Egyptians believed that in order to become immortal after death, a spirit must first pass through the underworld — a realm of vast caverns, lakes of fire, and magical gates. Needless to say, one needed to come prepared. But how? Tejal Gala describes an Egyptian "Book of the Dead" -- a customized magic scroll written by the living to promote a smooth passage to the afterlife when they die

Many egyptian pharaohs over centuries: men and women

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Ramesses II 

-(19th Dynasty, 1279-1213 BCE)

He expanded the Egyptian empire and secured its borders against attackers 

-Hittites

-Syrians

-Libyans

-Nubians

-he outlived 12 sons and had a long rule

-He established one of the first major peace treaties in history with the Hittites.

-helped establish a peaceful northern border throughout the rest of his rule

Fun Fact: In 1974, Egyptologists noticed his mummification was rapidly deteriorating due to a fungal infection. They flew it to Paris for a special examination. He was issued a passport that listed his occupation as King (deceased)

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Nubia

-south of egypt 

-two civilizations interacted, traded (nubia copper and gold)

-even intermarried

-Nubians adopted and adapted much of Egyptian culture after Egyptians conquered their lands

-included religion and architecture

728 BCE

-After Ramses II, Kush, the kingdom in Nubia, took control of Egypt 

-kushites considered themselves of the same religion and culture 

-regarded their leaders as  Pharaohs as well

-Eventually the Assyrians took control of Egypt and Nubians lost control of Egypt

-Kush continued to thrive as an independent empire as they were not raided by Assyrians

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Nubia and kush

Nubia

- had gold, copper, iron, other resources

-allowed them to continue to trade along the Red Sea and with central Africa 

-maintained wealth in the ancient world 

Nubian women had strong positions in both government and religion. 

-the chief goddess was Isis

-the queen mother chose the next king

-many females were chosen to rule alone

-there were even female military generals

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✎ Similarities and differences between mesopotamia and egypt 

-MESOPOTAMIA -EGYPT 

Essay writing

Contextualization: (3-5 sentences on these two river civilizations):

Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt were both closest located in the continent Africa. These early river civilizations were during 3500-3000 BCE and during the Bronze Age. Today, mesopotamia can be found in modern day Iraq. Egypt is in north-eastern Africa. 

Thesis: (geography/environment)

ANT:  Although… nevertheless… therefore…
Although both civilizations are different in the area of natural barriers, they nevertheless have significant similarities with regard to fertile land and environments with rivers. Therefore, Mesopotamia and Egypt have more similarities than differences. 

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Textbook outline 4

1.1-1.2, pages 144-147       -         1.1-1.2, pages 166-169

The geography of Ancient India 

Main idea: south asia’s physical geography affected the development of Indus Valley civilizations 

-mountains, rivers, and monsoons 

• Subcontinent

-large landmass that is part of a continent

Present day India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan made up the large landmass which was originally an island 

-large moving plates drove the subcontinent into Asia 

-the Himalaya formed when Earth’s crust moved upward because of the plates

-himalaya are the world’s highest mountains (24,000 feet)

Indus and  Ganges

-the two major rivers of northern India 

-both start in the Himalaya 

-provide water for irrigation and deposit

-fertile soil for farming 

Monsoons 

-strong seasonal wind that influences climate

-important element of the subcontinent’s climate

-winds bring dry season in winter

-bring wet season with heavy rainfall in the summer

Indus River Valley

-ideal conditions for agriculture

-encouraged nomadic herdsmen to settle & farm

-around 2500 BC. villages grew into cities

Harappan civilization 

Main idea: one of the world’s earliest and most advanced emerged in Ancient India’s Indus River Valley 

-well planned cities

Due to food surpluses (excess food production) civilizations developed (2500 BCE)

• Mohenjo-Daro

-major city in this civilization

-covered over 250 acres

• Harappa 

-gave the Harappan civilization it’s name

Both are the largest cities of their time

-influence spread across 500,000 square mile

(greater than that of Egypt or Meseopotamia)

• Planned cities 

-a city built with a specific layout in mind

-Indus Valley was the first planned city

-eastern housing 

-business areas guarded by defensive walls

-in the west included main roads and streets

-housing made out of bricks, with indoor plumbing with underground sewers

Harappan sites and civilizations 

Sites: pottery, jewelry, toys, and tools with strong cultural ties

Civilizations: single state with a strong central government 

Advanced culture

-Harappars were long distance traders 

-they could have used boats or automobiles at the time (don’t know for sure)

-we don’t know a lot about them, not even the writing systems (was it cuneiform or hieroglyphics or something else?)

The geography of Ancient China

Main idea: China’s deserts, mountains, and rivers helped shape its civilization 

Natural barriers

-isolated (cut off from the test of the world)

-cut off China;s civilization from the rest of the world

-this early isolation for ancient china helped unify chinese culture and establish a firm foundation

-included vast deserts

Major rivers

-Huang He

-Chang Jiang

Huang He (also the Yellow River)

-northern China

-high concentration of yellow silt (for fertile soil)

-unpredictable with its river flowing direction changed many times

-heavy rains have caused the river to flood

Chang Jiang (Yangtze)

-central china

-third longest river in the world

-carries fertile yellow silt

-predictable course (no flood)

-helped unify china by the river being used for  transportation

Area between the two rivers: the North China Plain 

-birthplace of Chinese civilization

3200 BC

Longshan - area with culture

Advanced chinese cultures arose in other river valleys 

-all these ancient cultures contributed to the development of China’s unique civilizations and leaders

Earliest rulers: the Shang and the Zhou 

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Asian River Civilizations 

Unit 2 Slides: 10/9 + 10/10

(textbook outline 4 is on this too)

Ancient India 

Quizlet

video

-India is considered to be a peninsula. 

-when this landmass collided with Asia, it formed the subcontinent

-little known about ancients india’s culture, but it is closely linked to the culture in modern day India 

India is a subcontinent (landmass apart of Asia)

-3 mountain ranges: hindu kush, karakoram, and the himalaya 

-they create a separation from the rest of Asia

-southern india is a peninsula that juts out to the indian ocean

Indus River Valley

Two important rivers where the civilizations were settled on 

-Indus river

-Ganges  river 

Both create a fertile floodplain in north India 

-both rivers helped with farming and civilizations 

-both rivers would flood and even change course

Indus 

- isolated, changed course, 

monsoons - bring too much or too little water (bring water from the indian ocean)

-Indus would allow transportation to other distant cities and people and could trade with them

Indus river valley civilizations 

-little was known about it 

-unable to decipher the writing language

-water washed away fossils/artifacts 

-7000 BCE - domesticated animals

-3200 BCE - living in full villages

-living in well planned cities using a grid system

-plumbing sewer systems

Ancient indus likely had a strong central government

Important cities  

1. -mohenjo-daro 

2. -Harappa

-children toys suggests that the area was quite prosperous (bringing wealth and success) at the time 

-few weapons have been found and  can mean that little conflict and warfare could of been there

-artifacts show the early roots of religion (hinduism) 

-stamps and seals have been found on a lot of artifacts (could of been by merchants for trade)

-artifacts with indus stamps have been found in Mesopotamia which shows that a trading relationship between the two civilizations existed 

Decline of the civilizations

-1750 BCE

We don’t know exactly how they left 

Historians believe:

-might be because they left because there was no more fertile land for farming

- Arians from asia  could of been the collapse 

-the rivers changed course

-might of been by 1500 BCE

-aryan and indian culture eventually influenced each other in this region causing continued culture development 

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Ancient china 

Quizlet

Video

-unlike other places, chinese culture and civilization have existed since ancient to modern times

-the influence of china is long lasting on the world's stage

Geography of china

Many natural barriers

-difficult to travel to

-east of china: pacific ocean

-west of china: taklimakan desert, plateau of tibet

-south of china: himalayan mountains 

-north of china: gobi desert, mongolian plateau 

-because of these natural barriers china had little contact with out civilization

-still had many invasions 

Important rivers

-Huang He (yellow river)

-Yangtze River 

-these two rivers were able to  provide a flood plain for good farming although so much of china is mountainous and/or covered in desert land

Huang He

-flooded and  left behind a yellowish silt known as loess (thus the nickname Yellow)

-the silt provided fertile land for farming

Dynasties

Xia (around 4,000 years ago)

-first dynasty 

-was able to contain the floods of the Huang He and build irrigation systems

-this dynasty left no written records so we don’t know for sure what happened 

Shang dynasty 

-palaces, tombs

-civilizations under this dynasty: anya 

-build walls around their cities because of constant warfare and invasions despite natural barriers

-these walls show how much control the shang ruler had over the chinese people

Social class structure

Divided by the 

-nobles: owned the land, controlled the villages, send money to the king for protection

-peasants: worked the land, were able to yield two harvests of millet, rice, and wheat each year

-under the shang tradition chinese culture began to emerge 

-about respect, unity, and devotion for one’s family

-important: respect for one’s parents

Chinese households

-men were in charge and made all the decisions

-women were inferior to their husbands and were expected to bare children (particularly males)

religion

-oracle bones: as a way to talk to the gods, were shells that were cracked, the cracks were interpreted as messages from the gods

-oracle bones are the earliest records of chinese culture

-used characters to describe different ideas and concepts like mesopotamia and egypt (for language)

-unlike other languages, spoken and written language are not connected

Artisans and craftsmen

-bronze working: number 1 artisans were really good at

-silk may have been produced in china as early as the shang dynasty 

Zhou dynasty 

-1027 to 265 BCE (very long time)

-mandate of heaven: a just ruler had a divine  right to rule

-A poor ruler could lose his right to rule and therefore lose the mandate of heaven and be vulnerable to overthrow

-caused chinese rulers to rule over the people quite justly (fairly) for fear that they will lose the mandate and their power

Dynastic cycle: 

-the mandate of heaven (and the rise and fall of dynasties) is consistent in chinese history

System of feudalism: 

-nobles were granted land technically owned by the king and owned loyalty to the king

-because the land was divided by the nobles, the kings were able to rule over a vast area of land

-the power of the nobles eventually increased

-peasants became more loyal to their local nobles than some far off king

-warfare between nobles became common

-the joe dynasty collapsed and became the warring states period

The Warring states period

-land owning ability required power

-became warring (causing conflict) against the other landowners 

-chinese values were replaced by chaos, arrogance, and defiance instead of unity 

-it would take 25 years and a strong ruler for china to emerge as a unified nation again

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People of the Sea

Slides: Unit 2 Slides: 10/11 + 10/15

-hittites, minoans, phoenicians 

-near the mediterranean sea 

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Minoans 

-located in the island of crete in modern day Greece 

-the height of civilization was around 2000-1200 BCE

-Trade Empire in Aegean Sea

-pre-greek civilization

-we don’t know what happened to the minoans

-could of been because of natural disasters, but it is the subject of Greek mythology 

-they existed at the same time as Phoenicians, with no known fighting between them

The Minoans in myth

• Atlantis: A mythic underwater city that was struck down by the gods 

•  Hercules:  A demi-god (half god half man) that was supernaturally strong. After killing his wife while hypnotized, he had to complete 12 labors to earn the god’s forgiveness 

•  bull palace of king minos

• The Minotaur:  Aphrodite, (the goddess of love) cursed the wife of King Minos to fall in love with a bull. After giving birth to her hideous half-bull son, King Minos constructed a labyrinth to trap the Minotaur and offered it human sacrifices for mercy. 

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Phoenicians: 

-mediterranean sea

-were skilled boat builders 

Height of civilization: 3200-539 BCE

-major trade empire in the mediterranean sea

-major technological accomplishments like the alphabet, which was passed onto the greeks

-is the basis of the alphabet today

-battering ram on the bow of ships; keel on the bottom of ships for steering

-Greeks referred to Phoenicians as “red-purple people” after the mythical phoenix

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Hittites 

-was once a major power in the ancient world

-region that encompassed (takes places) in modern day turkey, Iraq, and Levant

-this region was home to many civilizations and empires over the course of its history: the acadians, sumerians, and Babylonians 

Hittites: were of a Indo-european origin who spoke a language called Hittite

-believed to have migrated to the region of Anatolia, modern day Turkey around 2000 BCE

-established a kingdom that stretched from the eastern mediterranean coast all the way to the black sea

-hittite kingdom  was located in a strategic location

-had access to both land and sea trade routes giving them a significant advantage over their neighbors

-allowed them to become a major economic  and military power in the region

Hittites were known for their advanced military technology

-use of iron weapons

-chariots

-skilled diplomats using treaties and alliances to secure their places in the region 

Established a large and powerful kingdom with different peoples and  cultures

-their kingdom reached  the peak of its power in the 16th century 15th century BCE

-the king was Sally

-expanded their territory and defeated their rivals including: the powerful kingdom of Babylon

13th century BCE

-the Hittites were attacked by the Sea people, a group of Barbarian invaders from the mediterranean 

-the Hittites were unable to stop the Sea people, and their kingdom declined

12th century BCE

-the Hittites lost control of their territory and their power significantly declined

-continued to exist as a civilization but no longer the dominant force

they still left a lasting legacy in the ancient world

• One of the first civilizations to use iron weapons which revolutionized warfare

• Had a sophisticated legal system: use of treaties, contracts to govern relation

• Contributions to art and architecture: skilled stone carvers, their palaces and temples were adorned with intricate carvings and reliefs

Overall they were powerful and influential civilizations that left a lasting mark on history

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Judaism 

Slides: Judaism

Ancient Hebrews and Judaism

-the chosen people and the rise of monotheism (the belief in one god)

Abraham: First Patriarch 

-patriarch (father)

-around 1800 BCE

-a man named Abraham moved from Ur (Sumer) to Haran then to Canaan

-god told him, a shepherd, to take his family and move to Canaan (Israel today)

-Canaan would be their “promised land”

-this was a covenant (promise and agreement) with god

-early Hebrews led a quiet semi-nomadic life

-Abraham’s descendents would be protected if they worshiped only the one true God and did as He asked. 

-father of Isacc and grandfather of Jacob

-Jacob’s 12 sons became the kings of the “Twelve Tribes of Israel”

-Abraham was considered the father (or patriarch) of the Hebrew nation (which originated in Canaan)

The movement:

-sometimes canaan   was too dry to grow crops

-around 1650 BCE, Hebrews migrated to Egypt, where Pharaoh enslaved them

-they then became known as Israelites

Moses: Leader  &  Lawgiver 

-according to writings, between 1500-1200 BCE god chose Moses to lead the Hebrews back to Canaan

-this is known as the Exodus 

during the Exodu

-which took 40 years

-Moses climbed Mt. Sinai 

-god presented him with the Ten Commandments

Traditionally 

-Moses is considered the author of the Torah, which is the religious text of the Jews

-(It is also the Old Testament of the Christian faith.) 

-Moses died during the Exodus

- so leader named Joshua (Abraham’s son)  finished the journey back to Canaan

-IN canaan 12 tribes were established as a loose confederation

Jerusalem

-after returning to  Canaan 

-the hebrews went to war with local Canaanites for about 200 Years

-conquered most of Canaan 

-established the city of Jerusalem 

-Hebrews lived by the Torah.  

Torah

-made up of 24 books

-form the basis of Jewish law

-provided code on how to live a just (equal) life

-eat Kosher (fit or proper) foods

-and value education and  charity 

-makes up the Old testament of the christian bible

Synagogues

-temples of worship

-led by  a rabbi (scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law)

Sabbath

-sunset friday to sunset monday

-is day of worship and rest

By 1020 B.C.E.

-the philistines  attacked and a king named Saul defended the Israelites

-after Saul’s death, a man named David was crowned king

Foundation of the Kingdom of Israel 

-1000 BCE

-king David defeated  the Philistines  and made Jerusalem the capital of the kingdom of Israel

-david’s son,  King Solomon, built the first temple Solomon’s temple

-the temple was the religious center of Jewish life and expanded Israel’s power and influence

-but he taxed the 10 northern tribes more than the 2 southern tribes to pay for this temple

-the jewish people split into two temples

-Israel 10 northern tribes and Judah (2 southern tribes)

-after Solomon’s death around 920 BCE war broke out between the two kingdoms

-based on their capital of Nineveh, the Assyrians conquered much of Middle East starting 850 BCE

-assyrian military was based on the use of iron weapons and armor, advanced siege warfare tactics, and sheer brutality

722 BCE

-assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel 

-those peoples are lost ot written historical record

650 BCE

-they controlled mesopotamia, syria, Phoenicica, Palestine, and Egypt

Babylonian Captivity

-612 BCE

-chaldeans and their allies, the Medes, destroyed Nineveh

-chaldeans restored Babylon as the capital of their empire 

600 BCE

-king Nebuchadnezzzar created a powerful Neo-Babylonian empire 

-Jerusalem fell to Chaldean control

586 BCE

-Solomon’s temple was destroyed 

Next 70 years (the babylonian Exile

-Many prominent Jews were taken into captivity by the Chaldeans 

-they were removed to the region around Babylon 

-first diaspora or relocation of a peoples

539 BCE

-when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon

-he had a policy of religious tolerance and encouraged Jews to move back to Canaan

Jewish Text creation

-Genesis 1 in the bible

-presents a positive view of creation

major concepts:

-God brings about creation

-man created in god’s image

-eden = paradise on earth

-man’s stewardship over nature

-adam and eve tempted by satan

-the fall - disobedience lead to sin and separation from god; “sin” becomes the central problem that requires a solution

Covenant of Abraham 

-genesis 12 in the bible

Major concepts

-abraham left mesopotamia based on god’s command

-moved from a polytheistic culture to a monotheistic belief system

-god rewards Abraham’s obedience with a blessing

-abraham’s descendants = the chosen ones, who will lead humanity back into fellowship with god

Ten Commandments 

-exodus 20 in the bible

-during the exodus, Moses climbed Mt. Sinai where god gave him 10 commands

-considered an ethical code of conduct

Major concepts:

-reflects monotheistic beliefs:

-commands 1-4 = respect for god

-emphasis on social morality: 

-commands 5-10 = respect for others

Atonement for Sin

-leviticus 17 in the bible

Major concepts:

-blood sacrifice required to pay the price of sin

-resotiees right relationship with god

Yom Kippur: day of atonement

Sacrifices offered in the Tabernacle later the temple of Jerusalem

Confession of Faith 

-deuteronomy 6 in the bible

Major concepts:

-moses speaks this to the israelites

-the Shema emphasizes a personal relationship between the believer and god

-equality of ALL before god

-god is ONE = emphasis on monotheism