Five Minute Writing Assignment

• Why did the first civilizations emerge near rivers and river valleys?

• 1. Offered rich soils for agriculture• 2. Tended to be located in places that

could offer protection from nomadic invaders

Five Minute Writing Assignment

• List three forms of technology found in River Valley civilizations and how they changed life for their citizens.

• Wheel – moving heavy objects• Plow- prepare soil for better plant growth• Irrigation system- system to provide constant

water source.• System of writing- record keeping,

communication

Discussion Question:

• What is the difference between the Copper, Bronze and Iron Ages?

Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Unit 2 : Early Civilizations

The Fertile Crescent

• Arc of land between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia

One land…Two Rivers• Mesopotamia means =

“land between the rivers”–Tigris River and

Euphrates River• Both rivers flooded once

a year and left thick bed of silt.–Silt: rich, new soil

farmers could plant and harvest enormous quantities of wheat and barley

PoliticalPower of the Priests• Sumer’s earliest

governments were controlled by temple priests–Farmers believed they

needed blessings for success of their crops

–Priests were the middle man for the Gods

–Priests demanded portion of farmer crops as tax

Political

• Later followed

Hereditary rulers: ?

when the power is

passed down to

family members

Sargon

Economy/Commerce• Did early civilizations use a barter economy or a monetary economy?

Barter

• Increasing agricultural surplus (better tools, plows, irrigation)

• Increasing trade along rivers – traded with Egypt

• Specialization of labor

Religion• Polytheistic: Belief in

Many Gods (3,000!!!)• Gods could be angered at

any moment and to keep them happy (?) Sumerians:–Built impressive

ziggurats or temples to sacrifice food, wine and animals

MORE ZIGGURATS!!!

Sumerian Society

Kings and Priests

Wealthy merchants

Ordinary Sumerian people

Slaves

Rights of Women• Could hold property• Join lower ranks of

priesthood• There were few women

scribes. Why?• Could women go to

school?–Scholars think that girls

were not allowed to attend schools

Language/LiteratureEpic of Gilgamesh• Myths and legends

recorded in this long poem

• Story of a legendary Mesopotamian king.

• One of the earliest works of literature in the world

“Gilgamesh, whither are you wandering?

Life, which you look for, you will never find.

For when the gods created man, they let

Death be his share, and withheld life

In their own hands”

AchievementsScience and Technology• Invented the wheel, the

sail, the plow• First to use bronze.• Developed system of

writing• Built irrigation systems,

buildings, surveyed flooded fields.