3a During the New Stone Age, permanent settlements appeared in river valleys and around the Fertile Crescent. WHY?
Dec 25, 2015
3a
During the New Stone Age, permanent settlements appeared in river valleys and around the Fertile Crescent.
WHY?
MESOPOTAMIA
Fertile Crescent
Land between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea
Mesopotamia: “land between the rivers” Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Fertile soil from the silt brought by floods
Challenges of Mesopotamia
Flood or Drought: The Tigris and Euphrates would flood yearly at unpredictable times, often causing great loss. When the rivers weren’t flooding, the rain stopped falling.
Solution—live a little further from the river and dig irrigation ditches and reservoirs
Sumer
A major city-state to appear in Mesopotamia was Sumer.
Challenges of Mesopotamia
Easy Target: Living in the wide-open spaces in the Fertile Crescent left the Sumerian city-states open for attacks from nomads.
Solution---build a city wall
Challenges of Mesopotamia
Limited Resources: Sumerians had fertile soil and lots of reeds, but not much else for natural resources.
Solution—They traded for what they didn’t have and became a huge trading center.
Sumerian Religion (3c)
Polytheists: Sumerians believed in almost 3,000 gods.
Sumerians built huge temples, or ziggurats, and made sacrifices to the gods
No afterlife
Sumerian Gods
The most powerful gods were the god of the heaven, Anu, and Ea, the god of water.
Close second, came the gods of the sun, moon and stars.
There were also city and house gods. Sumerian gods had human characteristics, but
humans were merely their servants.
Sumerian Government (3b)
Usually controlled by the priests who could pacify the anger of the gods
Priests taxed the people for sacrifices and to feed the temple workers
Military Leaders controlled the government in times of war, which became increasingly frequent
Eventually the priests and military leaders split the power
Class System (3b)
1. Priests and Kings2. Wealthy Merchants3. Normal artisans and workers4. Slaves (could sometimes work obediently
to earn their freedom)
Writing
Cuneiform The form of writing throughout Sumer
(Mesopotamia)
The End of Sumer
The multiple Sumerian City States fought against each other too often. They weakened each other and were defeated by nomads.
Sargon of Akkad (3b)
Conquered N. and S. Mesopotamia Created the 1st Empire: several peoples
and nations under the control of one ruler ~2350 BC – 2150 BC
Babylonian (Amorite) Empire (3b)
Led by Hammurabi Hammurabi’s Code:
Credited as 1st written law Unified law for the whole empire Based on:
Retaliation Class system Government responsibility
Egypt
The Nile
Flows from Lake Victoria Upper and Lower Egypt:
Upper in the SouthLower in the North
Effects of the Nile
Made transportation easy Flooded in June
Irrigation used to create Flood—Plant-- Harvest cycle Egypt was the “Gift of the Nile” Egyptians worshiped the Nile so it wouldn’t flood
too much or not enough
Deserts
Egypt’s cities were built along the Nile West = Libyan Desert (Sahara) East = Arabian Desert Deserts were protection from invaders Isthmus of Suez was only way in and
out for invaders or trade
History of Egypt
The story of Egypt can be told in three different parts..
The Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BCE) The Middle Kingdom (1991-1786 BCE) The New Kingdom (1570-1070 BCE)
..We will start in the Old Kingdom
Egypt Unites
~3200 BC two kingdoms formed, Upper and Lower Egypt
King Menes ~3100, united the 2 kingdoms
Pharaohs
God-Kings Head of government, religion, army,
weather… everything Ruled even after death
Pyramids
Elaborate burial tombs (more important than palaces) Mummification
How were they built? They didn’t even have wheels. Historians think peasants built pyramids as
public works projects
Pyramid at Giza
13 acre base 2.5-15 ton blocks
Life in Egypt
Social Classes Pharaoh Nobility/Rich Middle Class Merchants and Artisans Peasant Farmers and unskilled workers Slaves
Social Mobility
Everyone worked for the Pharaoh Hard work and loyalty led to promotions Women could move up too
Writing
Hieroglyphics: “sacred carving” Started as pictographs and evolved into a
quasi-alphabet Papyrus:
Reed paper used to keep records
Rosetta Stone
Translation guide to hieroglyphics Found in 1799 by the French
Egyptian Science & Technology
Number System For collecting taxes
Geometry For building pyramids and laying out fields
Calendar To plan for floods, planting and harvests
Medicine Check heart rates, set broken bones, treated
fevers and wounds.
End of Egypt’s Old Kingdom
Hyksos (~1640 BC) Invaders on chariots Brought:
Powerful bows Chariots New weaving techniques Bronze making skills
The Middle Kingdom
Time where the king’s power weakened and which allowed for other to take over
Art flourished early Some pyramids were built during this
time but most were built in the Old Kingdom
The New Kingdom
Egypt’s New Kingdom 1570-1075 BC Warlike Pharaohs overthrew the Hyksos Stronger & Richer than ever
36
Hatshepsut
1st & only female pharaoh
Led war & encouraged trade
37
Thutmose III
Killed his mother to become Pharaoh faster
Conquered Nubia Source of wealth Located in
Southern Egypt
38
Ramses II
Conquered the Hittites in Syria and Palestine
Built the Temple of Amon
Pharaohs of this time built their tombs under cliffs in the “Valley of the Kings”
39
Egypt Falls Again
Invaded by “the People of the Sea”
Egypt never recovered
NUBIA
WH Chapter 4 41
Nubia/Kush Took Over
Kush empire was in Nubia between the Nile and the Red Sea
~1000 BC conquered Egypt
WH Chapter 4 42
Nubia/Kush
Rich from trade Great location
between the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea
Adopted Egypt’s Culture Pyramids,
Pharaohs, Hieroglyphics, etc.
INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION
Geography of India
India is a Subcontinent 2 big rivers
Indus Ganges
Rivers Provided Flooding for new soil Easy travel for trade
Indus Civilization (2750-1750 BC)
2 Big Cities Harappa Mohenjo Daro
City Layouts
Grid streets Central storehouse for grain Uniform houses with courtyards Community bath houses Under ground sewers Uniform bricks (oven fired) Uniform carts Crop Fields around the city Careful Planning is a sign of a strong
central government
Things we don’t know
Writing is not translated Religion is suspected but not confirmed Where did they go?
..Moving ahead to Indo-European Migration into the Indus Valley and India
Chapter 3 49
Indo-Europeans Migrate
Who? People from the
steppes between the Black and Caspian Seas
Herders who rode horses and chariots
Spread all over Europe and Asia
Chapter 3 50
Migration
Movements of people from one region to another
Indo-Europeans did it in waves over a long period of time
How did they get here?
Traveled though mountain passes in the Hindu Kush
One was the Khyber pass
Chapter 3 52
Hittites
Migrated to Antolia Aka: Asia Minor or
Turkey Dominated S.W.
Asia from 1650-1200 BC
Used iron tools and chariots Iron is better than
bronze
Chapter 3 53
Aryans
Indo-Europeans who came into the Indus Valley
Chapter 3 54
Aryans “nobles” vs. Dasas “dark”
Aryans worshiped strong nature gods
Dasas worshiped life-giving gods, Ex: Shiva, the
Great God A motherly figure
Chapter 3 55
Caste System: “Varnas”
1. Brahmins: Priests2. Kshatriyas (kah-
SHAHT-ree-uhz): rulers and warriors
3. Vaishyas (VYSH-yuhz): landowners, merchants, artisans
4. Shudras: servants and slaves
5. Untouchables: outcasts who could not mingle with others
Chapter 3 56
Caste System
Rigid system No social
mobility Inter-marriage
was illegal
He was born that way…and will stay that way.
Mauryan Empire (Asoka)
The unification of political ideas continued through much of India
Asoka Sent missionaries to Asia to help spread
Buddhism Other Contributions
Free hospitals, veterinary clinics, and good roads
Gupta Empire (Golden Age)
Indian Culture Flourished Mathematics (Concept of the number 0) Medical advances (setting bones) Astronomy Textiles literature
HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM
Hinduism
Formed by a blending of Aryan and non-Aryan beliefs
No specific founder or single set of beliefs The belief system developed over years
Hindu Beliefs
Scripture/Sacred Writings: Vedas: oral scripture Upanishads: Hindu teachers’ interpretation
of the Vedas Atman: the individual soul Brahman: the world soul that connects all
Atmans Moksha: the goal of Hindus
Reached by a perfect understanding of the interconnectedness of all life
Hindu Beliefs
Reincarnation: The continual rebirth of a soul until it reaches moksha
Karma: The force that determines the luck of an individual What goes around comes around Strengthened the Caste System
Hindu Gods
Brahman is represented by 1 of 3 gods: Brahma: the creator Vishnu: the protector Shiva: the destroyer
Vishnu
The major god Represented 2 ways:
Krishna: the cowherder Rama: the perfect king
Choose Your God & Path
Hindus may choose the god(s) they worship
3 Paths to Moksha to choose from:1. Right Thoughts2. Right Actions3. Religious Devotion
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama: Aka: Buddha Founder of Buddhism Challenged the Caste system Found “enlightenment”
Buddhist Beliefs
Even a low born person can find enough wisdom to escape the reincarnation cycle
Wisdom is found through discipline and suffering
4 Noble Truths
1. Everything in life is suffering and sorrow2. The cause of all this pain is people’s
cravings and desires3. The way to end all pain is to end all
desires4. People can overcome desires and attain
nirvana, or enlightenment and release from pain and selfishness, by the Eightfold Path of right, knowledge, purpose, speech, action, living, effort, mindfulness, and meditation
ANCIENT CHINESE CIVILIZATION3a/4e,f
Geography
Natural barriers isolated China Gobi Desert Himalaya Mountains Pacific Ocean
2 Major Rivers Yellow (Huang He) Yangtze
The Great Wall Of China
Who Built the Wall? Qin Shi Huangdi
Why was the wall Built? To keep migratory
invaders from the north out of China.
Government
China was governed by a succession of ruling families called Dynasties
Rulers were considered to be divine and served under a Mandate of Heaven
Confucianism and Social Order
The idea of Confucianism was created by Confucius
Based on.. Belief that humans are good, not bad Respect for elders Code of politeness (still used today Emphasis on education Ancestor worship
Taoism and Chinese Culture
Founded by Laozi Based on…
Humility Simple life and inner peace Harmony with nature
Confucianism and Taoism
opposites
Contributions of Classical China
Civil service system Paper Porcelain Silk
These products and ideas spread across the Silk Road!!!!
PERSIAN EMPIRE4a
WH Chapter 4 79
Where is Persia?
Modern-day Iran Lots of Natural
Resources Good farmland Ore deposits
Gold, lead, copper…
80
Cyrus the Great
550 BC-539 BC: conquered Babylon
Military and political genius
81
Cyrus’ ruling style
Kind toward conquered peoples
No looting & burning
Honored local customs, laws, & religions
Darius
Darius: Originally a
bodyguard Conquered from
Egypt and Anatolia to Indus Couldn’t beat
Greece
Darius’ Rule
Broke up the Empire into Provinces…THIS GOVT STYLE IS CALLED IMPERIAL BUREAUCRACY Each Province had:
1. Satrap: governor2. Tax Collector3. General4. Inspector: “King’s
eyes and ears”
Darius’ Rule
Built the Royal Road 1,677 miles Encouraged trade and
communication Defeated at the Battle Of Marathon by
the Greeks
WH Chapter 4 85
Persian Religion
Zoroastrianism Founded by Zoroaster
~600BC Beliefs:
2 Spiritual armies battle for souls
At the end of time, all souls will be judged according to which army they chose
Good went to paradise, evil to a fiery pit
PHOENICIANS
Phoenicians
~1100 BC: most powerful traders on the Mediterranean
Built trading centers around the Med. Sea Good shipbuilders and sailors
Phoenicians
Rich from trading purple dye Squeezed from snails
Invented the Alphabet, originally 22 characters Literacy became more widespread
HEBREWS/ ISRAELITES/ JUDAISM
3a/3d
Where did they settle?
“the Promised Land” Aka: Canaan, Palestine, Israel
Between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea
What do they believe?
Monotheism: Jews were the 1st to worship one god, Yahweh
What are their Scriptures?
Torah: also known as the 5 books of Moses
10 Commandments: Given by God to Moses (one of the Prophets,
or leaders of the Hebrew people)
How did it start?
Abraham: the “father” of the Hebrew people Moved his people from Ur to Canaan
(Palestine) ~2,000 BC
Kingdom of Israel1020-922 BC
After escaping Egypt, Hebrews established a kingdom in Canaan
3 Good Kings
Saul: : built it David: expanded it Solomon: beautified it
Built a temple & palace
Kingdom Split
922 BC the kingdom divided and struggled for 200 years
Israel in the north .. 722 BC Fell to the Assyrians Judah in the south.. In 586 BC Fell to the
Babylonian BC Jews were forced to EXILE The Persians later allowed them to return to Jerusalem
70 AD Romans squash a revolt and order the Jews to disperse (Diaspora)