Ancient Civilizations

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia means “land between the rivers” People began farming around 4500 BCE Problems: – Flooding, drought, lack of natural barriers, and limited natural resources

Advanced Cities Includes some of the earliest known cities: Ur, Uruk, and Kish Built City-States (Ur, Uruk, Eridu) – Functioned like a country and ruled the surrounding land At heart of the city were walled temples called Ziggurats

Specialized Workers Beginning of Social Class – Priests and Ruling class at top Gender inequality becomes prevalent Society has slaves and artisans – Most citizens were farmers or craftsmen – Slaves were those that owed debts or P.O.W.’s

Complex Institutions Priests and Kings shared control Kings were representatives of gods Military commanders took control during war – Would eventually take full control Complex legal system – Hammurabi’s Code

Record Keeping Used Cuneiform – 1 st system of writing – Pictographs – Wrote on clay tablets – Wrote down myths and legends Epic of Gilgamesh

Advanced Technology Built irrigation ditches and walled cities Architectural firsts – Arches, sundial, wheel, bronze Arithmetic and geometry Modern units of time

Ancient Egypt Yearly flooding brought water and silt to the banks of the Nile – Fertile soil and irrigation canals helped support large population – Gift of the Nile

The Nile  The longest river in the world  flows north  Flood Cycle  July to October  Greek historian, Herodotus refers to it as, “the gift of the Nile”  Farmers depend on rich black silt to grow crops

The Annual Flooding of the Nile

Advanced Cities Built Pyramids for their rulers – Resting place for their Ka or eternal life force Built dikes to control the Nile’s flooding Built great temples Major trading centers

Egyptian Society  Egyptian Society formed a social pyramid  Egyptians not locked in their social classes = social mobility - gain status through marriage - success in jobs - slaves could earn freedom  service  Education important in improving status  Women held many rights - could propose marriage or seek divorce

Specialized Workers Pharaoh = “god-king” Priests = Viziers Warriors Farmers Merchants Artisans Slaves Women held many of the same rights as men

Complex Institutions Theocracy: Government based around religion = God-Kings called Pharaohs – Different than Mesopotamian Kings.. But how? Pharaohs cause sun to rise, Nile to flood, crops to grow Polytheistic: Worshipped many Gods. Book of the Dead = spells to help the soul navigate the afterlife

Record Keeping and Writing Hieroglyphics: Pictures stood for ideas (pictographs) – Book of the Dead: Scrolls that guided the ceremony for burial and afterlife – Wrote on papyrus – Rosetta Stone Helped decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphics “Alphabet” 24 “letters” phonetic symbols

Book of the Dead and Cartouche

Advanced Technology Pyramid Building Calendar for planting System of numbers Geometry and architectural knowledge Medicine – Splints, surgery – Mummification

Hatshepsut

King Tut

Ramses II

Indus Valley Civilization Himalayas provide natural barrier against invaders Fertile soil along Indus River Monsoons bring Dry and Wet seasons – Oct. – May is Dry – June – Sept. is Wet

Advanced Cities Built levees to keep out water – Human-made islands City planning based on a grid system Used oven baked bricks

Specialized Workers Social Divisions weren’t widely present Craftsmen created toys, jewelry, and cloth Merchants traded with far away people including Egyptians and Mesopotamians

Complex Institutions Religion played a key part in society – Theocracy Economy is built on trade

Record Keeping and Writing Language has not been translated – No bilingual inscriptions More than 400 symbols

Advanced Technology Built a complex plumbing network to rid the city of waste Central Bath complex Shipbuilding for trade

Ancient China Natural Barriers include the Taklimakan Desert, Gobi Desert, Himalayas Settled along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers – Fertile soil between the rivers encouraged settlement – Only 10% of China is suitable farmland

Advanced Cities Built their cities with the use of wood Created massive earthen walls for protection from outsiders – 118 ft wide and encircled 1.2 sq miles

Specialized Workers Feudalism: Nobles and peasants – Much like medieval Europe – Peasants worked the land that was owned by nobles Professional warriors Skilled artisans

Complex Institutions Religion played a key part in everyday life Spirits could be helpful or troublesome – Polytheistic but had a supreme God, Shang Di Mandate of Heaven (Divine approval) – Leader leads by ability and virtue – Justified by succeeding generations – Could be revoked by neglect or abuse

Mandate of Heaven/Dynastic Cycle

Record Keeping and Writing Oracle Bones: bones on which priests scratched questions for the Gods Each character stands for a unit of language Ability to speak differently but write the same – United the Empire Large number of characters – 1,500 to be literate

Advanced Technology Roads and canals for trade and agriculture First use of Bronze First to use coined money – As well as paper money Associated with invention of wheeled vehicles, pottery, armor, and silk- making