Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Geography Influences Fertile Crescent Civilization A number of early civilizations arose in the Fertile Crescent,

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Geography Influences Fertile Crescent Civilization A number of early civilizations arose in the Fertile Crescent, a region of the Middle East named for its rich soils and golden wheat fields. The main problem with this area is that it has very few natural barriers, keeping out anything from flood, to invaders. As a result, the region became a crossroads where people and ideas met and mingled.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer What does Mesopotamia mean? Named by the Greeks, it means between the rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Around 3300 B.C., the worlds first civilization developed in southeastern Mesopotamia, in a region called Sumer. What was a major problem associated with building a civilization between two major rivers? Flooding Controlling the two rivers was key to developments in Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamian narrative poem The Epic of Gilgamesh describes a great flood that destroys the world.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer In order to survive and protect their farmland, villagers had to work together to stop floods and provide irrigation. They built dikes to hold back flood water and irrigation ditches to carry water to the fields. The Sumerians did not have very many natural resources No timber or stone, but plenty of clay and water. What did they build their houses out of? Clay bricks They were the building blocks of some of the worlds first great cities Ur and Uruk

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer What brought riches to Sumerian cities? Trade from the rivers or the treacherous deserts Cultural diffusion Goods from as far away as India and Egypt have been found in Sumerian cities.

Study Question What geographic characteristic made the Fertile Crescent a good place for civilization to develop? Rich Soil Wheat fields The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Clay for building houses

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Sumerian Civilization Takes Shape Within a few hundred years of its beginning, Sumer included at least 12 separate city-states. Rival city-states battled over control of land and water, so the people began to turn to war leaders for protection. This created the practice of rule by war leaders which evolved into hereditary rule. Each city-state had their own ruler who was responsible for maintaining the city walls and irrigation systems, as well as leading them in war and enforcing laws.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer The Sumerians were the first to invent writing. Created in 3200 B.C. it was later called Cuneiform Cuneiform comes from the Latin word cuneus for wedge, because scribes wrote by making wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. It was used to record goods brought to temple storehouses. Sumerian scribes had to go through years of difficult schooling to acquire their skills. Punishment for talking or copying in class consisted of caning the students.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Each city-state created a distinct social hierarchy, or social class. Highest Class consisted or ruling family, leading officials, and high priests Middle Class consisted of lesser priests, scribes, merchants, and artisans Lower Class consisted of peasant farmers (majority of society) They also owned slaves; most were captured in war, but others sold themselves into slavery to pay off a debt.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Religion They were polytheistic Believed in multiple gods Believed gods to be like everyday people they ate, drank, and married Gods favored truth and justice they were also responsible to destruction (including floods) They made the Ziggurat a temple built to house the citys chief gods and goddesses They believed in an afterlife it was a grim underworld from which there was no release

Study Question How was Sumerian society structured? They had a distinct social hierarchy.

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Lasting Legacy of Sumer Sumerian oral narratives were written down The Epic of Gilgamesh started out as an oral story, but the Akkadians and Babylonians wrote it down. Babylonians used Sumerian learning They created calendars, developed basic Algebra and Geometry form the Sumerians They invented the 60 minute hour, 360 degree circle Newcomers adapt Cuneiform The Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians adopted cuneiform writing and used it with their own languages.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders First Empires Arise in Mesopotamia Throughout history, many invaders had looted and burned civilizations in Mesopotamia, but some stayed and ruled. Powerful leaders created large, well-organized empires, bringing peace and prosperity to the region. Who built the first empire known to history? Sargon he was an Akkadian in about 2300 B.C. he invaded and conquered the neighboring city-states of Sumer. He appointed local rulers to help run his empire. This first empire did not last long. After Sargons death, other invaders swept in and began crumbling his empire.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Who would be the next ruler to unite Mesopotamia? Hammurabi in 1790 B.C. he was the king of Babylon when he brought Mesopotamia under his control He created Hammurabis Code Why was it important? Hammurabi was the first to codify, or arrange and set down in writing, all the laws that would govern a state. (it was the first written law)

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Hammurabis Code Criminal Law: Eye for an eye and a life for a life Take law into their own hands If a house collapses and kills the husband, the house builder could be killed. Civil Law: Set up to protect the weak Gave a husband both legal authority over his wife and a legal duty to support her. A woman could leave her husband if she wasnt at fault, but if she was, they were instructed to THROW her in the RIVER! This punishment seems cruel by todays standard, with specific punishments for specified crimes, but this legal code imposed more social order than existed when individuals sought their own justice.

Study Question How do Criminal and Civil Law differ? Civil Law deals with private matters, such as contracts or marriages. Criminal Law deals with offenses committed against other people, such as murder or other crimes.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Conquests Bring New Empires and Ideas Later empires brought new technology and ideas about law and culture. One of the worlds first libraries was built. The Hittites were pushed out of Asia Minor and into Mesopotamia in about 1400 B.C. They brought with them the knowledge of how to extract iron ore. Iron ore was stronger that bronze and would hold a sharp edge better making a large advancement in weaponry. They tried to keep iron working a secret but the knowledge expanded as their empire crumbled around 1200 B.C.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders The Assyrians, who lived on the upper Tigris, also learned to forge iron weapons. Over a course of about 500 years (around 1100 B.C.), they earned a reputation for being among the most feared warriors in history. Despite their brutality, the Assyrian rulers maintained a well ordered society. They were the first to create laws regulating the royal household. Assyrian King Assurbanipal founded the worlds first library They kept cuneiform tablets that he ordered scribes to collect from all over the Fertile Crescent.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders In 612 B.C., after King Assurbanipals death, neighboring peoples gathered to topple the Assyrian armies, creating the Babylonian empire. The Babylons first strong leader (second overall in the empire) was King Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar refurbished Babylon he built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon one of the 7 Wonders of the World!

Study Question Name a significant contribution made by the Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians after each groups conquest in the Middle East. Hittites Ironworking. Assyrians Law regulating royal household; library. Babylonians built one of the largest and most respected cities of Ancient Mesopotamia

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders The Persians Establish a Huge Empire The Babylonians built thick walls to keep out invaders, but they were unsuccessful at keeping out the Persians. In 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Persian armies of Cyrus. Cyrus and his successors went on to build the largest empire yet seen. In order to build such a large empire, Persian kings pursued a policy of tolerance, or acceptance, of the people the conquered They respected the customs of the diverse groups in the empire.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders The real unification of the Persian empire was accomplished by Darius I (552 B.C. to 486 B.C.) He was a skilled organizer. He set up a single code of law for the empire. In order to encourage unity, Darius I had roads built to all the cities and had old roads repaired. Why build roads? Roads made it easier to communicate with different parts of the empire.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Darius I also established an improved economy. He established a money economy (or coin economy) to compliment the already established barter economy. Barter Economy You could trade one chicken for two bushels of wheat. Coin/Money Economy Paying for items/services through some token of an agreed value, such as coin or a bill.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders The Persian thinker Zoroaster brought about religious beliefs that helped unite the empire. Zoroaster believed in monotheism (believing in one god), as opposed to the long believe in polytheism. Zoroaster (approx 600 B.C) rejected the old Persian gods and taught a single wise god, Ahura Mazda, ruled the world. Ahura Mazda was in constant battle with Ahriman, the prince of lies and evil. Each individual would have to choose a side to support. He taught that Ahura Mazda would win and on the final judgment day, all individuals would be judged for their actions.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders

Study Question What are two steps that Darius took to unite the Persian Empire? Roads built to make communication with empire easier. Established a common set of weight and measures and encouraged the use of coins

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Contributions of Phoenician Sea Traders Many civilizations proved themselves by conquering others, but smaller civilizations still contributed to larger ones. The Phoenicians gained fame as both sailors and traders located along the eastern Mediterranean coast, in the area that today is Lebanon and Syria.

Sec 2: Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders Key trade items (Manufactured goods): Glass from coastal sand Used snails to make purple dye (very rare early color) In order to promote trade, the Phoenicians set up colonies from North Africa to Sicily and Spain. Some even traveled as far as Britain, trading goods for tin. They were called carriers of civilization because they spread Middle Eastern civilization around the Mediterranean. What was their most significant contribution to history? The Alphabet its symbols represented whole words or syllables. It is the base of our alphabet today.

Study Question How has the Phoenician development of an alphabet been a lasting contribution to civilization? It is the foundation of the Greek alphabet, which is the basis of the alphabet we use today

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile Geography Helps Shape Egypt Without the Nile, Egypt would be just the barren desert that surrounds the river. The desert protected Egypt from invasion, but it also limited where people could settle. Yearly flooding created fertile soil and encouraged cooperation. If the river did not flood, there would be no way to sustain life. It also forced its people to work together to prevent flooding and harness the powers that lie within the river itself.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile The Nile rises in the highlands of Ethiopia and the lakes of central Africa. Yearly rains in the interior region send water racing down streams that feed the Nile River. In ancient times, people awaited this annual flood so it would soak the land with life-giving water and deposit a layer of rich soil. People had to cooperate to control the floods early governments encouraged cooperation by building dikes, reservoirs, and irrigation ditches to channel the rising river and store water for the dry season.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile The flooding of the Nile helped to unify Upper and Lower Egypt Lower Egypt (north) covered the Delta region where the Nile empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Upper Egypt (south) stretched from the Niles first cataract to within 100 miles of the Mediterranean Sea. In 3100 B.C. Menes, the king of Upper Egypt united the two regions, making the capital in Memphis. He used the Nile as a highway linking north and south. It was used as a trade route and a way to communicate between the north and south. The Nile made Egypt one of the first unified states.

Study Question How did the yearly floods of the Nile influence life in ancient Egypt? Egyptians relied on the floods for water and silt. They also Had to cooperate in order to channel and store water.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile The Old Kingdom Forms Scholars divide Egypt into three main periods: The Old Kingdom (about 2575 B.C.-2130 B.C.) The Middle Kingdom (about 1938 B.C.-1630 B.C.) The New Kingdom (about 1539 B.C.-1075 B.C.) During the Old Kingdom, Egyptian kings, later called pharaohs, organized a strong, centralized state. They played key roles in government and religion, and people viewed them as a god.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom took pride in preserving justice and order. To do this, they depended on a bureaucracy What is it? A system of government that includes different job functions and levels of authority. A pharaoh depended on a vizier or chief minister; supervised the business of government for the pharaoh A vizier controlled all different levels of the bureaucracy. Viziers were trained to be humble and honest, obedient to ones father and superiors, and fair in dealing with other officials of all ranks.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile During the Old Kingdom, what was an important piece of history that was built that is still around today? The Great Pyramids at Giza. They were built because the Egyptians believed in an afterlife and that they wanted to preserve their dead rulers and honor them in death.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile The Turbulent Middle Kingdom The Middle Kingdom was a period of corruption and rebellion. One of the reasons for this is because the Nile did not rise as it regularly had during the past. Power struggles, crop failures, and the cost of building pyramids all contributed to the end of the Old Kingdom. What was the natural barrier that separated Egypt from invaders? Deserts

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile The natural barriers could not stop the Hyksos form invading. They used horse-drawn chariots to awe the Egyptians and to invade them. In return, the Hyksos were so impressed by Egyptian civilizations that they adopted their culture. The Hyksos and the Egyptians did not have many quarrels with one another and the Hyksos ruled for nearly 100 years and they established the New Kingdom.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile New Kingdom Egypt Grows Strong Powerful rulers encouraged trade and expanded the borders. Powerful Kings Hatshepsut Female ruler encouraged trade with eastern Mediterranean lands along the Red Sea coast. Thutmose III Stepson of Hatshepsut great military leader extended the borders Ramses II Ruled for 66 years pushed the kingdom northward and controlled Syria.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile Egypt began to battle its neighbor, Nubia and the Hittites. After years of fighting with the Hittites, the two countries came to a draw; they signed the first known peace treaty in history. For centuries, the Egyptians and Nubians had a unique relationship. They would fight and make peace, trading a lot of goods with one another. Nubian culture left its mark on the Egyptians, trading goods such as ivory, cattle, and slaves.

Sec 3:Kingdom on the Nile Around 1100 B.C., Egyptian power began to decline. Invaders such as the Assyrians and the Persians, conquered the Nile region. In 332 B.C., the last Egyptian dynasty ended as the Greeks took control. In 30 B.C., Roman armies displaced the Greeks, with each new conqueror being eager to add the fertile Nile Valley to their growing empires.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Religion Shapes Life in Ancient Egypt The Egyptians had no word used to explain religion, but they were a very religious people. During the Old Kingdom, Egyptians worshipped a sun god named Re. During the Middle Kingdom, they associated Re with another god, Amon, calling this great lord of the gods Amon-Re The pharaohs, seen by the people as god-like, were given their right to rule from Amon-Re.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Most Egyptians related more to the god Osiris and goddess Isis. In mythology, Osiris ruled Egypt until his jealous brother, Set, killed him. Set then cut Osiris into pieces, and tossed the pieces all over Egypt. Osiris wife, Isis, saved him. She reassembled his body and brought him back to life. Since Osiris could no longer rule over the living, he became god of the dead and judge of souls seeking admission to the afterlife. Osiris was also god of the Nile, controlling the annual flood.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization How Egyptians Viewed the Afterlife The belief in an afterlife affects all Egyptians, form the highest noble to the lowest peasant. Each soul had to pass a test to win eternal life. First, the dead would be ferried across a lake of fire to the hall of Osiris. Second, The dead persons heart would be weighed against a feather of truth. If you were judged to be a sinner, you would be fed to a crocodile-shaped Eater of the Dead. If you passed the test, your soul would enter the Happy Field of Food, where you would live forever in bliss. They relied on the Book of the Dead, which contains spells, charms, and formulas for the dead to use in afterlife.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization The Egyptians believed that the afterlife would be much like life on earth, so they buried their dead with all of their belongings. To give a soul use of its body in afterlife, they perfected the process of mummification, originally reserved for rulers and nobles, but later ordinary Egyptians could be mummified (including pets). The tomb of King Tutankhamen was discovered, showing a wealth of evidence about Egyptian civilization.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Egyptians Organize Their Society One key to all ancient civilizations was the use of a class system. Who was at the top of the Egyptian civilization? The Pharaoh along with the royal family Just below them is the royal officials and priests Officials are followed by merchants, scribes, and artisans. Below all are the everyday peasants.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization As the Egyptian civilization progressed, their social system progressed as well. During the New Kingdom, social classes became more fluid and warfare increased. As the empire grew and they had more contact with outside people, increased trade offered new opportunities to the growing merchant class. Trade brought more prominence to artisans and merchants, because they were needed to create or acquire the goods the pharaohs and priests wanted or needed.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Egyptian women enjoyed a higher status and more independence than other women in the ancient world. Women could: Inherit property Enter business deals Buy and sell goods Go to court Obtain a divorce Most women were not taught to read or write, nor could they hold government positions.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Egyptians Make Advances in Learning Learned scribes played an important role in Egyptian society: Some kept records of ceremonies, taxes, and gifts. Others served government officials or the pharaoh. They kept their records in hieroglyphics, hieratic, and demotic script. How did we learn what their writings meant? We discovered the Rosetta Stone a flat, black stone that presents the same passage carved in hieroglyphics, demotic script, and Greek.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Doctors in ancient Egypt believed highly in magic, but they also know a lot about the human body. Doctors could perform complex surgeries and diagnose illnesses, and even find cures. Egyptian priest-astronomers studied the heavens, mapping constellations and charting the movements of the planets. In doing so, they were able to create the first calendar with 12 months of 30 days each as well as 5 days at the end of the year. They also learned mathematics, partially from the flooding of the Nile and having to redraw boundaries of their fields each year. They also used geometry to calculate each block of stone to be used in the pyramids.

Sec 4: Egyptian Civilization Egyptians Develop Arts and Literature The Egyptians left behind a rich legacy of art and literature. From statues and paintings, to poems and tales, they gave us a wealth of information about ancient Egyptian viewpoints and values. Egyptian literature includes hymns and prayers to gods, proverbs, and love poems. Others tell of royal victories in battle, or practical advice. The Tale of Sinuhe was a folk tale about the wanderings of Sinuhe, an Egyptian official forced to flee into what is now Syria. This tale helps us see how Egyptians viewed both themselves and the people of the surrounding desert.

Documents

Sec 1: City-States of Ancient Sumer Geography Influences Fertile Crescent Civilization A number of early civilizations arose in the Fertile Crescent,