River Valley Civilizations Egypt Mesopotamia

Egypt

Favorable Geography Benefits of Nile Natural Boundaries Rich soil Water Transportation Natural Boundaries

Egyptian History Early gov’ts to control Nile Eventually combined: Lower Egypt (north) Upper Egypt (south) Old Kingdom 3,100-2,200 BCE Pyramids built as tombs

Egyptian History Middle Kingdom 2,200-1,730 BC Age of Nobles Canal from Nile to Red Sea Ended by Hyksos with horses/chariots

Egyptian History New Kingdom 1,570-1100 BC The Empire Ramses II Tutankhamen

Egyptian Culture Pharaoh=absolute monarch Privileged aristocracy Pharaoh & his family Nobles Priests Unprivileged masses Peasants Slaves

Egyptian Life Economic activities Religious beliefs Depended chiefly on agriculture Glassblowing Imported timber and copper Religious beliefs Polytheistic Mummification

Egyptian Contributions Math Surveyed land Art Huge stone statues Carved/painted various scenes Architecture & engineering Pyramids and temples Dams and irrigation canals

Egyptian Contributions Hieroglyphs on papyrus History Scientific/Math knowledge Government/Business records Science Solar-year calendar (365 days) Prepared mummies Recognized/Treated diseases

Mesopotamia

Fertile Crescent Divided into: East West Tigris and Euphrates river valleys (Mesopotamia) West Eastern Mediterranean coast

Influence of Geography Rivers/Coastline Seaports/trade developed Lack of stone Clay for construction & writing Low, level plains No natural barriers to invasion

Peoples Sumerians Hittites Babylonians Assyrians Hebrews Chaldeans Phoenicians Lydians Hittites Assyrians Chaldeans Persians

Sumerians 2300 BCE-Independent city-states; Sargon the ruler Contributions 1st known empire in history Cuneiform on clay tablets System of numbers based on 60 Basis of time and rotation units Architecture Invented arch Built ziggurats

Babylonians 1790 BCE led by Hammurabi Conquered other city-states Contributions Code of Hammurabi -1st set of laws to be codified Astronomy Led to astrology

Hebrews Contributions 1400-1200 BCE-moved from SE tip of Fertile Crescent to SW Conquered by various Mesopotamian peoples Contributions Monotheism Old Testament Emphasis on high moral principles

Phoenicians 1200-800 BCE-north of Palestine on Mediterranean coast Traded throughout Mediterranean Established colonies Specialized in purple (royal color) Contributions Missionaries of civilization Alphabet

Lydians After 1000 BCE lived in Asia Minor Contribution Coinage of money

Hittites About 2000 BCE appeared in northern Asia Minor (area rich in iron) Contribution Iron- ushered in “Iron Age”

Assyrians Art After 800 BCE built an empire Led by Assurbanipal Learned about iron from Hittites Conquered Fertile Crescent/Egypt Terrorized enemies and subjects Contributions Government Divided empire into provinces Built military roads Library Art

Chaldeans 612 BCE overthrew Assyrians Contributions Gained control of Fertile Crescent Established 2nd Babylonian Empire Contributions Architecture Nebuchadnezzar-Hanging Gardens of Babylon Astronomy

Persians 6th century BCE expanded from Plateau of Iran Largest empire yet seen Est. by Cyrus the Great “The Benevolent King” King Darius (Height of empire) Contributions Government Provinces ruled by satrap Eyes and Ears of the King Roads for military and trade Coined money

Persians (cont’d.) Contributions Spread of culture Religion Treated subject peoples humanely Adopted ideas and practices from their conquered peoples Stimulated interchange among peoples Religion Zoroastrianism: Good and evil

River Valley Civilizations Egypt Mesopotamia