Early Civilizations

Key Questions What distinguished civilizations from other forms of human community? Where did the first civilizations develop? What were the characteristics of the first civilizations? In the development of the First Civilizations, what was gained for humankind and what was lost?

What is a Civilization? A highly organized society with complex institutions and mindsets that link a large number of people together.

5 Characteristics Of A Civilization: 1)Advanced Cities 2)Specialized Workers 3)Complex Institutions 4)Record Keeping 5)Advanced Technology

Advanced Cities –Urbanization –Trade networks –Bartering trading goods for goods

Bartering

Who was a Specialized Worker? –Farmers Grow crops –Artisans Skilled worker who makes goods by hand –Priests Religious leaders –Soldiers Fight to protect citizens –Rulers Lead their people Specialized Workers

How complex are we talking? –Government –Organized religion –Military Complex Institutions

Written languages were developed –Scribes were the official record keepers Business transactions Laws Census Harvests Record Keeping

What was considered technology back then? Keeping domesticated animals Plow Wheel Irrigation Growing crops Advanced Technology

Cultural diffusion is the spread of elements of one culture to another people, generally through trade. Take the spread of writing. Similarities between the pictograms of Egyptian hieroglyphics, Sumerian cuneiform, and the Indus script are striking. Can you give examples of cultural diffusion in your society today?

Where were the First Civilizations located?

Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent

Fertile Crescent Fertile Crescent = moon-shaped strip of land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf that is excellent farm land –Located in modern- day Middle East

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia = located within the Fertile Crescent, between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers –Rivers were NOT a reliable source of water (unlike the Nile) –Ran dry in summer; flooded in spring –Villages joined together to build dams, canals, and ditches

Eden? Many speculate that Mesopotamia was the location of the Bible’s Garden of Eden.

The Sumerian Civilization People from Asia arrived in Mesopotamia Formed 12 city-states = the city and the land surrounding it –Considered the world’s 1 st cities Created ziggurats = stepped pyramids with a temple at the top

The Ziggurat at Ur was first excavated by British archaeologist Woolley in The Iraqi Directorate of Antiquities restored its lower stages in the 1980s.

The Sumerian Civilization Sumerians shared common culture, language, and religion City-states governed themselves Were theocracies = kings served as both government leaders AND high priests Laws regulated the roles of women & men  men had far more rights

The Sumerian Civilization Cuneiform = Sumerian system of writing –The symbols represented complex ideas

The Sumerian Civilization Scribes were trained to read & write documents and stories –Epic of Gilgamesh = oldest story in the world

Like many ancient civilizations, the Sumerians also had “a flood story.” The Epic of Gilgamesh is, perhaps, the oldest written story on Earth. It comes to us from ancient Sumeria, and was originally written on 12 clay tablets in cuneiform script. It is about the adventures of the cruel King Gilgamesh of Uruk (ca and 2500 BCE). In tablet XI we read about Per-napishtim, a man who built a boat and was saved from a great flood brought about by angry gods.

The Sumerian Civilization Practiced polytheism = belief in more than one god –Each city-state had its own god –Negative outlook on life and the afterlife –Believed gods were selfish and had no regard for humans

Sumerian Inventions 1.Wagon Wheel 2.Arch 3.Potter’s Wheel 4.Sundial 5.12-month Calendar 6.Metal Plow

First Mesopotamian Empires The Akkadians Empire under Sargon I Kingdom was called Akkad Conquered & united all of the Sumerian city- states Empire fell apart after his & his grandson’s death

First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon Ruled by Hammurabi Strict Code of Laws = Hammurabi’s greatest achievement –Government assumed the responsibility of protecting its citizens –People now had laws to protect their rights & didn’t need to resort to violence –282 rules and consequences dealing with Family relations Business conduct Crime Different punishments for rich and poor, men and women. “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.”

Hammurabi’s Code in Cuneiform Writing

First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon Social classes were similar to the Egyptians, but they had far more slaves Hammurabi’s empire fell apart after his death

Ancient Egypt & the Nile Valley

A River Valley & Its People One of the world’s first civilizations developed along the banks of the Nile –In northeastern Africa –Nile = world’s longest river People of the Nile relied on the river’s yearly floods to bring them water Green Nile Valley = stark contrast to deserts surrounding it on either side

A River Valley & Its People Rich black soil in Valley = good for farming 5000 BCE = farmers began to settle down in the Valley –Grew cereal crops (wheat, barley) –Hunted ducks & geese; fished Early Egyptians harvested papyrus –Used for rope, sandals, baskets, and paper

A River Valley & Its People Early farming villages prospered --> WHY?? Because they were protected from foreign invasions by deserts and cataracts (waterfalls) in the Nile Strong leaders united the farming villages into kingdoms or monarchies ruled by a king

A River Valley & Its People By 4000 BCE, Egypt had 2 large kingdoms –Lower Egypt (in the north) –Upper Egypt (in the south) –3000 BCE = Narmer (king of Upper Egypt) attacked Lower Egypt and united them Capital = Memphis 1st of the Egyptian dynasties Egyptian dynasties divided into 3 periods: Old, Middle, New

The Old Kingdom (2700 BCE to 2200 BCE) People saw their kings as gods –Called a theocracy = same person is the political AND religious leader –King gave many responsibilities to a bureaucracy = groups of government officials –King controlled trade & taxes –King supervised building of canals, dams, grain storehouses

The Old Kingdom Egyptians built pyramids as burial places for their kings –Great Pyramids in Giza –King’s bodies were mummified for preservation

Pyramids as Tombs

Mummification

The Middle Kingdom (2050 BCE to 1800 BCE) Old Kingdom ended with violence & a new dynasty reunited Egypt Capital moved to Thebes Theben kings = seized new territory & added thousands of acres to their civilization Built canals and irrigation systems

The Middle Kingdom Local leaders began to challenge the kings’ power, which threatened peace –At same time = 1st real threat to Egypt = invasion by Hyksos (people from western Asia) –Hyksos swept through with new tools for war --> bronze weapons & horse-drawn chariots –Easily conquered the Egyptians & set up a new dynasty (for about 110 years)

The New Kingdom Egyptian prince named Ahmose raised an army & drove the Hyksos out Ahmose & those that came after him used the title pharaoh –Rebuilt Egypt & conquered more land

The New Kingdom 1480 BCE = Queen Hatshepsut came to power in Egypt = 1st female pharaoh –After her death, her stepson Thutmose III took over –Thutmose III created an army, conquered neighboring Syria, and expanded the Egyptian empire –Empire = many territories under one ruler –Egyptian empire grew rich & benefited from cultural diffusion

The New Kingdom 1370 BCE = ruler named Amenhotep = created new religion with just 1 god –Changed his named to Akhenaton = “spirit of Aton” –Aton = sun-disk god = only 1 to be worshipped –Controversial, so after his death the priests went back to old religion –King Tut took over for him

King Tut’s Tomb

The New Kingdom 1200s BCE = Ramses II (Ramses the Great) –Built large statues of himself, temples, and tombs –After his death, Egypt weakened under attacks from invaders & was taken over by foreigners

Life in Ancient Egypt Social Order Upper class = kings, nobles, priests Middle class = artisans, scribes, merchants Lower class (majority of Egyptians) = farmers, poor Lowest of the low = slaves

Life in Ancient Egypt Families In cities & upper class = husband, wife, children Outside the city & poor families = also included grandparents & other relatives

Life in Ancient Egypt Women In the beginning = property of their husbands By the time of the Egyptian Empire = they could own property and divorce their husbands; had more rights

Life in Ancient Egypt Religion Very important to early Egyptians Polytheistic = believed in more than one god Gods were often half human, half animal Believed in an afterlife – burial rituals reflect this The ankh = symbol of life

Some Egyptian Gods Ra = Sun God King of the Gods Osiris = God of the Dead Iris = Queen of the Goddesses Horus = Son of Iris & Osiris Anubis = God of Embalming

Life in Ancient Egypt Writing Used hieroglyphics (picture symbols) for writing Few people could read or write Language remained a mystery until discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 –(Greek writing matched the hieroglyphs on the Stone)

Life in Ancient Egypt Science Developed a number system Used geometry to calculate volume and area Created a 365-day calendar Developed medical expertise  used splints, bandages, etc.

Early South Asia & Early China

Early South Asia 3 rd civilization on the rise = Indus River Valley in South Asia Arose on the subcontinent of Asia = landmass that is part of a continent but is distinct from it

The Subcontinent 3 modern nations there today = India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh Mountains separate it from the rest of Asia = Himalayas & Hindu Kush Indus River drains into the Arabian Sea

Climate & Seasonal Winds Mountains block cold air & give the area a warm climate Monsoons = seasonal winds that affect the climate and way of life Summer monsoons bring heavy rains, causing flooding that helps the soil People depended on monsoons to grow crops Monsoons were unpredictable - Unusually heavy rains drowned people, animals, whole villages - Late or light monsoons caused poor crops & starvation

The Indus Valley Civilization Often called Harappan Civilization Major cities: Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Cities were carefully planned – used a grid pattern A fortress built on a brick platform overlooked each city – probably the center of government and religion

The Indus Valley Civilization Houses were made of oven-baked bricks 1) Each house had at least one bathroom with plumbing to sewers 2) Houses rose to several stories and had enclosed courtyards

The Indus Valley Civilization Most people farmed Trade = bronze and copper tools; jewelry out of gold, shells, ivory; clay pots; woven cloth; silver containers Used pictograms – still haven’t been deciphered Not much is known due to a lack of written records Collapsed around 1500 BCE

Early China 4 th civilization on the rise = Yellow River Valley in China (Huang He River) Oldest continuous civilization in the world

China’s Geography 1/3 mountains Vast deserts – Gobi Desert These factors isolated China from other early civilizations Prevented cultural diffusion Promoted strong sense of national identity

Shang Dynasty ( BCE) 1 st dynasty (line of rulers who belong to the same family) from which there are written records in China Kings were also high priests –Performed special ceremonies for good weather, crops, etc. –Had special powers to call upon their ancestors –Used oracle bones

Shang Dynasty Had a writing system –Characters represented objects, ideas, or sounds –Had to memorize each character to understand script –Few people could read & write in ancient China

Shang Dynasty Produced some of the finest bronze objects ever made Wove silk into beautiful colored cloth for the upper class 7 capital cities –Palace and temple stood at the center of each city

Shang Dynasty Collapsed under attack –Shang Dynasty lacked strong leaders –1000 BCE = ruler from the north named Wu marched in his armies and killed the Shang king –Set up his own dynasty called the Zhou Dynasty that ruled China for 800 years

Shang Dynasty Paved the way for many other dynasties to rule China –Dynasties ruled China until the early 1900s under the Mandate of Heaven If rulers were effective, they received the authority to rule from Heaven If not, they were overthrown & lost this mandate to someone else who started a new dynasty