River Civilizations and Other civilizations of Southwest Asia
Slide 2 Ancient River Valley Civilizations During the New Stone
Age, permanent settlements appeared in River Valleys and around the
Fertile Crescent. River Valleys provided: Rich soil for crops and
Protection from invasion Source:
http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/images/riv-vall.gif
Slide 3 These early civilizations existed between 3500-500 BC The
first civilization was Sumer in Mesopotamia, which means Land
between two rivers Situated between the Euphrates and Tigris
rivers. Slide 4 Political: Economic: Religious: Social:
Intellectual: Achievements: Geography: Mesopotamia/Sumer City
States First Rulers were Priests Agriculture, Trade with Egypt
Polytheistic Ziggurats Priests important Slavery not based on race
Cuneiform or wedge-shaped writing based on pictograms Invented the
wheel, sail and plow Euphrates and Tigris Rivers flow into Persian
Gulf, Zagros Mountainsprovide protection Slide 5 The second
civilization to develop was Egypt along the Nile River.
http://loellenpark.org/callens/images/stories/Ancient_Egypt_Map.jpg
Slide 6 Political: Economic: Religious: Social: Intellectual:
Achievements: Geography: Egypt Nile River Valley Unified- One
government in which Pharaohs = Gods, hereditary rule Agriculture,
Trade with Mesopotamia & Kush Gold is important! Polytheistic A
wonderful life after death Mummification, pyramids Priests at top
Slavery not based on race Hieroglyphics picture based writing
Papyrus, math, engineering, the Pyramids and a 365 day calendar The
Nile the longest river in the world. Deserts provide protection
Slide 7 The Third River Civilization was the Indus River Valley
civilization in India Slide 8 Political: Economic: Religious:
Social: Intellectual: Achievements: Geography: Indus River Valley
strong centralized govt Writing has never been Deciphered so little
is known Few social class differences Hinduism Traded with Sumer
Indoor Plumbingremember the toilets? Indus River, Hindu Kush
Mountains, Himalayas provided protection, Indian subcontinent Slide
9 The Fourth River Valley Civilization was The Huang He River
civilization in China Source:
http://core.ecu.edu/hist/tuckerjo/chinciv.jpg Slide 10 Political:
Economic: Religious: Social: Intellectual: Achievements: Geography:
China Huang He River Civ Mandate of Heaven, Dynasties Beginning
with Shang Dynasty Agriculture- no trade outside of China Ancestor
Worship Oracle bones used to communicate with ancestors Divided
between Nobles and Peasants Family very important Writing based on
pictures Chariot, Silk, Bronze weapons Development of Iron Gobi and
Taklamakan Deserts provided protection Huang He River was Yellow
because windblown Loess was yellow
