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The First River Valley

Civilizations

What makes a civilization a

civilization?

1.1. Cities serve as administrative centers.Cities serve as administrative centers.

2.2. Political systems based on control of a defined Political systems based on control of a defined territory (with borders).territory (with borders).

3.3. Job specializationJob specialization

4.4. Status systems (mainly based on wealth).Status systems (mainly based on wealth).

5.5. Monumental buildings.Monumental buildings.

6.6. A system for keeping records.A system for keeping records.

7.7. LongLong--distance trade.distance trade.

8.8. Major advances in science and art.Major advances in science and art.

The First Four Civilizations

1. Mesopotamia

2. Egypt

3. Indus River

valley

4. China

Mesopotamia

•• Location: fertile plain Location: fertile plain between the Tigris and between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Euphrates Rivers (modern(modern--day Iraq).day Iraq).

•• Geography and climate Geography and climate make it hard to grow make it hard to grow crops, but agriculture crops, but agriculture was possible:was possible:–– BarleyBarley–– Date palmsDate palms–– Animal Animal

domesticationdomestication•• Trade routes provide Trade routes provide

other resources.other resources.

Mesopotamia

•• Civilization started as a Civilization started as a collection of collection of independent cityindependent city--states.states.

•• Temples and palaces Temples and palaces served as political served as political centers for kings and centers for kings and government.government.

•• Stratified society: Three Stratified society: Three classesclasses--

–– Landowners and Landowners and priestspriests

–– Dependent farmers Dependent farmers and artisansand artisans

–– SlavesSlaves

Mesopotamia

•• Important political Important political

figures:figures:

–– Sargon of AkkadSargon of Akkad

–– HammurabiHammurabi

•• Technological Technological

innovations:innovations:

–– Cuneiform writingCuneiform writing

–– Irrigation systemsIrrigation systems

–– Bronze metallurgyBronze metallurgy

–– Military techniquesMilitary techniques

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Egypt

•• Location: along the Location: along the lower Nile River lower Nile River (northeast Africa).(northeast Africa).

•• Isolated and protected Isolated and protected by deserts on all sides.by deserts on all sides.

•• Nile River provides Nile River provides resources for resources for agriculture (flooding).agriculture (flooding).

•• Transportation also Transportation also easy easy –– current =/= current =/= windswinds

Egypt•• Small citySmall city--states until states until

unified under a king in unified under a king in 3100 BCE.3100 BCE.

•• Pharaohs are regarded Pharaohs are regarded as political and as political and religious leaders (gods religious leaders (gods on earth).on earth).

–– Pyramids and Pyramids and monumentsmonuments

•• Local governments Local governments carried out pharaohs carried out pharaohs orders.orders.

•• Rural communities.Rural communities.

Egypt

•• Social classes:Social classes:

–– High ranking officialsHigh ranking officials

–– Local leaders, Local leaders,

business owners, business owners,

larger farm ownerslarger farm owners

–– PeasantsPeasants

–– SlavesSlaves

•• Religion based on Religion based on

natural figures and natural figures and

regular cycles.regular cycles.

Indus River Valley

•• Location: Centered Location: Centered

around river valleys in around river valleys in

modern Pakistan and modern Pakistan and

India.India.

•• Fertile plains were Fertile plains were

good for agriculture but good for agriculture but

suffered from severe suffered from severe

and unpredictable and unpredictable

floods.floods.

Indus River Valley

•• Flourished from 2600 to Flourished from 2600 to 1900 BCE.1900 BCE.–– Downfall a mystery.Downfall a mystery.

•• Harappa and MohenjoHarappa and Mohenjo--darodaro

•• Possibly controlled by a Possibly controlled by a large central government.large central government.

•• Technological innovations:Technological innovations:–– Irrigation systemsIrrigation systems

–– MetallurgyMetallurgy

–– PotteryPottery

•• Social order Social order –– caste systemcaste system

China

•• Xia and ShangXia and Shang

•• 16001600--1100 BC1100 BC

•• Centered around the Centered around the Yellow and Huang He Yellow and Huang He river valleys.river valleys.

•• Grew barley (N) and rice Grew barley (N) and rice (S)(S)

•• Religion was animismReligion was animism

•• TradeTrade--centered economycentered economy

•• Scientific Scientific –– created created wheel, calendar, pottery, wheel, calendar, pottery, bronze toolsbronze tools

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China

•• Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty

•• Wu Wang ousted ShangWu Wang ousted Shang

•• 900 year rule using 900 year rule using Mandate of HeavenMandate of Heaven

•• Feudal society Feudal society –– nobles nobles gained power over gained power over timetime

•• Ended 256 BCEnded 256 BC

•• Qin followed themQin followed them

Conclusions

•• Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River valley and Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River valley and China civilizations were all built around large China civilizations were all built around large rivers that provided opportunities to develop rivers that provided opportunities to develop agricultural systems.agricultural systems.

•• Egypt, China and Mesopotamia developed Egypt, China and Mesopotamia developed governments centered around an allgovernments centered around an all--powerful powerful king (and the Indus River valley may have been king (and the Indus River valley may have been similar).similar).

•• In all four civilizations, the populations were made In all four civilizations, the populations were made up of varying ethnicities, but they were all united up of varying ethnicities, but they were all united under a common cultural identity.under a common cultural identity.