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2 Four separate civilizationsMesopotamia Egypt Harappa (Indus Valley) Shang China (Huang He)

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4 Mesopotamia was a succession of societiesSumeria (Sumer) Akkad First Babylon Assyria Second Babylon

5 Unpredictable rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) Geography Unpredictable rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) Delta region extremely fertile Flat land open to invasion – no natural barriers FIRST CIVILIZATION was Sumeria lasted about 1,300 years (3360 – 2400 BCE)

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7 Growth of the state Irrigation projects required cooperation on a grand scale and leadership Farmers banded together in settlements to manage the environment and for protection These settlements became compact cities surrounded by high mud-brick walls

8 The city-states were often built around existing religious structures, called ziggurat. Focal point of these city-states

9 Ziggurats - stepped towers topped by temples

10 Ziggurats were the focal point of the city-stateThe Tower of Babel is believed to have been a ziggurat

11 Religion People felt utterly dependent on will of gods due to harsh life As male gods became dominant = strengthening of patriarchy Afterlife – sad and gloomy place (later used as model for Hell)

12 Religion and Politics All land belonged to the gods and kings were their representatives Kings and priests afforded special place in society Theocracy – rule by gods or priests By the end of Sumeria’s influence, kings were becoming separate from the priest class

13 Class System Sumerian Life Kings / priestsCommoners: farmers, artisans, merchants Slaves Sumerian Life Marriage was based on a contract Males were dominant but females had more freedom than they do today Females exerted influence through sexuality Due to property inheritances, women would be put to death for adultery

14 Cuneiform Oldest writing system Original purpose was economicUsed to record memoranda, lists of goods, receipts, contracts, etc One of first uses was to record beer recipe

15 Cuneiform- first system of writing

16 Cuneiform tablet with envelope

17 Writing was reserved for the wealthy classes

18 Oldest literature was epic poem The Epic of GilgameshPoem relates story of Gilgamesh, ruler of Uruk, who seeks out survivor of great flood in quest of eternal youth

19 Trade links with Egypt and HarappaAdopted use of silver as means of exchange “Invented” the wheel and pioneered use of carts and chariots Sumerian mathematics based on 12, 60, and 360 (clock and circle) Sumerian astronomical charts basis for modern astronomy Invented quadratic expressions

20 Conquered Sumeria = Akkad first empireSome centralization of power Sargon I = first emperor Absorbed / took on Sumerian culture

21 Period of chaos followed for about three centuriesINVADERS!! Period of chaos followed for about three centuries Political Akkad was overthrown by Amorites Sumerian language disappeared – replaced by Amorite Semitic language Made capital at Babylon Old Babylon overthrown by invading Kassites and Hittites

22 Hammurabi Founder of the Old Babylonian EmpireMost known for his code of laws based on two 282 laws principles: lex talonis and class

23 Political Conquered Kassites and brought all of Mesopotamia under their control Noted for brutality and ruthlessness Largest Mesopotamian empire in landmass Conquered Egypt for short period Assyria brought down by invading Medes and Chaldeans

24 Political Established by Chaldeans who made capital at BabylonKing Nebuchadnezzar Hanging gardens Continued Sumerian culture Conquered by the Persians

25 Other Middle Eastern SocietiesHittites Iron Israelites Two kingdoms Judaism Phoenicians Alphabet Trade colonies (Carthage)

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27 Recap! What do you remember?

28 1. What was the world’s first writing system?2. What was it developed for? 3. Who were literate in Mesopotamia? Why? 4. What was the first piece of literature? What was it about? 5. What was the basic political unit of Mesopotamia? 6. What was the focal point of the Mesopotamian city-state?

29 7. How did geography affect the development of Mesopotamian religion?8. How did geography affect the development of Mesopotamian civilization? 9. What was the first empire? Who created it? 10. What was the Code of Hammurabi? What was it based on? 11. Who laid the foundations for our modern alphabet?

30 The characteristic political organization of the Tigris – Euphrates civilization wasDemocracy Large, durable empires Village-level government Regional city-states Hunting bands

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33 Geography Desert “Redlands” Natural barriers to invasion Nile River“Blacklands” Unlike Mesopotamia, river serene and predictable River was everything to Egyptians: life and communication Mediterranean and Red seas How did geography influence Egypt’s religion?

34 Political Upper and Lower Egypt Pharaoh – “great house” or “palace”Old Kingdom Pyramids Middle Kingdom New Kingdom Tutenkhamen

35 The pyramids at Giza

36 Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were not built with slave labor but by the Egyptian people. How was it done?

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38 The Treaty of Kadesh

39 Ramses the Great today

40 Egyptian Religion PolytheisticTwo major gods: Amon-re (sun) and Osiris (Nile) During Old Kingdom religion was for the state not the masses Story of Osiris symbolized death and resurrection = immortality (Osiris, Isis, Seth, Horus) The concept of the afterlife became fully developed during the Middle Kingdom Amon became god of the living and Osiris god of the dead

41 Elaborate preparations were made to preserve remains for the afterlifeThe dead appeared before Osiris for judgment based on deeds done on earth – the good had eternal pleasure the bad were destroyed Religion was now ethical Religion changed during the New Kingdom –people relied on magic charms/potions for salvation instead of ethical behavior This was in part responsible for the monotheism that sprung up under Akhenaton

42 Egypt differed from Mesopotamian civilization by stressingWell-organized, durable empires Extensive trade Firm religious beliefs Greater social equality More modest building projects

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44 Sophisticated urban centersHarappa and Mohenjo-Daro Dynamic trade state - trade with Mesopotamia and China Monsoons

45 Cities very sophisticated with advanced sewage systems

46 Harappan writing has not yet been deciphered

47 Harappans worshipped cattle and Shiva

48 Decline due to Degradation of the ecosystemMigration of nomadic Aryans Political collapse

49 Aryans: The Vedas Hinduism Developed Sanscrit “Noble People”Indo-Europeans The Vedas Hinduism

50 Level 1: The Brahmins (priests)Level 2: The Kshatriyas (warriors/nobles) Level 3: The Vaisyas (traders and farmers) Level 4: The Sudras (common laborers) Mostly Dravidians Outcastes: The Untouchables

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52 Geography Isolated Huang He (“China’s Sorrow”)Vulnerable northern borders Western desert Himalayas Pacific Ocean Arable land – culture of conservation

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54 Zhou Dynasty Shang Dynasty 3,000 states - FragmentedMandate of Heaven Shang Dynasty 3,000 states - Fragmented King - head shaman Dynasty based on divine rule Bureaucracy increasingly sophisticated Technologically advanced Use of bronze Chariot warfare (imported from West?) Lacquer

55 Writing Oracle Bones Ideographic symbols Primary purpose was religious

56 Bronze Sophisticated metallurgy skills Controlled by elitesUsed for religious rituals and weapons

57 1. What river gave life to Harappan civilization?2. How would you characterize Harappan civilization? 3. How is the Harappan written language unlike that of the rest of the floodplain civilizations? 4. What happened to the Indus Valley civilization? 5. What was an early form of Chinese writing? 6. What geographic factor most influenced life in Harappa?

58 7. What area of China was most conflicted?8. What form of art was used in Chinese religious rituals? 9. What is considered the first major Chinese civilization? 10. On what major river was Chinese civilization first established? 11. What did the Aryans base the caste system on?

59 12. What does the word “Aryan” mean?13. What ancient texts give scholars information about the Aryans? 14. What is the goal of Hinduism? 15. Most of the Sudra caste is composed of what people?

60 Which river valley civilization was most completely destroyed by invasion?Huang He Indus Nile Tigris-Euphrates Mekong