Ancient Civilizations (3500BC-300BC)

I. First known civilizations arise in river valleys in Egypt, India, China, & Mesopotamia (Iraq)

First Civilizations TIGRIS & EUPHRATES NILE HUANG HE INDUS

A. 3500BC Sumerians develop in ancient Mesopotamia, created 1st writing system called cuneiform, invented the wheel, worshipped many gods in temples called ziggurats

Ancient Mesopotamia

Sumerian woman

Cuneiform writing

The Wheel!

Ziggurat

B. 3200 BC Egypt united under kings called pharaohs Polytheistic Egyptians worshipped many gods & their pharaohs

Hieroglyphics

2. Egyptians thrived for 2000 years, built pyramids, believed in mummification, invented writing called hieroglyphics, developed geometry, & the calendar

C. In 2000 BC Abraham, father of the Hebrews (Jews) begins first religion based on belief in one all-powerful God (monotheism) 1. Abraham’s faith leads to Judaism- believers taught to live moral lives/ follow God’s laws (recorded in their holy book– the Torah) 2. Jews formed kingdom of Israel in Palestine (1025 BC)

The Fertile Crescent (2000 BC) MESOPOTAMIA MEDITERRANEAN PALESTINE EGYPT

D. Hammurabi- a Mesopotamian king, invented the world’s first system of laws (1700 BC)

Hammurabi’s Laws “195. If a son strikes his father, his hands shall be chopped off. 196. If a man puts out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out.”

E. Other conquerors of Mesopotamia include the Assyrians (1200 BC), Babylonians (612 BC), and Persians (550 BC) 1. The Persians conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt, & Asia Minor (Turkey) to create the largest empire in the world

The Persian Empire (500 BC) Persepolis PERSIA

II. In 2000 BC new civilization develops around the Mediterranean Sea, by 1000 BC Greece is formed

Ancient Greece

A. Greeks divided into city-states, independent cities that often fought each other, led by Athens & Sparta 1. Athens- dependent on sea trade & navy 2. Sparta- built by its army and maintained through slavery

Ancient & Modern Sparta

Spartan Soldier

Ancient Athens

Athen’s Temple: The Parthenon

1. Athens developed 1st democracy- citizens vote, voting body decides issues through majority rule Ancient Athenian Assembly

2. According to epic poet Homer, Greeks valued education, music, their pantheon of gods, and athletics HOMER

Olympia, Greece

Mount Olympus ZEUS

3. Women excluded from public society, cared for children and the home

Site of Battle of Marathon B. 490 BC the Persian Empire attempted to conquer Greece, Greeks defeat the Persians at Marathon (490 BC) Site of Battle of Marathon

Phalanx

Fighting The Phalanx

1. Persians attacked again in 480 BC, were slowed on land at Thermopylae, and defeated at sea at Salamis Spartan King Leonidas leads the Greeks against hundreds of thousands of Persians at Thermopylae

Battle Site of Thermopylae

Greek Trireme

Battle of Salamis (480 BC) King Xerxes & Persian Forces

C. Athens began its “golden age” in the mid-400’s BC- art, literature (writing), theater, and education flourished, while Athenians prosper through dominating Mediterranean trade and demanding tribute ($)

Greek Alphabet

1. Greeks develop philosophy, a search for knowledge led by Socrates, taught to depend on logic, influences all future sciences

Socrates

Socrates Quotes………… “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” “Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink so that they may live.” “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Death of Socrates (399 BC)

D. 431 BC Athens & Sparta plunge Greece into civil war 1. Athens is surrounded and surrenders (404 BC), but the power of both cities is exhausted GREEK CIVIL WAR

E. In the 300’s BC, Greece is united by Alexander the Great of Macedonia, seeks to topple the Persian Empire “There is nothing impossible to those who will try.”

Think About It... *Why do you think Alexander wants to invade and conquer the Persian Empire? Greek Map of the World (300 BC)

Alexander the Great

Alexander’s Greek Empire

1. 334 BC Alexander at age 20 assembles army and conquers all of the Persian Empire, but dies mysteriously in 323 BC at age 32 Alexander in battle against the Persians

2. Alexander’s empire results in a mixture of Greek & Persian culture- Hellenistic civilization- built libraries, universities, new cities, huge impact on all future empires

Leaders of Greek Society Philosophers- Socrates, Plato, Aristotle Historians- Herodotus, Thucydides Mathematics- Pythagoras, Euclid, Archimedes Medicine- Hippocrates, Galen Astronomy/Geography- Eratosthenes, Ptolemy Government- Leonidas, Themistocles, Pericles, Alexander

F. Following Alexander’s death, Greek civilization declines in power (Greece conquered by the Romans in 146 BC), but their examples in government, science, and culture changed the world

On a ½ sheet of paper write your name and….. *Any two things you learned in 1.1 *One question you have about 1.1