While watching the video clip, answer the following:1.How did domesticating animals create more inequalities?2.Why did the Middle East have an advantage over other world areas?

Bell Work

DAILY OBJECTIVE:

1. Compare and Contrast the 4 Early River Civilizations in terms of Politics, Economy, Social Class, and Religion

The Four River Valley Civilizations

I. General Civilization Characteristics

1. Organized Farming and Village Life 2. Food Surplus (Iron Tools/Beasts of Burden) led to clear

specialization of labor 4. Clear Social Class Distinctions 5. Growth in Population in new Urban areas

Increased immunities led to better health 7. Complex formal government institutions which governed

large projects Irrigation Road Building Taxation

8. Increased trade routes/cultural connections 9. Writing systems/ Uniform Coinage and Weights

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

II. Tigris-Euphrates Rivers (Fertile Crescent)

Located in the Middle East (modern-day Iraq) Often called Mesopotamia (“land between the rivers”)

First example of human civilizationBy 4000 - 3500 B.C.E.

Farmers were working with some metals, invented the wheel Irrigation systems, dykes, and canals for farming Flourishing culture Written language – cuneiform, developed by the Sumerians-

also made advances in Algebra and Geometry Complex religious beliefs (Polytheistic)

Sumerians erected shrines/massive monuments, called ziggurats, to honor gods

Some ideas (gods’ creation of earth, floods) can be found in various religions

Negative view of gods and afterlife due to unpredictable flooding

Sumerians invented:Brick technologyWheelSailBase 60 – using the circle . . . 360 degreesTime – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a

minute12 month lunar calendararchrampziggurat

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Ziggurat – Holy Mountain

II. continued…

Highly organized Relied on city-states – small, autonomous regions ruled

by a king (decentralized government) Later groups developed larger empires Developed strict class systems – kings, priests, and

nobles controlled most land; then merchants, scribes, artisans, farmers, and slaves

Regulated system of laws and courts Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, set early code of law in

stone

Lasting belief systems Judaism – earliest monotheistic religion

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.] Code

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.] Code

II. continued….

Other Civilizations in Fertile Crescent Sumerians

1st wheel, cuneiform, city-states

Babylonians Hammurabi’s Code of

Law Hittites

1st to mine Iron (began Iron Age)

Assyrians Improved military

equipment, chariot

Persians Built large empire

divided into provinces; Royal Roads, common set of weights & measurements; single coinage

Phoenicians Colonized

Mediterranean; phonetic alphabet with 22 letters

Hebrews/ Semitic Judaism- oldest

monotheistic religion

Located in northern Africa, modern-day Egypt3000 B.C.E.Ruled by a pharaoh, or king (Monarchy)

Considered to be directly descended from the gods

Complex religious and political rituals (Polytheistic) Book of the Dead – guided the soul to the afterlife (more positive

view) Mummification of bodies – preserved those with elite status for

eternity Theocracy – ruled through laws based on religion

Development of writing Hieroglyphics – comes from Greek words meaning “sacred carving”

More complex than cuneiform Used papyrus reeds to make a paper-like writing surface

III. Nile River

III. continued

Social Class Structure: Pharaoh, Priest/Nobles, Merchants/Artisans/Scribes

(Middle Class), Peasant Farmers, Slaves

Cultural Advances Medicine/Surgery, Math, Calendars, Irrigation,

Cosmetics, Architecture, Jewelry, Metal Work, Pyramids, PapyrusGiza Pyramid

ComplexGiza Pyramid

Complex

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

PerfumePerfume

WhigsWhigs

MirrorMirror

IV. Indus River

Located in modern-day Pakistan, near India’s border2500 B.C.E.-1500 B.C.E. (abruptly ends)Advanced cities

Sophisticated city planning, running water, two-storied and spacious buildings; drainage systems to brick-lined sewers Harappa, Mohenjo Daro

Traded with Mesopotamia, but developed independently

Developed Pictographic system of writing, but never been translated

Thought to be a theocracy (Polytheistic), religion a precursor to Hinduism

Environment and invasions a factor in disappearance Monsoons, floods Nomadic invaders (Aryan tribes)

IV. Continued…

Built ships; Traded overseas and overlandSocial Class System (not fully sure):

Priests Warriors Traders and Agriculturists Workers

V. Huanghe (Yellow River)

Located in northern half of modern-day China Flows from central China to east coast

About 2000 B.C.E.- 1029 B.C.E (Shang) Developed independently from other civilizations

Largely cut off from contact with outside world by geography (desert, mountains, ocean)

Developed sophisticated irrigations systems Controlled flooding of Yellow River

Early pioneers in science and weapon/tool-making Developed unique written language based on ideographic symbols

Early religious beliefs based on spirits, centered around family Social classes divided society

Nobles and peasants Established system of feudalism – nobles owned all the land that

peasants worked Rigid political system develops – paves way for dynastic system

Shang dynasty was earliest – 1500 B.C.E.

VI. Legacies of River Valleys

Expanded populations & urbanizationNew networks – roads & trade routes lined,

sea routesEstablished systems of government, laws, &

religionEstablished patterns of culture & cultural

diffusion

Early River Valley CivilizationsEarly River Valley Civilizations

•Flooding of Tigris and Euphrates unpredictable•No natural barriers•Limited natural resources for making tools or buildings

EnvironmentEnvironment

SumerSumer

EgyptEgypt

Indus Indus ValleyValley

ChinaChina

•Flooding of the Nile predictable•Nile an easy transportation link between Egypt’s villages

•Deserts were natural barriers

• Indus flooding unpredictable•Monsoon winds•Mountains, deserts were natural barriers

•Huang He flooding unpredictable•Mountains, deserts natural barriers•Geographically isolated from other ancient civilizations

VII. Mesoamerica and the Andes

General Characteristics 1st humans arrived from land

bridge from Asia Separated by vast oceans No contact with Eastern

Hemisphere until 15th c. CE Developed agriculture

independently

VII. continued

The Olmec (1200-400 BCE) of Mesoamerica (Central Am.) Agriculture by 3000 BCE Grew beans, peppers, squash, and maize; had

plenty of rain (no irrigation) Fewer domesticated animals than Eastern civ.; no

LARGE animals (horse, cattle, goats or sheep) Cities were religious and trade centers Hierarchal society with elite group of priests

(performed elaborate rituals at large temples in the city)

Ruler and his family also lived elaborately Number system based on 30; 365 day yearly

calendar Abandoned cities due to internal conflict

VII. continued

The Chavin (900-250 BCE) of South America Peru coastline and Andes Mountains

foothills No river valley; dry coastline and rugged

mnts. Capital in highlands to connect trade

between regions Grew maize, potatoes, fruits, cotton, and

coca leaves Domesticated the Llama Craftsmen used silver and gold for

decorative and ceremonial items Politically well organized; culture spread

over large area Jaguar god with human/animal features

important symbol of their religion

Key Vocabulary – Chapter 1 (Part 2)

MesopotamiaSumeriansCity-statesHammurabiPharaohPyramidsIndus ValleyHarappa/Mohenjo DaroHuanghe (Yellow

River)Ideographic

ShangMonotheismOlmecChavin