Objective Examine the impact of location and geography on the people and culture of the Middle East

Early Civilizations of the Middle East Big Ideas Early Civilizations of the Middle East

First Civilizations Developments & Achievements Fertile Crescent: Mesopotamia – Crash Course 12 min Successful farming settlements had grown into powerful city-states: example: Ur large town that has its own gov’t and controls the surrounding country side – priest-kings

First Civilizations Developments & Achievements Sumer: 3500BC – Greek for southern Government – laws, army Religion – special gods - Built Ziggurats - scribes System of writing – cuneiform – record keeping - pass on information Used a wheel Sailing ships = trade Developed plow and accurate calendar Built dams to control floods Math – survey fields System of measurement – based on 60 All Influenced later people – Rap 3:00 – Use link Akkadians (united Sumerian city-states) and Assyrians after Sumer Timeline link

The Fertile Crescent

Gilgamesh is one of the oldest recorded stories in the world Gilgamesh is one of the oldest recorded stories in the world. It's about an ancient King of Uruk who may have actually existed and whose name - Gilgamesh - is on the Sumerian King List Hero's Journey Sumer Website Khan Academy site Sumer Video

Sumerian Irrigation Canal and Plow An artist's rendition of one type of Sumerian sailboat. The rope indicates where the sails would have hung on the wooden mast. The body of the boat is made of bundled reeds covered with leather

Advances and Inventions One of the most important developments the Sumerians invented was the wheel. Stone Wheel

More Inventions Musical Instrument Mathematical the system based lyre 60 seconds in one minute. 60 minutes in one hour. 360 degrees in a circle. Personal Cylinder seals Not all people could read or write so cylinder seals were used. Metal knives

Lack of natural barriers around the Fertile Crescent and Diffusion King Hammurabi conquered much of the Fertile Crescent - Babylonians Drew up a code of law – single system of justice - laws Mastery of iron: iron weapons - Hittites Phoenicians known as carriers of civilization = trade Developed an alphabet that evolved into ours Purple people - Tyrian purple – sea snails

Map showing the Babylonian territory upon Hammurabi's ascension in c Map showing the Babylonian territory upon Hammurabi's ascension in c. 1792 BC and upon his death in c. 1750 BC Royal portrait - Hammurabi - King of Babylon -1900 BC Figures at top of stone "fingernail" above Hammurabi's code of laws.

Persian Empire’s Influence Conquered the vast empire from Asia Minor to Indus Valley – Iran – Darius I – ruled at peak Gov’t Divided into provinces Governor/Satrap was responsible for collecting taxes and for keeping order Tolerance of other peoples Trade/Communication Improved & expanded the road system Uniform system of coinage

Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.) Established a tax-collecting system. Divided the empire into districts called SATRAPIES. Built the great Royal Road (video) system. 3:00

Greece and Rome addition to the Middle East Hellenistic civilization: 330’s BC Blended Greek culture with cultures of ancient Middle East Alexander the Great conquered Persian Empire Pursued research in science mathematics, medicine and philosophy Rome: by 115 AD ruled much of ME: trade and diffusion flowed split Byzantine Empire next 1,000 years from Constantinople – split by 330 AD About 700 years – fall of Rome isolated with Europe

Greece and Rome addition to the Middle East Hellenism (Hellenistic Civilization)

Hellenism (Hellenistic Civilization) Alexander spread the concept of Hellenism throughout his newly-conquered empire. Hellenism comes from the term Hellenes, which is what the Greeks called themselves. Hellenism, therefore, is the spread of Greek culture throughout Alexander’s empire. Under Hellenism Greek art, architecture, literature, technology, and ideas were blended into the Middle East This culture diffusion continued well after Alexander’s abrupt death in 323 B.C.E.

Alexander the Great video 3:00 or video 7:00 Macedonian (Greek) King that laid the final death blow to the Persian Empire and conquered it.

Roman Conquest Eventually another Mediterranean civilization, Rome, conquered all the lands around the Mediterranean rim. Under Roman rule trade flourished throughout the Middle East. Roman rule also brought with it an extensive law system, road network, national security force, and economic stability. By 395 C.E. the Roman Empire split into two halves, the Roman and Byzantine Empires. The Byzantine Empire continued to ruler over parts of Asia Minor for the next 1000 years.

Constantine’s City--Constantinople

Roman Empire

Even BIGGER Idea: Over thousands of years, migrating people, traders, and conquerors have brought many ethnic groups and their ideas to the region.