Before we begin!!!!! Political: Who controls what? What type of government is there? Anything to do with laws or war? Economic: What type of economy? How do people make a living? Geography: Where is it? What are the geographical features that make it appealing? Or challenging? Social: Religious, intellectual, artistic

Ancient River Valley Civilizations

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA Oldest known civilization that began in the Fertile Crescent Organized by city-states Cradle of Human Civilization Ziggurat (right) Hanging Gardens

Geography This civilization emerged in “Mesopotamia”, a Greek term for land between the rivers. Tigris and Euphrates rivers overflowed each year. The flooding was unpredictable. The rivers flooded and left rich silt along the banks of the rivers. The area had no natural barriers for protection. Site of modern day Iraq

In what modern day country was the Fertile Crescent?

IRAQ

Ur, the capital city of Mesopotamia

Political: What was the earliest kingdom in Mesopotamia? The second?

Social This is cuneiform. Babylonians wrote using this “wedge-shaped” writing on clay tablets. The Sumerians invented writing.

More cuneiform writing A stylus was used to “indent” the clay.

Ziggurats Ziggurats were used by priests to worship their many gods. The worship of many gods is called polytheism.

City-States City-states operated just like an independent country. They had their own king, ziggurat and the king controlled the surrounding lands. The kings were represented the gods.

Hanging Gardens of Babylonia One of the Seven Wonders of the World

The ancient city of Babylon, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, must have been a wonder to the traveler's eyes. "In addition to its size," wrote Herodotus, a historian in 450 BC, "Babylon surpasses in splendor any city in the known world." Herodotus claimed the outer walls were 56 miles in length, 80 feet thick and 320 feet high. Inside the walls were fortresses and temples containing immense statues of solid gold. Rising above the city was the famous Tower of Babel, a temple to the god Marduk, that seemed to reach to the heavens.

Another painting of the Hanging Gardens with the Tower of Babel in the back.                                                                 

Economic: trade and farming Sumerians (Mesopotamians) were known to trade with the Egyptians and the Indus Valley civilizations because they had few natural resources. In later years, these trade routes became the Silk Road.

Sumerians invented the wheel! The wheel was invented by 6000 BC! It helped military, farming and trade. At right, this is made of wood.

Other achievements The plow The sail A lunar calendar Number system based on 60 The arch

Political:Mesopotamian Law Code of Hammurabi “eye for an eye tooth for a tooth”

Mesopotamia Quiz Political:What law system did Sumerians use? Hint: It can be summed: eye for eye; tooth for tooth. Economic: How did Mesopotamians earn a living? Geography:Between what 2 rivers did the Fertile Crescent appear? Social:What type of writing did they use?

ANCIENT EGYPT Nile River Mummies & the Afterlife Pharaohs Pyramids Social classes Hieroglyphics

Egyptian Civilization Egyptian civilization arose a bit after Mesopotamia. Geography: It was centered around the Nile River. The river flooded each year; it was predictable. The river flows north.

The Nile River

Pyramids These are the Giza pyramids, the most famous. Pyramids were tombs for the kings. The tombs were filled with treasures. The king used the riches to rule in the afterlife. These were built in 3500 B.C.E.

Political:Egyptian Pharaohs Egyptians were led by Pharaohs. They were considered to be gods. King Tut is one of the most famous pharaohs. Using computers, this image was reconstructed using his remains

Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun on the throne

Mummies Egyptians who could afford to do so would have themselves mummified. They believed in a better afterlife if their body was preserved.

The Egyptians took out all of the internal organs, except the heart The Egyptians took out all of the internal organs, except the heart. When they removed them the organs were put in canopic jars, that were put in the tomb with the mummy. They did not take out the heart because it was believed to be the intelligence and emotion of the person. The Egyptians thought the brain had no significant value, so they took it out through the nose. The body was packed and covered with natron (a salty drying agent). After this the body was left for 40-50 days. 

Mummies

Egyptians wrote in hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphics

What did Egyptians write on? Ancient Egyptians used papyrus, a substance derived from the plant of the same name. This was the first form of paper.

The Great Sphinx is located on the Giza plateau, about six miles west of Cairo.

Egyptian Economy Egypt’s economy is a traditional economy, which means it’s based on farming and trade. Egyptians traded up and down the Nile, with Mesopotamians and sometimes with Indus Valley (in Pakistan).

Wealthy landowners, merchants, military Social Classes Pharaoh & family Priests & nobles Wealthy landowners, merchants, military Peasants & farmers Slaves

Egyptian Achievements A 365 day calendar Surgery including fixing broken bones. Pyramids Embalming

Egypt Quiz 1.What river is the basis for Egyptian civilization? 2.What “paper” did Egyptians write on? 3. What is an Egyptian ruler called? 4.What writing system did Egyptians use? 5.Why were the pyramids built? 6. What type of economic system did Egypt have?

Indus Valley Civilization

Geography: What geographical features protected this civilization?

Geography of the Indian Subcontinent Landmass contains modern day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Himalayan, Hindu Kush and Karakorum Mts. separate this landmass from the rest of Asia Thar Desert to the east of the Indus Valley protected them from invasion Indus and Ganges Rivers provide water for irrigation and silt

Geographical Challenges: Monsoons – seasonal winds that bring months of dry air then months of rain that often causes flooding. The cycle of wet and dry seasons brought by these monsoon winds was unpredictable. Yearly flooding of the rivers that were unpredictable Rivers sometimes changed course

Indus River Valley This civilization is still mysterious. The writing has not been translated. Flooding has possibly removed artifacts. Many sites still undiscovered.

Indus River Civilization We do know the cities were advanced enough to have brick walls surrounding them for protection against flooding from the Indus River. City streets were build on a grid system.

Harappan Civilization Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were some of the largest cities. The Indus Valley is often called Harappan Civilization because of the many discoveries made at that site. The city contained plumbing and a sewage system. Cities featured a fortified area called a citadel, which contained the major buildings. Oven baked bricks were standard sizes. Cities built on platforms to protect from flooding.

Harappan Culture Language was developed but has not been deciphered. The houses were fairly uniform suggesting social divisions were not great. Few weapons have been found suggesting conflict was limited. Animals may have been important because they are on many objects. The Indus River provided a source of transportation for trade goods.

Various artifacts found

More artifacts

Indus Economy Just like the other river valley civilizations, the Indus River Valley people were mostly farmers. Traditional economy They did trade with the Chinese and with Sumerians (Mesopotamians).

Indus Valley Culture Ends Possible earthquakes and plate movement may have altered the course of the Indus River. Agriculture would suffer. Trade would suffer. Over use of the land would cause the soil to wear out.

That concludes Indus River Valley Civilization. Get ready for the quiz.

Indus River Quiz P: Why do we know so little of the power structure in the Indus Valley? E: How did the Indus make a living? G:In what modern day country are the settlements of the Indus River Valley civilization? G:Why did the cities have so many walls? S: How do Indus artifacts demonstrate that the the the Indus Valley was sophisticated?

ANCIENT CHINA Great Wall Began 2000 B.C. Mandate of Heaven Dynasties Silk Astronomy Coined money

As in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and along the Indus River, Chinese civilization began within a major river valley. Modern China itself is a huge geographical expanse. Around 4000 BC, this huge area contained an almost infinite number of ethnic groups and languages. This history, in which a vast area populated by diverse ethnic groups became, over time, a more or less single culture, began in the Yellow River Valley.

Geography of China Natural barriers have isolated ancient China To the east- Yellow sea, East China Sea, Pacific Ocean Mountain ranges and deserts make up two-thirds of its landmass. To the west- Taklimakan Desert, Plateau of Tibet Southwest- Himalayas North- Gobi Desert, Mongolian Plateau

Geography

River System Huang He also called the Yellow River Loess is fertile silt and it is yellowish Chang Jiang also called the Yangtze River

Environmental Challenges The Huang He’s floods could be disastrous, earning its nickname “China’s Sorrow” Because of geographic isolation, trading was difficult Invasions from the west and north occurred frequently

Shang Dynasty 1700 BC – 1027 BC Oldest Shang city, Anyang. Surrounded by earthen walls for protection. Higher classes lived within walls in timber houses. Peasants lived outside walls in huts. Walls were substantial, 118 ft. wide at base and protected a square mile. Walls demonstrate Shang rulers ability to control large forces of workers.

Chinese Culture “Middle Kingdom”- Chinese saw themselves as the center of the civilized world, all others barbarians. Family- respect for elders. Men made all decisions. Women were inferior and married 13-16 years old. Social class- King, nobles, warriors, peasants Religion- worship family ancestors through the father’s side Priests read oracle bones

Chinese Writing Unifies People Even if spoken language was different, Chinese writing was the same in all parts of the country.

Zhou Dynasty The Zhou overthrow the Shang. Royal authority comes from heaven and a poor ruler will lose the right to rule. Mandate of Heaven Rebellion, civil war and the rise to a new dynasty.

Control through Feudalism

Chinese accomplishments Roads & Canals to stimulate trade and agriculture Coined money Blast furnaces that produced cast iron Iron was used to make weapons such as swords, knives and tools for farming.

E:Chinese invented silk Silk was exotic and expensive, so it was good for trading with the rest of the world. It is made from silk worms. Silk also makes “paper”

Silk worm

The first paper appeared in China about 200 BC The first paper appeared in China about 200 BC. Its name is derived from papyrus. Silk was transformed into paper by a process of pasting, but because silk was expensive, wool and cotton came to be used instead. In the picture above, the manufacturing process used by the Chinese. They steeped mulberry or bamboo bark in water, then kneaded it to produce a paste from which they obtained smooth thin sheets of paper.                                                                                                                                                                           

Ancient China

Chinese pyramids!!!!

The Great Wall of China was built to keep the Mongols out.

Many died building it, and their bodies were used as filler for it.

Any questions before we take the quiz? That concludes China. Any questions before we take the quiz?

Ancient China Quiz P: In China, according to the dynastic cycle, what happened to “bad kings”? E: How did the Chinese earn a living? G: What river was the earliest Chinese civilization centered around? S: What technological advancements did the Chinese have?