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 BC 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 Life 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 4,000BC-Independent city-states Contributions Cuneiform on clay tablets System of numbers based on 60 Basis of time and rotation units Architecture Invented arch Built ziggurats

Babylonians 1750 BC led by Hammurabi Contributions Conquered other city-states Contributions Code of Hammurabi Astronomy Led to astrology

Hebrews Contributions 1400-1200 BC-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 BC-north of Palestine on Mediterranean coast (modern Lebanon) Traded throughout Mediterranean Established colonies Specialized in purple (royal color) Contributions Alphabet

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

Hittites About 2000 BC Northern Asia Minor (area rich in iron) Warriors Skilled in ironworking

Assyrians After 800 BC built an empire Contributions 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 BC overthrew Assyrians Contributions Gained control of Fertile Crescent Established 2nd Babylonian Empire Contributions Architecture Nebuchadnezzar-Hanging Gardens of Babylon Astronomy

Persians 6th century BC expanded from Plateau of Iran Contributions Largest empire yet seen 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 Struggle between good and evil Zoroastrianism

FIRST EMPIRES