Chapter 2 First Civilizations: Africa & Asia 3200 B.C.-500 B.C.

Chapter 2 First Civilizations: Africa & Asia

3200 B.C.-500 B.C.

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Summary:Historians split ancient Egyptian history into 3 periods

1.) The Old Kingdom

2.) The Middle Kingdom

3.) The New Kingdom

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

One of the earliest civilizations arose in Egypt about 5,000 years ago

Since most of Egypt is desert, people settled along the Nile River

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

The fertile soil of the Nile Valley produced good crops

Yearly floods soaked the land and deposited rich soil

The river also served as a highway for travel by boat

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

The Egyptian ruler was called a Pharaoh

After the death of a Pharaoh, power usually passed to another member of his family

These ruling families were called dynasties

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

The 3 periods of Egyptian history are the:

1.) Old Kingdom (2700 B.C.-2200 B.C.)

2.) Middle Kingdom (2050 B.C.-1800 B.C.)

3.) New Kingdom (1550 B.C.-1100 B.C.)

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

During the Old Kingdom, the Pharaohs created a strong government

They also built giant pyramidsPyramids are massive burial tombs that took many years and millions of stone blocks to build

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

The Middle Kingdom was a troubled period

The Nile did not flood regularly, so in many years crops did not grow

Although, Egypt conquered many lands, rebellion was common

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Then invaders called the Hyksos [HIHK sohs], defeated the Pharaoh’s army and gained control of Egypt

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

The New Kingdom began over a hundred years later when the Egyptians drove out the Hyksos

Powerful Pharaoh’s created a large empire that reached the Euphrates river

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Egypt traded with Asia and AfricaTrade and warfare spread Egyptian culture to other countries

In return, those places gave Egyptians new ideas

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Old Kingdom (2700 B.C.-2200 B.C.)

Pharaoh’s organize strong government ق

Egyptians believe Pharaoh is a god أل

Old Kingdom is known as Pyramid Age ي

Egyptians build giant pyramids at Giza غ

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

Middle Kingdom (2050 B.C.-1800 B.C.)

Egyptians suffer food shortages ق

People rebel أل

Hyksos conquer Egypt ي

Section 1: Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

New Kingdom (1550 B.C.-1100 B.C.)

Powerful Pharaoh’s build large empire ق

;Queen Hatshepsut becomes Pharaoh أل

Encourages trade

Ramese II conquers Palestine & Syria ي

Egyptian power begins to decline غ

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Summary: Ancient Egypt was an advanced society where people were divided into classes

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Religion was an important part of everyday life in Egypt

Egyptians believed and many gods and goddesses

They also believed in life after death

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

They prepared their dead for the afterlife through a preservation process called mummification

The mummies of some Pharaoh’s were buried in pyramids

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Egyptian society had its own class system

Egyptians believed that the Pharaoh was both god and a king

He had the highest position in society

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Next where the priests, who served the gods and the goddesses

Near the bottom was the biggest group, the peasant farmers

Beneath the peasants were the slaves

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Women in ancient Egyptian society had more freedom than in any other ancient civilization

For example, at different times Egypt was ruled by women:

1.) Hatshepsut

2.) Cleopatra

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

The Egyptians made many advances in learning and art

In medicine, they learned to cure many illnesses and to perform surgery

Egyptians developed a calendar very similar to the one we use today

They also created picture writing called Hieroglyphics

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Egyptian temples and monuments have survived thousands of years

Egyptian statues and paintings show daily life, ceremonies, and military victories

Section 2: Egyptian Civilization

Pharaoh

Priests & Priestesses

Nobles

Craftspeople & Merchants

Peasant Farmers

Slaves

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Summary:The fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers supported the development of Sumerian civilization

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Geography helps explain the rise of civilization in the Middle East

Like the Nile River in Egypt, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers made the land around them fertile

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Tigris

&

Euphrates

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

This region was called the Fertile Crescent because of the good farmland curved in the shape of a crescent

The land between the rivers was called Mesopotamia

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

By 5,000 years ago, villages along the Tigris and Euphrates had grown into busy cities

These city-states made up the civilization of Sumer

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Different city-states fought each other for land and water

During the fighting, people turned to powerful war leaders to protect them

Over time, leadership passed down within the war leaders families, and social classes developed

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Like Egyptians, the Sumerians made important contributions to the world

They built the first wheeled vehicles

Systems of ditches and canals provided flood protection and water for crops

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

The Sumerians were the first people to write

They used wedge-shaped writing called Cuneiform to record information as early as 3200 B.C.

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Sumerians developed algebra and geometry

By studying the sun and the moon, the Sumerians invented an accurate calendar

Section 3: City-States of Ancient Sumer

Later on, invaders conquered the Sumerians

The conquerors adopted many of the Sumerian ideas and passed them on to later civilizations

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Summary:Strong rulers united the lands of the Fertile Crescent into well-organized empires

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Many groups invaded and conquered the civilizations of the Fertile Crescent

Some invaders destroyed the city-statesOthers stayed to rule

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Some of these rulers created large, well-organized empires

Empires are a group of territories under the control of one ruler or government

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

One powerful ruler was King Hammurabi of Babylon

Around 1790 B.C., Hammurabi put together a set of laws, called the Code of Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi was the first major collection of laws in history

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Another important ruler was Darius of Persia

In 522 B.C., Darius controlled an empire that stretched from Asia Minor to India

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Empire of Darius of Persia

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Darius divided his empire into provinces, or locally controlled regions

Later rulers used his ideas about government

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Different groups of people met in the crossroads of the Fertile Crescent

Many groups made advances in technology and ideas

For example, Phoenicians developed the first real alphabet to record their trades

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Through warfare and trade, ideas and technology spread

As time passed, the contributions of people who lived in the Fertile Crescent reached all the way to India and Europe

Section 4: Invaders, traders, & Empire Builders

Civilization: Dates: Achievements:

Babylonians 1790 B.C. Code of Hammurabi

Hittites 1400 B.C. Forged iron tools and weapons

Assyrians 1100 B.C. First libraries

Persians 539 B.C. -Conquered large empire

-Improved trade by using coins & standard measures

Phoenicians 600 B.C. Created first alphabet

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

Summary:The Jewish religion was unique in the ancient world because it was monotheistic (belief in 1 God)

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

The Hebrews were one of the groups that lived in the Fertile Crescent

The Hebrews recorded their history in a sacred book called the Torah

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

According to the Torah, God made a covenant, or binding agreement, with Abraham to be the God of the Hebrews

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

Later the Egyptian Pharaoh made slaves of the Hebrews

Moses helped the Hebrews escapeFor forty years they wandered in the desert

– Finally they set up the kingdom of Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital

– The Hebrews believed that God had promised them this land

– Later the kingdom split apart, and both sections were conquered

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

In time, Hebrew beliefs evolved into the religion we know today as Judaism

Judaism was different from the other ancient religions

Other religions believed in many gods

Judaism was monotheistic, teaching a belief in one God

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

The Hebrews also believed that God had chosen them as His people

The laws of Judaism are called the Ten Commandments

They describe how people should behave toward God and toward each other

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

Often in Jewish history, there were prophets, or spiritual leaders, who explained God’s will

The prophets taught about moral standards and justice

For example, powerful people should protect the weak

Prophets also taught that all people were equal before God

Section 5: The Roots of Judaism

Prophets

Torah

10Commandments

ChosenPeople

Covenant

1 God

Judaism