CHAPTER 2

Mesopotamia Greek for “land between the rivers”

Although mostly arid (dry), there lies an area known as the Fertile Crescent due to its arch shape and rich agricultural capabilities

The Rivers Two rivers frame Mesopotamia Tigris Euphrates Both flooded Mesopotamia at least once a

year leaving behind silt (a thick bed of mud) Silt produces fertile soil for agriculture Farmers used the rivers as irrigation sources Agricultural growth = population growth =

cities

Environmental Challenges Sumerians first settle and farmed

Mesopotamia in 3300 B.C. The Sumerians were attracted to good

soil The Sumerians faced three challenges

Unpredictable flooding and a period of little to no rain

No natural barriers for protection (defenseless)

Limited natural resources (building materials)

Solutions for Challenges Dug irrigation ditches for steady flow of

water

Built city walls with mud bricks for defense

Sumerians traded grains, cloth, and tools for natural resources

Solutions = Civilization Because Sumerians needed to solve the

challenges of their landscape, they began to organize

This organization needed leaders and rules

These leaders and the rules they produced became the foundation of a government and a civilization

City-States The Sumerians gave us city-states City-state = a city and its surrounding

land functioning as one unit At the center of all Sumerian city-states

was the ziggurat Ziggurat = a step-shaped temple were

priests ruled city-states

Theocracy Sumerian culture was a theocracy Theocracy= rule by divine (god) authority The rulers passed their rule onto their

sons and they did the same This series of rule by a family is called a

dynasty

Polytheism Polytheism = the belief in many gods The Sumerians tried to please their gods

through work and sacrifice The rulers saw themselves appointed by

the gods The people saw themselves as servants

of the gods

Sumerian Life Sumerians had social classes that defined

and separated groups Women had more rights than other later

civilizations New ideas and inventions:

Wheel, sail, plow First to use bronze Math; measuring and architecture Writing = Cuneiform

Empires An empire brings together several

peoples, nations, or previously independent states under the control of one ruler.

Sargon of Akkad: 2350 B.C. conquered Sumer Adopted Sumerian culture Helped to spread Sumerian culture and

knowledge

Babylonia 2000 B.C. Amorites conquer Sumer and

established the capital of Babylon Babylonian empire reached its peak

under the reign of Hammurabi Hammurabi’s Code:

System of laws put together to establish order and rule

The Egyptians The Nile

World’s longest river Flows south to north Foundation of Egyptian civilization

The gift of the Nile Yearly predictable flooding Left behind silt Farmers worshipped the Nile as a god Egypt = “the gift of the Nile”

Egyptian Challenges Flooding amount varied

Too little = starvation Too much = devastation

Desert = natural barriers/isolation but… Desert = natural barriers/ protection

Upper and Lower Egypt Cataracts = choppy whitewater that

prohibited travel

Egypt divided into Upper and Lower Egypt between Mediterranean Sea and first cataract of the Nile

Upper and Lower Egypt Upper Egypt

Area between first cataract and Nile river delta

It is the southern portion of the two areas

Lower Egypt Area from the Nile river delta to the

Mediterranean It is the northern portion of the two areas

Ease of Travel Nile flows north

Boats flow with current

Winds blow south Boats use sails

United the villages Promoted trade

Narmer United Upper and Lower Egypt

Established capital at Memphis Where Upper and Lower met

Pharaohs Kings were gods themselves Pharaohs were god-kings As powerful as spiritual gods Pharaoh was the center of all things

Government Military Religion Life

Pyramids Pharaohs ruled after their death Their tombs were more important than

their palaces Pyramids (p. 39)

Mummification Egyptians believed in an afterlife

Mummification to preserve the body for the afterlife

Egyptian Life Used social classes

Could break from your social class

Women were entitled to same rights as men Marriage and divorce

Hieroglyphics Used symbols for words and sounds

First written on clay tablets

Papyrus – reeds that could be formed into a paper-like sheet

Indus River Valley Subcontinent – includes India, Pakistan

and Bangladesh

Mountains serve as protective barriers to river valley

Indus and Ganges Rivers form Indus River Valley

River Valley Similarities Rivers carry water and silt

Monsoon – seasonal wind Bring flooding in summer months

Challenges Flooding unpredictable

Rivers sometimes changed course

Monsoons unpredictable

Civilization Larger area influenced by civilization than

other areas Planned cities

Grid system used for planning Plumbing and sewage Citadel Strong central government

Harappa One of the largest Indus Valley sites

Flood control

Streets

Bathrooms

Harappan Culture Written language using symbols Toys = _______________ Few weapons = _________________ Religion thought to be polytheistic with a

theocracy Trade was prominent

Use of rivers to travel Artifacts from other areas of the world

River Dynasties China

Natural barrier Gobi Desert Taklimakan Desert Himalayas

River Dynasties River Systems

Huang He (Yellow) “yellow river” Yellow silt called loess

Chiang Jiang (Yangtze)

Challenges Flooding

Devastating Huang He = “China’s Sorrow”

Isolation Had to rely on what they could produce

Attacks Even though isolated, still open enough for

invasion

Dynasties Rise Xia Dynasty

Brought irrigation Shang Dynasty

First Chinese rulers to leave written records Social classes Large walls for defense

Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven Feudalism

Early Culture Center of civilized world Family

Respect for elders Women inferior

Social classes Nobles (rulers/wealthy) Peasants (workers)

Religion Spirits of ancestors Oracle bones

Writing Spoken v. written

Common written language unites all of China

Difficult to learn Nobles v. peasants

Dynastic Cycle Dynastic Cycle – pattern of rise, decline,

and replacement of dynasties (p.54)

Mandate of Heaven Divine approval to rule

Feudalism – ruling system in which nobles oversee lands under control of a central leader

Technology and Trade Roads

Canals

Coins

Cast iron