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 Successful farming settlements had grown into powerful city-states: large town that has its own gov’t and controls the surrounding country side Sumer: 3500BC Built Ziggurats System of writing - cuneiform Used a wheel Sailing ships = trade Developed plow and accurate calendar Built dams to control floods System of measurement All Influenced later people - Rap

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 Sumer Website

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

Lack of natural barriers around the Fertile Crescent 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

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 system.

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 – 330 AD

Alexander the Great Macedonian (Greek) King that laid the final death blow to the Persian Empire and conquered it.

Constantine’s City--Constantinople

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