Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia and Egypt

Neolithic Revolution Also called the agricultural revolution Was a major change in human life caused by the beginnings of farming. People shifted from food gathering to food producing. Food surplus due to agriculture is the most important factor in the development of civilization. Artifacts-human-made objects such as tools and jewelry

Mesopotamia The “land between the rivers” Also known as the Fertile Crescent because the resource- rich land made agriculture and growth possible Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

People of Mesopotamia Sumerians Sumerian Culture Organization Independent city-states around 3500 BC ruled by a king often warred with each other Sumerian Culture Polytheism-belief in more than one god Believed that many different gods controlled the various forces in nature

People of Mesopotamia Sumerians cont. Contributions Cuneiform writing Used a reed stylus on clay to make wedge shaped symbols System of numbers based on 60 We use this today with telling time Architecture Sumerians built pyramid like temples called Ziggurats

Babylonians King Hammurabi Took over Sumer around 1900 BC became Babylonian Empire Contributions: Code of Hammurabi One of the earliest written law codes “Eye for an eye” punishment Lower class/women punished more severely than upper class/ men (unequal) Astronomy Believed stars affected their lives BUT learned to predict eclipses and recognize planets Religious literature Epic of Gilgamesh: one of the earliest creation stories Describes creation of man and woman and building an ark before a great flood

Assyrians 800 BC, Semitic Speaking People from Northern Mesopotamia First to have iron weapons siege towers, and battering rams Used terror and cruelty Took over from Tigris to Egypt Contributions Library at Nineveh Remains of documents have given us much information about ancient Middle East Military roads to move troops quickly

Egypt Geography Early Government 550 miles long, 15 miles on both sides of Nile Nile floods once a year leaving rich soil Early Government Needed to control flooding and for irrigation Build dams, reservoirs, and canals Eventually formed two kingdoms Upper and Lower Egypt 3100 BC Menes united the two He was first Pharaoh

Egyptian Life Absolute Monarchy/ Theocracy Class System Lower classes Pharaoh was a living god Made laws, built canals and public buildings, set taxes, Assisted by nobles and priests in a bureaucracy Class System Nobles, Priests Lower classes Peasants and slaves Could not participate in government Religion Polytheistic Preserved bodies with mummification Pharaohs in Pyramids

Contributions of Egypt Architecture and Engineering Pyramids, temples with columns Art Cheerful and colorful frescoes, huge statues, gold jewelry, pottery Hieroglyphic writing Began as pictographs First “paper” called papyrus Translated with Rosetta stone which has Hieroglyphic and Greek writing on it Science 365 day year Set bones, prescribed drugs, understood much about the body because of mummification

Hebrews History Contributions 1400 BC – Settled in Palestine Exiled to Babylon (later allowed back to Palestine) Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt (10 Commandments) Contributions Monotheism Old Testament High moral principles Ten Commandments Covenant of Abraham “father” of Judaism Made a covenant (agreement) with God Worship no other God They were the chosen people

Phoenicians 1200 BC – Centered north of Palestine Skilled shipbuilders and navigators Traded throughout Mediterranean and to Europe and Africa Contributions “Missionaries of Civilization” Brought Mediterranean culture and products to less advanced regions Traded Purple Dye made from crushed snail shells Alphabet Based on sound with 22 letters; Phonetic Alphabet Eventually becomes the alphabet we use

Polytheism v. Monotheism What is the difference between monotheism and polytheism? Use evidence from your notes