Bell Work While watching the video clip, answer the following: How did domesticating animals create more inequalities? Why did the Middle East have an advantage over other world areas?

The Four River Valley Civilizations Daily Objective: 1. Compare and Contrast the 4 Early River Civilizations in terms of Politics, Economy, Social Class, and Religion

I. General Civilization Characteristics 1. Organized Farming and Village Life 2. Food Surplus (Iron Tools/Beasts of Burden) led to clear specialization of labor 4. Clear Social Class Distinctions 5. Growth in Population in new Urban areas Increased immunities led to better health 7. Complex formal government institutions which governed large projects Irrigation Road Building Taxation 8. Increased trade routes/cultural connections 9. Writing systems/ Uniform Coinage and Weights

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

II. Tigris-Euphrates Rivers (Fertile Crescent) Located in the Middle East (modern-day Iraq) Often called Mesopotamia (“land between the rivers”) First example of human civilization By 4000 - 3500 B.C.E. Farmers were working with some metals, invented the wheel Irrigation systems, dykes, and canals for farming Flourishing culture Written language – cuneiform, developed by the Sumerians- also made advances in Algebra and Geometry Complex religious beliefs (Polytheistic) Sumerians erected shrines/massive monuments, called ziggurats, to honor gods Some ideas (gods’ creation of earth, floods) can be found in various religions Negative view of gods and afterlife due to unpredictable flooding

Sumerians invented: Brick technology Wheel Sail Base 60 – using the circle . . . 360 degrees Time – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute 12 month lunar calendar arch ramp ziggurat

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Ziggurat – Holy Mountain

II. continued… Highly organized Lasting belief systems Relied on city-states – small, autonomous regions ruled by a king (decentralized government) Later groups developed larger empires Developed strict class systems – kings, priests, and nobles controlled most land; then merchants, scribes, artisans, farmers, and slaves Regulated system of laws and courts Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, set early code of law in stone Lasting belief systems Judaism – earliest monotheistic religion

Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.] Code

II. continued…. Other Civilizations in Fertile Crescent Persians Sumerians 1st wheel, cuneiform, city-states Babylonians Hammurabi’s Code of Law Hittites 1st to mine Iron (began Iron Age) Assyrians Improved military equipment, chariot Persians Built large empire divided into provinces; Royal Roads, common set of weights & measurements; single coinage Phoenicians Colonized Mediterranean; phonetic alphabet with 22 letters Hebrews/ Semitic Judaism- oldest monotheistic religion

III. Nile River Located in northern Africa, modern-day Egypt 3000 B.C.E. Ruled by a pharaoh, or king (Monarchy) Considered to be directly descended from the gods Complex religious and political rituals (Polytheistic) Book of the Dead – guided the soul to the afterlife (more positive view) Mummification of bodies – preserved those with elite status for eternity Theocracy – ruled through laws based on religion Development of writing Hieroglyphics – comes from Greek words meaning “sacred carving” More complex than cuneiform Used papyrus reeds to make a paper-like writing surface

III. continued Social Class Structure: Cultural Advances Pharaoh, Priest/Nobles, Merchants/Artisans/Scribes (Middle Class), Peasant Farmers, Slaves Cultural Advances Medicine/Surgery, Math, Calendars, Irrigation, Cosmetics, Architecture, Jewelry, Metal Work, Pyramids, Papyrus Giza Pyramid Complex

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves” Mirror Perfume Whigs

IV. Indus River Located in modern-day Pakistan, near India’s border 2500 B.C.E.-1500 B.C.E. (abruptly ends) Advanced cities Sophisticated city planning, running water, two-storied and spacious buildings; drainage systems to brick-lined sewers Harappa, Mohenjo Daro Traded with Mesopotamia, but developed independently Developed Pictographic system of writing, but never been translated Thought to be a theocracy (Polytheistic), religion a precursor to Hinduism Environment and invasions a factor in disappearance Monsoons, floods Nomadic invaders (Aryan tribes)

IV. Continued… Built ships; Traded overseas and overland Social Class System (not fully sure): Priests Warriors Traders and Agriculturists Workers

V. Huanghe (Yellow River) Located in northern half of modern-day China Flows from central China to east coast About 2000 B.C.E.- 1029 B.C.E (Shang) Developed independently from other civilizations Largely cut off from contact with outside world by geography (desert, mountains, ocean) Developed sophisticated irrigations systems Controlled flooding of Yellow River Early pioneers in science and weapon/tool-making Developed unique written language based on ideographic symbols Early religious beliefs based on spirits, centered around family Social classes divided society Nobles and peasants Established system of feudalism – nobles owned all the land that peasants worked Rigid political system develops – paves way for dynastic system Shang dynasty was earliest – 1500 B.C.E.

VI. Legacies of River Valleys Expanded populations & urbanization New networks – roads & trade routes lined, sea routes Established systems of government, laws, & religion Established patterns of culture & cultural diffusion

Early River Valley Civilizations Environment Flooding of Tigris and Euphrates unpredictable No natural barriers Limited natural resources for making tools or buildings Sumer Flooding of the Nile predictable Nile an easy transportation link between Egypt’s villages Deserts were natural barriers Egypt Indus Valley Indus flooding unpredictable Monsoon winds Mountains, deserts were natural barriers Huang He flooding unpredictable Mountains, deserts natural barriers Geographically isolated from other ancient civilizations China

VII. Mesoamerica and the Andes General Characteristics 1st humans arrived from land bridge from Asia Separated by vast oceans No contact with Eastern Hemisphere until 15th c. CE Developed agriculture independently

VII. continued The Olmec (1200-400 BCE) of Mesoamerica (Central Am.) Agriculture by 3000 BCE Grew beans, peppers, squash, and maize; had plenty of rain (no irrigation) Fewer domesticated animals than Eastern civ.; no LARGE animals (horse, cattle, goats or sheep) Cities were religious and trade centers Hierarchal society with elite group of priests (performed elaborate rituals at large temples in the city) Ruler and his family also lived elaborately Number system based on 30; 365 day yearly calendar Abandoned cities due to internal conflict

VII. continued The Chavin (900-250 BCE) of South America Peru coastline and Andes Mountains foothills No river valley; dry coastline and rugged mnts. Capital in highlands to connect trade between regions Grew maize, potatoes, fruits, cotton, and coca leaves Domesticated the Llama Craftsmen used silver and gold for decorative and ceremonial items Politically well organized; culture spread over large area Jaguar god with human/animal features important symbol of their religion

Key Vocabulary – Chapter 1 (Part 2) Mesopotamia Sumerians City-states Hammurabi Pharaoh Pyramids Indus Valley Harappa/Mohenjo Daro Huanghe (Yellow River) Ideographic Shang Monotheism Olmec Chavin