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4 River Valley Civilizations
• Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia– Tigris
– Euphrates
• Egyptian Civilization– Nile River Valley (upper and lower Nile)
• Indus River– Harrapan
– Mohen-jo Daro
• Hwang He – Yellow River later civilizations focused on both Yangtze
and Yellow River
– First dynasty is Xia then Shang
Fertile Crescent
• Deserts and mountains surround the
Fertile Crescent to the north but because
grass grew on these mountains it attracted
wandering tribes who often attacked those
living in the River Valley.
• City-states protected and isolated each
group
Natural Boundaries Unfavorable
• Both rivers overflow in an unpredictable
manner
– The time of year could not be predicted.
– The magnitude of turbulence of the flooding could not
be predicted.
• The area is called a "crossroad" because
everyone who traveled or traded between
Europe, Africa, and Asia traveled through this
region, sometimes taking what they wanted
Gave rise to multiple empires within the general region
that controlled different territory but had similar culture
The First Empire Builder
Invasion and conquest were prominent features of the ancient Middle East. About 2300 BC, Sargon, the ruler of neighboring Akkad, invaded and conquered the city-states of Sumer. He built the first empire known to history.
Akkad (in green)
Nile River
Valley• Because of its geography Egypt developed to
become a peaceful civilization with a higher standard of living. People as individuals were treated with more respect here than in other civilizations of the time.
• The Nile River Valley is Surrounded on Four Sides by Natural Barriers– Red Sea to the East
– Desert to the West
– Mediterranean to the North
– Mountains to the South
“Gifts of the Nile”
• Predictable flooding
• Mild flooding therefore able to use river for irrigation
• Prevailing winds made trade possible both north and south on the river
• Rich deposits of clay, granite, sandstone & limestone used for building
• Silt deposits rich for farming
• papyrus used for mats, rope, sandals, baskets, paper
Major Pharaohs of Egypt• Menes-
– United upper and lower Egypt in 3100 BC
• Ramses II –– Defeated the Hittites and returned Egypt to Egyptian rule.
• Nefertiti -– influential wife of Amenhotep, mother-in-law to Tutkanamon.
• Amenhotep (later called Akhenaton)-– moved the capital and changed worship from polytheism to
monotheism. The main god became Amon Ra and only the royal family could worship him.
• Tutkanhamon-– young Pharaoh found with his tomb intact.
• Hatshepsut –– female Pharaoh who stabilized Egypt, built many new structures which
provided work for many.
• Cleopatra –– last Pharaoh of Egypt
Rosetta Stone
• We didn’t know as much
about Egypt until the mid-
1800s after the Rosetta
Stone was allowed us to
decipher the hieroglyphics
of Egypt
• Napoleon’s officer
discovered the Rosetta
Stone (late 1700s)
• Deciphered by
Champanion in early 1800s
China
• Himalayas, Kunlun Shan, Tian Shan
• Gobi desert
• Pacific Ocean to east
• rivers
– Hwang Hu (Yellow),
– Chang Jiang (Yangtze),
– Xi Jiang (West)
• yellow silt &favorable climate make good farming
Ancient Dynasties Mandate of Heaven
• Xia (first) 2100 BCE – 1800 BCE
• Shang1500BCE- 1100BCE
Mandate of Heaven
• Zhou (longest)
1100BCE – 256BCE
Confucianism during Axial Age (ca. 500 BCE)
• Qin (Chin)
– China gets its name from
this dynasty
Mandate of Heaven
• Zhou Dynasty
• Family of rulers that have the approval of the
ancestors
• Dynastic Cycle has added element much like a
divine monarch creates a theocracy yet as
earthly events appear and have a negative
impact then it is assumed that the emperor has
lost the approval of the ancestors and they have
created the environment
Are you Sleeping?
• Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
• Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
• Sui, Tang, Song
• Sui, Tang, Song
• Yuan, Ming, Manchu
• Yuan, Ming, Manchu
• Mao Zedong
• Mao Zedong
Confucianism and Scholarly-Gentry
• Creates balance
• Yin and Yang
• Filial piety is the final
link in the chain of
continuity of the
civilization
Yin and Yang• The light color area which indicates
more sunlight is called Yang (Sun).
• The dark color area has less sunlight (more moonlight) and is called Yin (Moon).
• Yang is like man. Yin is like woman. Yang wouldn't grow without Yin. Yin couldn't give birth without Yang. – Yin is born (begins) at Summer Solstice
and Yang is born (begins) at Winter Solstice.
– Therefore one little circle Yin is marked on the Summer Solstice position. Another little circle Yang is marked on the Winter Solstice position.
– These two little circles look like two fish eyes.
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/yinyang.htm
Indus River Valley• Harappan
• Mohenjo-Daro
• subcontinent of Asia: water on east and west, mountain ranges on north– Hindu Kush and
Himalayas
• southwest monsoon brings heavy rain and flooding
• enriched soil, but sometimes great erosion
Indus River Valley
• Destruction
• well-planned, citadels, grid of streets
• clay brick houses, plumbing with sewer system
• bronze and copper tools, gold and silver jewels, clay pots, spun and woven cloth
Development of Region
• Early Food Producing Era (ca. 7000-5500
BC)
• Regionalization Era, (5500-2600 BC)
– Regional cultural development
– Subdivided into various eras
– Emergence of an Early Indus state ca. 2800
BCE and urbanization ca. 2600 BCE
Successors to the region
Vedic Era - Hinduism• Aryans
• Rajas
• Indo-Europeans
• Caste System - called
Varna which translates
to color in the ancient
language)
• Jati – sub-castes
Aryan Invasion Theory
• Sometime between
2500 and 1800 BCE
– Aryans began moving
into India
– Apparently NOT the
cause of the fall of
Indus Civilization
– Farmers without
written language
– Used Khyber Pass
Political and Social Systems
• Tribe led by chief and
tribal council
• Tribes formed small
states
• Each state ruled by king
and council of warriors
• Aryans looked down on
conquered people
• Laws against marriage of
Aryans with original valley
dwellers
• Men permitted more than
one wife
• Sons expected to be
warriors and perform
ritual at fathers funeral
Economic System
• Mostly farmers
• Barley major crop
• Most owned their land
• Handicrafts in villages
• System of barter for goods
• Cattle later used as money
What is Historical Geography?• Environmental determinism – the manner in which humans and
the environment interact.
– Man and his culture are shaped by their environment and
while technology allows them to adapt, their underlying
characteristics have already been shaped by their
environment
• Systems within a civilization are influenced by the environment
• Humans change and adapt their environment with technology
– Technology are methods that are used by man or man’s
attempt “to overcome his environment”
• Possibilism is a different theory that holds that there is an
interdependence between humans and their physical
environment and that while the environment sets certain
constraints, culture is shaped by man