Unit 2

CLASSICAL CLASSICAL EMPIRESEMPIRES

Warm-Up: Spiral pg. 5Classical Empires

• What is an Empire?• To control several

territories, countries, or city-states under one ruler

• Expansion= Empire

• Write the following question in your spiral:

• How do the river valley civilizations influence the rise of the classical empires?

EmpireEmpireofof

PERSIAPERSIA

Persian Government/PoliticsPersian Government/Politics

Absolute Rule with Absolute Rule with local governmentslocal governments

Satraps: Satraps: local governors Royal Road:Royal Road:communication

system

Persian ReligionPersian Religion

• Good vs. EvilGood vs. Evil• Ideas of Ideas of

heaven, hell, heaven, hell, and final and final judgmentjudgment

ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism

Persian Technology/Culture

• Intellectual Centers: Babylon

CLASSICALCLASSICALGREECEGREECE

Greek Government/Politics

• Started in Athens

• All citizens vote• Non-citizens:

women, slaves, and foreigners

WORLD’S FIRST DEMOCRACY!

Greek Philosophy/LiteratureGreek Philosophy/Literature• Socrates Socrates

– Belief based on question and answerBelief based on question and answer

– Socratic MethodSocratic Method

• PlatoPlato– The Republic:The Republic: best govt. is ruled by philosopher-best govt. is ruled by philosopher-

kingskings

• AristotleAristotle– arguing using logic arguing using logic – Scientific Method Scientific Method

• Homer: Homer: epic poems of heroic deedsepic poems of heroic deeds

• Greek drama: Greek drama: tragedies and tragedies and comediescomedies

Greek Technology/CultureGreek Technology/Culture• AstronomyAstronomy

– Eratosthenes Eratosthenes calculated earth’s calculated earth’s circumferencecircumference

• Mathematics and Mathematics and PhysicsPhysics– Euclid created Euclid created

geometrygeometry– Archimedes pi and Archimedes pi and

screwscrew– Pythagorean Pythagorean

TheoremTheorem• ArtArt

– Columns/AcropolisColumns/Acropolis

The 1st Olympic Field

First Olympics!First Olympics!

Greece at its Greatest!Greece at its Greatest!

CLASSICALCLASSICALROMEROME

Roman Government/PoliticsRoman Government/Politics• RepublicRepublic

– Elected leadersElected leaders

• Twelve Tables Twelve Tables – Written LawWritten Law

– Equal RightsEqual Rights

• EmpireEmpire– AugustusAugustus

• Pax Romana “Roman Peace”

– DiocletianDiocletian• Divided Rome into East and West

Roman ReligionRoman Religion

• Constantine:Constantine: made Christianity the official religion of Rome

• Why did Christianity spread so easily?– Accepted everyone– Belief of spreading

the word

CHRISTIANITYCHRISTIANITY

Roman Technology/CultureRoman Technology/Culture

AqueductAqueductssArchArch

DomeDome ColosseuColosseumm

Public EntertainmentPublic Entertainment

Gladiator FightsGladiator Fights

Christian PersecutionsChristian Persecutions

Wild Animal HuntsWild Animal Hunts

Fall of the Roman Empire

• Political WeaknessPolitical Weakness– Corrupt leadersCorrupt leaders

• Economic ProblemsEconomic Problems– High taxes, inflation, High taxes, inflation,

unemploymentunemployment

• Military DeclineMilitary Decline– Non-roman soldiers = less loyalNon-roman soldiers = less loyal

• InvasionsInvasions– BarbariansBarbarians

Mauryan and

GuptaIndia

Indian Government/PoliticsIndian Government/Politics

• Chandragupta Chandragupta Maurya unified Maurya unified Northern India Northern India creating an creating an empireempire

• Asoka- Asoka- Mauryan Mauryan Empire’s greatest Empire’s greatest rulerruler

Indian ReligionIndian Religion

• BuddhismBuddhism • HinduismHinduism

Indian Technology/CultureIndian Technology/Culture

•MathMath•Zero, decimal system, piZero, decimal system, pi

•MedicineMedicine•Medicinal plants, plastic surgeryMedicinal plants, plastic surgery

•LiteratureLiterature•poetrypoetry

•TradeTrade•Silk Road and Indian Ocean tradeSilk Road and Indian Ocean trade

Classical ChinaClassical China

Chinese Chinese Government/PoliticsGovernment/Politics

• DynastiesDynasties– Zhou, Qin, Zhou, Qin, HanHan

• Great WallGreat Wall• Mandate of Mandate of

HeavenHeaven– Heaven Heaven

chooses and chooses and blesses the blesses the rulers of Chinarulers of China

Chinese ReligionChinese Religion

• ConfuciusConfucius • DaoismDaoism

Chinese Technology/CultureChinese Technology/CulturePaper Silk Road

Iron Tools

Silk

Chinese Exam System

Classical IsraelClassical Israel

Israel Government/PoliticsIsrael Government/Politics

• KingdomsKingdoms–Saul–David–Solomon

• Ten Ten CommandmentsCommandments–Code of Law

Israel ReligionIsrael Religion• JudaismJudaism• Monotheistic Monotheistic • AbrahamAbraham

– Founder of the Hebrew peopleFounder of the Hebrew people

• TorahTorah– First 5 books of the Hebrew BibleFirst 5 books of the Hebrew Bible

• CovenantCovenant– Promise between God and his peoplePromise between God and his people

• MosesMoses– Led Hebrews out of slaveryLed Hebrews out of slavery

Accomplishments of IsraelAccomplishments of Israel

Solomon’s Temple

Capital of Jerusalem

Concluding Idea…Concluding Idea…

What are some commonalities of What are some commonalities of the Classical Empires?the Classical Empires?

• They began by expanding and unifying

• They had beliefs/religions that spread easily

• The downfall of the empires were caused by

– Problems within the Empires

– Outside invasions