Four Great River Valley Civilizations-1

CIVILI

ZATIO

NS

EMERGE IN A

SIA

& AFR

ICA

THE

FIRST

CIVIL

IZATI

ON: THE

RIVER

VALL

EYS

BY: M

ANILYN R

ABANG

VOCABULARY CHECK

• artisan – someone skilled in a specialized craft.

• artifact – an object, shaped or made by an ancient human being, that has survived to our times.

• barter –trade in which people exchange goods without using money.

• fossil – the hardened, preserved remains of plants or animals.

• nomad – a person who has no permanent home.

• prehistory – the period of time before systems of writing and record-keeping were developed.

• technology – the use of methods, materials, and tools to accomplish work.

EMERGENCE OF RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS

4 RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS

NILE RIVER VALLEYBecause 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”

MAJOR PHARAOHS 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

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

Mesopotamian TradeMesopotamian Trade

“The Cuneiform World”

“The Cuneiform World”

GAVE RISE TO MULTIPLE EMPIRES WITHIN THE GENERAL REGION THAT CONTROLLED DIFFERENT TERRITORY BUT HAD SIMILAR CULTURE

ASSYRIA AND ITS RIVALS

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)

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform WritingCuneiform Writing

HAMMURABI’S CODEBABYLONIANStele or Stela

Hammurabi

282

Cuneiform

ASSYRIAN (1ST EMPIRE)911 BCE – 612 BCE

MIDDLE KINGDOM

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 BCEShang

1500BCE- 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

INDUS RIVER VALLEY

HarappanMohenjo-Darosubcontinent 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

ANCIENT GEOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS IN SOUTH ASIA

CITIES OF THE INDUS

MOHENJO-DARO“MOUND OF THE DEAD”

INDUS RIVER VALLEY

Destructionwell-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 developmentSubdivided into various eras Emergence of an Early Indus state ca. 2800 BCE and urbanization ca. 2600 BCE

DRAINS & SEWER SYSTEMS

SUCCESSORS TO THE REGIONVEDIC 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

HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHYEnvironmental 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

OLMEC- 3500-2500 BCE- SITE LA VENTATwo environments & Agricultural methods Slash and burn agriculture- forested uplands Irrigation riverine agriculture- riverine lowlands- u-shaped stone

drain lines. 2 or more crops per year Maize, beans, squash

Lowland riverine populous became the elite Chiefdom societies- with centers populated at circa

1000 each- rulers, elite, craftspersons Writing system but un-deciphered though

indications of counting system- Maya used same counting system so this aspect is translatable.

Items of trade Highlands- obsidian, jade and Magnetite, cacao (drink for nobility) Lowlands- mollusk, turtle shell, sharks teeth, and pottery

4 major redistribution/ceremonial centers- San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapates, and Laguna de los Cerros

Classic Maya- 2000- 800 BCE- sites Copan & Palenque

CLASSIC CULTURES OF THE AMERICAS

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

THE SPREAD OF BANTU