Mesopotamia

FOCUS QUESTION

Why did early civilizations tend to develop in river valleys?

Civilization Begins Between 6000 and 500 B.C., hunters-

gatherers began settling on the flat grassy regions between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Easy to grow crops, good farming, easy to feed many people.

Civilization Begins (cont’d)

social class = a group of people who hold a similar position or rank in society

specializationwas

possible

agriculturalsurpluses

class structure in society

Mesopotamia = “the land between 2 rivers” Tigris River & Euphrates River Rivers often flooded, leaving rich soil for farming. PROBLEM the flooding was VERY

unpredictable irrigation = a way of controlling water and

bringing water to crops

The Fertile Crescent

Summary

The first civilizations arose in river valleys. They produced agricultural surpluses, which led to the development of specialization and class system.

The earliest known civilization developed in Mesopotamia, which was in the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Sumer

FOCUS QUESTION

What are some of the lasting achievements of the

Sumerians?

City-States Sumer was a region in southern

Mesopotamia. Regions in Sumer were isolated. Separate city-states formed, each with their

own government. Sumerians believed in many gods. Gods had

power over natural force or human activity. polytheism = belief in many gods ziggurats = temples

Sumerian Daily Life

MEN head of household and

could go to school

WOMEN couldn’t be head of

household couldn’t go to school could buy/sell property could run businesses

Upper Class

kings, priests, & government

Middle Class

Artisans, merchants, farmers & fishers

Lower Class

Enslaved people

Sumerian Daily Life (cont’d) Many great inventions - WRITING Sumerians developed a system of writing to

keep track of business deals and other events.

cuneiform = system of symbols used for writing

scribes = a record keeper (mainly boys & men)

Mesopotamian Technology

Wagons (wheel), boats, and the plow

Mathematics Number system based on 60 (60 minutes, 60

seconds, 360-degree circle)

Astronomy Developed 12-month calendar

Summary

The Sumerians believed in many gods and built temples called ziggurats in which to worship them.

Sumerian society was divided into three classes ruled over by a king. Their achievements included the development of a the oldest known system of writing, which they used to keep many kinds of records.

The Sumerians’ technological advances and inventions allow us to learn about their history and way of life.

United Lands

FOCUS QUESTION

What caused the Mesopotamian and Sumerian civilizations to rise

and fall?

The Akkadians

There was a struggle for land in the Fertile Crescent.

Sargon - king of the Akkadians (2300 BC) Established Ashur as the capital city. “The Land of Ashur” would become Assyria.

government

city-state

government

city-stateFIGHTING

Babylonia and Assyria

Babylon was south of Ashur King Hammurabi established control of the

Euphrates River for Babylon. Hammurabi’s Laws

Set laws and established punishements “an eye for an eye”

About 1,000 years after Hammurabi, Assyria took control of the rest of Mesopotamia. Very fierce warriors with better weapons

A New Way to Govern

Assyrian kings divided the empire into political districts/regions.

Assyria treated its people cruelly. People rebelled Assyria crumbled

Babylon soon became the world’s largest and richest city.

Soon, Babylon weakened and the Persians attacked.

Summary

The Akkadians took control of Sumer and created an empire. The city of Ashur became known as Assyria.

The Babylonian ruler Hammurabi developed one of the first codes of law. The Assyrians eventually took over Mesopotamia.

Assyrian people rebelled and the Assyrian Empire came to an end. They rebuilt the city of Babylon as the center of their empire.

In 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Persians.

The Nile Valley

FOCUS QUESTION

Why did Egyptian civilization begin in the Nile Valley?

A Fertile Valley

The Nile River River was used for day-

to-day purposes Flows 4,000 miles to the

north into the Mediterranean Sea

Begins as 2 rivers, then connect into 1 river

Ships can only travel up the river for 650 miles

Very important for farming

Lower Egypt

Upper Egypt

Nile Delta

Natural Barriers

delta = an area of fertile soil at the mouth of the river that fan out

There was desert to the east and to the west (Sahara Desert is in the west).

Transportation and trade along the Nile River and the Red Sea to the east.

Dependable and gentle floods were useful. Farming was very successful.

A System of Writing

papyrus = a reed plant that grew along the shores of the Nile, became a useful resource. Papyrus was used for making sandals, baskets,

rafts, and paper. Egyptians developed their own system of

writing. hieroglyphics = system of writing made up of

hundreds of picture symbols

Summary

The Egyptians depended on the Nile for many of their basic needs.

The Nile flows north, separating two great deserts.

The Egyptians developed a system of writing known as hieroglyphics.

Egypt’s Old Kingdom

FOCUS QUESTION

How was Egyptian society organized?

Early Egyptian Society

THERE WAS A NEED FOR GOVERNMENT

Narmer, A.K.A. Menes, was the first pharaoh

Lower

Egypt

Upper

EgyptUNITED

Successful Agriculture

Craft Advancement

Increase in Trading

Egypt’s Kingdoms

pharaoh = Egyptian kings representing a united Egypt

dynasty = a line of rulers from one family

FamilyPharaoh

FamilyPharaoh

FamilyPharaoh

FamilyPharaoh

OldKingdom

MiddleKingdom

NewKingdom

Egypt’s Social Classes

pharaoh Priests Nobles

Government Officials

Business Owners

Craft Owners

Unskilled Workers/Slaves

FARMERS

*largest social class*

Summary

Narmer, known also as Menes, was the first pharaoh and united Upper and Lower Egypt.

Egyptians obeyed the pharaoh because they believed the well-being of society depended on it.