Ancient Mediterranean civilizations

Geography of the Fertile Crescent Living in Mesopotamia has disadvantages as well as benefits –Sumerians Arrived 4500 B.C. –Good soil attracted these settlers to the flat, swampy land of Sumer –Disadvantages were floods were not regular Small farming villages had no protection against enemies Lack of stone, wood, & mental for tools

Geography of the Fertile Crescent Solving problems together is the beginning of Sumerian organized government –Dug ditches from the river to their fields so they could bring water to their crops –Built walls of baked mud around their villages for defense –Excess of food allowed them to trade for extra stone, wood, & metal from other land

Sumerians Create City-States Sumerians create city-states ruled by priests –Five key Characteristics set Sumer apart from other city states Advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, & advanced technology –Farmers believed that the success of their crops depended upon blessing from god Priest were intercessors & demanded crops as taxes

Sumerians Create City-States During war, Military leaders take over. They eventually become full-time leaders –Due to more and more wars military leaders became full time leaders –Pass power to their sons, which in turn became dynasty The concept of city-states spreads to other cultures through trade –Led to cultural diffusion – product of spreading from one culture to another

Development of city states Causes –In times of war, military leaders took over –Farms produced surplus of food –Long distance trade increased Effects –Power moved from priests to monarchs –City- states grew prosperous –Sumerians come into contact with other people

Sumerian Culture Sumerians believe that natural forces & Human affairs are controlled by many Gods –Each God had power over different forces of nature or parts of their lives (Polytheism) Sumerian society develops a class structure –Top were priests & kings, then wealthy merchants then slaves. Sumerians make advances in farming & architecture –Invented the plow, wheel and the plow, arithmetic and geometry, used to build large structures –First to use bronze, writing system

OrderWho were theyWhat they did Highest orderPriests & kingsRuled Second GroupWealthy merchantsBought & sold gods Third groupMost SumeriansWork with hands in the fields Lowest groupSlavesWorked for their freedom

The First Empire Builders Sargon of Akkad creates the first empire by uniting the city-states under his rule Amorites create a new empire in Mesopotamia w/ Babylon as the capital A harsh code of laws known as the Code of Hammurabi is used to govern Babylonia Sumerian advances influence the groups that dominate the Fertile Crescent over the years

Pyramids of the Nile Sec 2 Pages 33-39

The Geography of Egypt The Nile creates rich soil for crops and promotes Egyptian trade The geography of Egypt presents drawbacks as well as benefits –Nile was regular for good farming –Water was low upset the ph balance –Water high would flood villages –Deserts acted as natural barriers between Egypt & other lands

Egypt Unites into a Kingdom Pharaohs, believed to be gods, ruled the Old Kingdom –Pharaohs believed that they had an eternal spirit that allowed them to rule after death The pyramids, which were tombs for the Pharaohs, reflect the strength of the Egyptian culture Trade and migration create cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity in Egypt –Worshiped more than one God, preserved body through mummification –Developed system of writing, called hieroglyphics –System of writing numbers & calendar had 12 months, each with 30 days

Chariot Riders Invade Egypt The Old Kingdom ends as the power of the pharaohs declines Strong pharaohs and new irrigation projects revive Egypt during the Middle Kingdom The Middle Kingdom falls to Asian nomands

Egyptian Achievements

Planned Cities on the Indus Section 3 Pages 42-45

The Geography of South Asia The Indus & Ganges Rivers Create a fertile Plain Geography presents challenges for the Indus Valley –Huang He could cause a terrible floods that could kill entire villages –Mountains didn’t protect china from invasions from the north & south

Environmental conditions & draw backs Benfit Rivers Fertile plans High mountains deserts Drawback Monsoons Cycle of wet & dry seasons Unpredictable floods

Civilizations Emerges on the Indus Early Indus Valley settlers develop farming villages along the Indus River Indus Valley cities are planned and have plumbing & sewage systems –Followed a grid for the streets –Built a strong are called the citadel that was easy to defend & held all important building Ruins reveal the character & trading patterns of the Indus Valley civilization –Traded with people from Mesopotamia

Mysterious End to Indus Valley Culture The Indus Valley civilization ends mysteriously in 1500 B.C. Scholars suggest a variety of causes for the collapse of the Indus Valley civilization –Indus River may have changed its course, no good floods –People overworked the land –Invaders defeated the Indus civilization

River Dynasties in China Section 4 Pages 46-51

The Geography of China Geography isolates China & dictates where early settlements will develop –Land lies protected by a great ocean, huge deserts and high mountains –Two rich rivers the Huang He & Yangtze Early settlers face challenges as a result of China’s geography –Rivers could flood –Invasions from the North & West

Civilization Emerges in Shang Times According to legend, the first Chinese dynasty is the Xia, Which predates the first Sumerian settlements –Leader was an engineer & Mathematician name Yu, who’s flood control and irrigation tamed the Huang He Shang kings build palaces & leave written records. Shang cities are protected by massive earthen walls Shang society is divided between kings, ruling nobles & peasant farmers

The Origins of Chinese Culture The family is central to Chinese society –Importance of group not any single person –Children grew up to respect their parents The Chinese communicate with gods through ancestor spirits and oracle bones –Family member who died could influence the lives of family members still alive –Give respect to dead members of the family hoping to keep them happy China’s written language is not connected to its spoken language –Symbols stood for ideas not sounds Shang artisans make silk and excel at bronzework –Manufactured weapons, jewelry, and religious items for city nobles

The Zhou Bring New Ideas The Zhou use the mandate of Heaven to justify their overthrow of the Shang –Good rulers got the authority to rule from heaven –Stated Shang ruler had lost the favor of heaven to rule Feudalism is established in China, which leads to an increase in local warfare –Give the right to rule over land to royal family members Coined money and iron are used during the Zhou Dynasty era War & the collapse of traditional values bring an end to the Zhou Dynasty –Nobles fought each other during “time of he warring states”