{Early Civilization

The Rise of Civilizations along River Valleys

City-states First empires- In Sumeria, Sargon of

Akkad Centralized government Hereditary Dynasty Written Code of Law- Babylonia,

Hammurabi

Government

Bronze Age Increasing agricultural surplus Increased trade by land and sea Trade Routes- Routes for what else?

Important Developments

Mostly polytheistic

Monotheistic Hebrews

Religion

King

Priests

Merchants/Traders

Artisans/Workers

Slaves

Class System

Pictograms- pictures represented ideas

Hieroglyphics- Egyptian writing system that used symbols to represent ideas and sounds

Cuneiform- First writing system, developed by Sumerians

Alphabet- Developed by Phoenicians. Symbols represent sounds – like phonics

Writing and Language

What do we know about Judaism?

Judaism

Abraham, who lived in the Sumerian city of Ur, was commanded by his God to move to Canaan (modern-day Israel).

Abraham’s descendants believe in only one God- the God of Abraham.

Belief in one god is called Monotheism. The Torah is religious beliefs and records

Judaism

They migrated to Egypt, possibly with an invading Hyksos army

After the Hyksos were kicked out, the Hebrews stayed behind, and became slaves.

Moses led them out of bondage in Egypt, back to Canaan. He received the Ten Commandments, a moral and religious code.

Migration to and from Egypt

Phoenicia

The Phoenicians extracted a purple dye from sea snails.

This dye was highly prized because it never faded (actually got brighter with exposure to sunlight)

Sought after throughout the ancient world- in fact the name Phoenician comes from the Greek word for “Purple”

Trade in this dye expanded and the Phoenicians ended up being the most important sea traders of the ancient Mediterranean

Connecting the ancient world, and allowed cultural diffusion

Phoenician Trade Empire

The Phoenicians most long lasting invention may have been the alphabet (they adapted it from Egyptian hieroglyphics)

Used symbols to represent units of sound instead of entire words. Allowed for rapid written communication.

The Greeks later adopted this alphabet to their own language.

Phoenicians invent the alphabet

Lived in the Upper Nile region (South of the Egyptians)

Often at war with the Egyptians. Usually the Egyptians dominated and ruled over the Nubians. The Nubians did conquer the Egyptians and rule over them occasionally, too.

Nubia