River Valley Civilizations

The Gift of the Nile: Ancient Egypt

Geography

North West Africa (crossroads of three continents)

Geography Nile River

Center of Egyptian economics and cultureAnnual, predictable flooding irrigates and

replenishes the soil.Sometimes called the “Black Lands” for its

rich soil. Red lands are the desert that runs on either side of the Nile.

Connects them to other cultures (flows north/winds blow south

Geography

Natural BarriersNorth: Mediterranean Sea South: falls along the NileEast: Red SeaWest: DesertBarriers prevented frequent invasions

Question

Would there be an Egypt without the Nile?

Why do you think the Mississippi or Ohio rivers never developed a civilization to rival the Egyptian?

History

Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms 3100 BC King Menes united Upper and

Lower Egypt Monarchs were very powerful and

considered divineNine distinctive periods and numerous

dynasties

History

When things went bad, it was believed to have been due to the subjects not obeying the gods’ representative on earth

Pharaoh “great house”--Theocracy/DynastiesPharaohs would appoint a “vizier” or steward

of the land, and would be responsible for the government bureaucracy.

Egypt had 42 provinces, each with a governor

Religion-beliefs about death “Cult of the Dead” Polytheistic Burial Practices-mummification

Belief in two bodies: physical and spiritual (Ka) and they needed each other, even after death

Elaborate 70 day process meant to preserve the body so that the ka would be able to return to the body

Pyramids (old kingdom) Tombs to honor the

pharaoh Cities of the dead: The

pyramids are just part of the complex of the overall burial site

Buried with many (sometimes thousands) of items. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb is the most important because it was intact!

Pyramids

The pyramids are an engineering marvelSize: tallest structure on earth for 43

centuries/covers 13 football fieldsComplexity: 2 million precisely cut 2-ton

blocks

Writing System

Hieroglyphics Used Papyrus

Caste System: India

The Harappa Civilization (3000 BC-1500 BC) Is among the

ancient civilizations, however, since we have not translated their language, we know little about them outside of archeological evidence.

The Harappa Civilization

The major cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. An advanced civilization with planned, bricked walled homes (some up to three stories), bathrooms with drainage systems, and other advances.

The Aryans The Aryans invade the area around 1500

BC, creating the people of modern India. Developed Sanskrit (a writing system) they

we have yet to fully translate, therefore we do not know as much about this civilization

The Aryans

The caste system, a rigid system of five social categories based on economic and social position (Brahmins=priests, Kshatriyas=warriors, Vaisyas=commoners, Sutras=non-Aryan peasants or artisans, and Untouchables=slaves)

The Aryans They advanced and education system for

their sons led by a Guru (teacher) and continued to make a dominant culture.

Due to the physical diversity of the Indian subcontinent, many forms of economic activities take place; mostly farming (in spite of the monsoons), herding and trading.

Also, they developed Hinduism and Buddhism.

Ancestor Worship: China

Shang Dynasty

Rise and fall of dynasties

veneration of ancestor (or ancestor worship)-the one who would lead them to the hereafter.

Shang Dynasty

filial piety-where all are subordinate to the head of the family and all members know their place.

bronze works of art.

Zhou Dynasty

Mandate of Heaven which gave the king authority from heaven as long as he ruled the proper way (if not he was overthrown).

Language/Philosophy

pictographic written language

Terrace farming methods

three philosophies: Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism.

History Printing

Civil Service Exam to be used by a government.

Japan Japan develops differently from China due

to Geography.

Samurai warriors and their code of Bushido (way of the warrior) and the Shoguns (general) who were the actual power of Japan.

Japan

20% of Japan is arable.

Cradle of Western Civilization: Mesopotamia

Geography

Fertile Crescent: The term describes a crescent-shaped area of arable land, probably more agriculturally productive in antiquity than it is today.

Lack of natural barriers

History

A number of successive civilizations occupied the same general area in a series of rises and falls over the course of several millenium.

Cultural Diffusion

That different cultures shared ideas and characteristics is particularly important to this region as ideas were shared (or taken as they were conquered), modified and improved upon.During this time period a number of

achievements started.

Achievements of the Different Civilizations

Sumerians○ City-state Political

organization○ Smelting of Medals:

Bronze Age, Iron Age○ Wheel: 3450 BC○ Ziggurats:

enormous, pyramid-like temples for religious purposes

Achievements of the Different Cultures

SumeriansCuneiform WritingEpic of Gilgamesh

○ Early Literature: Story of a young ruler and his quest for immortality

○ Many note the similarities in theme to the book of Ecclesiastics in the Bible

○ Hammurabi’s Code (first law code)

Achievements of the Different Cultures Phoenicians

AlphabetTrading empire

Achievements of the Different Cultures Assyrians

CommunicationChariotsMilitary OrganizationEmpire building and organization

Achievements of the Different Cultures Persians

Roads (empire wide communication system)Structure of governmentStanding Army

Achievements of the Different Cultures Hebrews

Monotheistic ReligionTorah/Law of Moses and the prophets

The Civilization/Culture that proved to be the longest lasting, had very humble beginnings.

The Hebrews

AbrahamFounded by Abraham of Ur (Sumer)Yahweh, “One God,” told him to take his

family and move to Canaan (The Promise Land)

Nomadic Herdsmen

The Hebrews

Descendents○ Isaac

Ishmael (becomes the father of other tribes in the Palestinian Region)

○ Jacob12 sons, each becoming one of the 12 tribes of IsraelRenamed Israel

○ JosephMoves the Hebrews to Egypt to escape famine.Hebrews slowly move into bondage and become slaves

to the Egyptians

The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan After 400 years of bondage, the Hebrew

people are led by Moses from Egypt back to Canaan (the promised land)

There they fight, retake the land, and set up the kingdom of Israel

King David is the most important of the Hebrew monarchs

The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan They are conquered by the Babylonians

but allowed to keep their religious and cultural practices

They are allowed to return to Canaan and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem

Conquered by the Roman Empire

The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan Diasporas: The Hebrews leave their

homeland and set up colonies around the Roman Empire

They become a persecuted minority around the world, climaxing in Nazi Germany’s Holocaust in the 20th Century.

Beliefs

Monotheistic worship of Yahweh, the only omnipotent being and one true god.

Law Code: Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law

The Torah, the Talmud are the word of God (Yahweh)

The Hebrews believe they have a special place in Yahweh’s plan for the world.

Beliefs

The Messiah The Prophets of Judaism prophesy of the son of Yahweh who will be a deliverer or savior to the Hebrew people: the dead will be resurrected by the Messiah.

Christianity

A religion founded on the belief that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the Messiah that the Hebrew’s have been waiting.

Many Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) become followers of Jesus Christ

Christianity becomes the most important religion of the Western World.