CHAPTER 2
Mesopotamia Greek for “land between the rivers”
Although mostly arid (dry), there lies an area known as the Fertile Crescent due to its arch shape and rich agricultural capabilities
The Rivers Two rivers frame Mesopotamia Tigris Euphrates Both flooded Mesopotamia at least once a
year leaving behind silt (a thick bed of mud) Silt produces fertile soil for agriculture Farmers used the rivers as irrigation sources Agricultural growth = population growth =
cities
Environmental Challenges Sumerians first settle and farmed
Mesopotamia in 3300 B.C. The Sumerians were attracted to good
soil The Sumerians faced three challenges
Unpredictable flooding and a period of little to no rain
No natural barriers for protection (defenseless)
Limited natural resources (building materials)
Solutions for Challenges Dug irrigation ditches for steady flow of
water
Built city walls with mud bricks for defense
Sumerians traded grains, cloth, and tools for natural resources
Solutions = Civilization Because Sumerians needed to solve the
challenges of their landscape, they began to organize
This organization needed leaders and rules
These leaders and the rules they produced became the foundation of a government and a civilization
City-States The Sumerians gave us city-states City-state = a city and its surrounding
land functioning as one unit At the center of all Sumerian city-states
was the ziggurat Ziggurat = a step-shaped temple were
priests ruled city-states
Theocracy Sumerian culture was a theocracy Theocracy= rule by divine (god) authority The rulers passed their rule onto their
sons and they did the same This series of rule by a family is called a
dynasty
Polytheism Polytheism = the belief in many gods The Sumerians tried to please their gods
through work and sacrifice The rulers saw themselves appointed by
the gods The people saw themselves as servants
of the gods
Sumerian Life Sumerians had social classes that defined
and separated groups Women had more rights than other later
civilizations New ideas and inventions:
Wheel, sail, plow First to use bronze Math; measuring and architecture Writing = Cuneiform
Empires An empire brings together several
peoples, nations, or previously independent states under the control of one ruler.
Sargon of Akkad: 2350 B.C. conquered Sumer Adopted Sumerian culture Helped to spread Sumerian culture and
knowledge
Babylonia 2000 B.C. Amorites conquer Sumer and
established the capital of Babylon Babylonian empire reached its peak
under the reign of Hammurabi Hammurabi’s Code:
System of laws put together to establish order and rule
The Egyptians The Nile
World’s longest river Flows south to north Foundation of Egyptian civilization
The gift of the Nile Yearly predictable flooding Left behind silt Farmers worshipped the Nile as a god Egypt = “the gift of the Nile”
Egyptian Challenges Flooding amount varied
Too little = starvation Too much = devastation
Desert = natural barriers/isolation but… Desert = natural barriers/ protection
Upper and Lower Egypt Cataracts = choppy whitewater that
prohibited travel
Egypt divided into Upper and Lower Egypt between Mediterranean Sea and first cataract of the Nile
Upper and Lower Egypt Upper Egypt
Area between first cataract and Nile river delta
It is the southern portion of the two areas
Lower Egypt Area from the Nile river delta to the
Mediterranean It is the northern portion of the two areas
Ease of Travel Nile flows north
Boats flow with current
Winds blow south Boats use sails
United the villages Promoted trade
Narmer United Upper and Lower Egypt
Established capital at Memphis Where Upper and Lower met
Pharaohs Kings were gods themselves Pharaohs were god-kings As powerful as spiritual gods Pharaoh was the center of all things
Government Military Religion Life
Pyramids Pharaohs ruled after their death Their tombs were more important than
their palaces Pyramids (p. 39)
Mummification Egyptians believed in an afterlife
Mummification to preserve the body for the afterlife
Egyptian Life Used social classes
Could break from your social class
Women were entitled to same rights as men Marriage and divorce
Hieroglyphics Used symbols for words and sounds
First written on clay tablets
Papyrus – reeds that could be formed into a paper-like sheet
Indus River Valley Subcontinent – includes India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh
Mountains serve as protective barriers to river valley
Indus and Ganges Rivers form Indus River Valley
River Valley Similarities Rivers carry water and silt
Monsoon – seasonal wind Bring flooding in summer months
Challenges Flooding unpredictable
Rivers sometimes changed course
Monsoons unpredictable
Civilization Larger area influenced by civilization than
other areas Planned cities
Grid system used for planning Plumbing and sewage Citadel Strong central government
Harappa One of the largest Indus Valley sites
Flood control
Streets
Bathrooms
Harappan Culture Written language using symbols Toys = _______________ Few weapons = _________________ Religion thought to be polytheistic with a
theocracy Trade was prominent
Use of rivers to travel Artifacts from other areas of the world
River Dynasties China
Natural barrier Gobi Desert Taklimakan Desert Himalayas
River Dynasties River Systems
Huang He (Yellow) “yellow river” Yellow silt called loess
Chiang Jiang (Yangtze)
Challenges Flooding
Devastating Huang He = “China’s Sorrow”
Isolation Had to rely on what they could produce
Attacks Even though isolated, still open enough for
invasion
Dynasties Rise Xia Dynasty
Brought irrigation Shang Dynasty
First Chinese rulers to leave written records Social classes Large walls for defense
Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven Feudalism
Early Culture Center of civilized world Family
Respect for elders Women inferior
Social classes Nobles (rulers/wealthy) Peasants (workers)
Religion Spirits of ancestors Oracle bones
Writing Spoken v. written
Common written language unites all of China
Difficult to learn Nobles v. peasants
Dynastic Cycle Dynastic Cycle – pattern of rise, decline,
and replacement of dynasties (p.54)
Mandate of Heaven Divine approval to rule
Feudalism – ruling system in which nobles oversee lands under control of a central leader
Technology and Trade Roads
Canals
Coins
Cast iron