River Valley Civilizations

Characteristics of Civilizations Cities Centralized government, law codes, organized religion System of writing Specialized jobs – Division of Labor Social Class Structure Advanced Technology

Four Early River Valleys

How did they become civilizations? Neolithic Revolution – domestication of plants & animals Organized Farming & village life Food Surplus was created led to specialization of labor Growth in population Creation of complex socieites requiring complex institutions which governed large scale projects like irrigation

Population Growth & Development of Civilizations Iron Age = new farms tools = food surplus Farming and Pastoral Nomads replaced hunter-gatherers Domesticated animals = beasts of burden = food surplus Increased, healthier population living closer together in new urban areas Increased immunities based on close proximity & better health

Population Growth & Development of Civilizations Cultural connections increased through new trade routes Developments of empires Development of Writing systems to record taxes to pay for expanded governments Development of great road building projects to encourage trade, uniform coinage, uniform weights & measurements (Lydian's & Persians)

Introducing Mesopotamia: (foundations) Jereme Monette Jereme.monette@sdhc.k12.fl.us Plant City High School Hillsborough County, Florida.

Mesopotamia - Persia For early Civilizations “Rivers Deliver”… Why are rivers essential for them?

Mesopotamia: “Land between the rivers” Technology helps Mesopotamian societies thrive (How?) Dikes and canals help tame floods Agricultural technologies lead to food surplus

The Sumerian Civilization - the beginning of the whole “Mess” Develop cuneiform as a system of writing (Impact?) Record laws, treaties, social & political customs… Via trade, written language spreads to other Civs. Develop 12 month calendar and use geometry to develop arches and columns. Polytheistic religion using Ziggurats to worship Gods. Fell to invaders, but the culture did not die (why?)

cuneiform

Ziggurats

Akkadians, then Babylonians, then Hitties, then… bla bla bla. The Akkadians develop the first known code of laws using Sumerian Cuneiform. The Babylonian King Hammurabi developed the Code of Hammurabi (impact?) Babylonian bronze weapons fall to the Hittite’s iron weapons that fall to the Assyrian’s stronger iron that fall to the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar who rebuilds Babylon and falls to the Persains.

Code of Hammurabi What language would the code of Hammurabi be in?

Persians: Biggest and Best of the “Mess” The Great Royal Road connects Persia to the word (why?) The Lydians (coin money), Phoenicians (alphabet), and Hebrews (Judaism).

Name 6 major contributions of the early Mesopotamian civs. Describe how each society changes and cultures are preserved.

Early River Civilizations: EGYPT 3000BCE Egyptian Science and Technology 1. Irrigation – water from Nile River (god) to grow wheat & other foods 2. Preserving the human body after death through mummification 3. Physicians diagnose illness & perform brain & body surgery

Egyptian Science and Technology Accurate calendar Hieroglyphics: system of writing called Advanced mathematical geometry & engineering skills in the creation of the pyramids irrigation systems

EGYPT Monarchy – Kingdom/Empire Pharaoh God/King Dynasty – ruling family Polytheistic Advances in medicine, math, calendars, irrigation, cosmetics, mummification, building & architecture, pyramids, jewelry, metal work Social Class Structure: Pharaoh, Priest/Nobles, merchants/artisans (Middle Class), peasants, slaves obles

Ancient Egypt

MESOPOTAMIA – FERTILE CRESCENT Sumerians 1st Civilization: 1st to build wheeled vehicles - 3500 BCE built irrigation systems, dykes, and canals for better farming Cuneiform system of writing – 1st Sumerian- algebra and geometry Sumerian: - city-states, Preist/Kings polytheistic,

India 2500BCE: First cultivation of rice, cotton and tea built ships, navigated seas, international commerce (Indian Ocean & overland) well-planned towns, rectangular patterns Art -copper, bronze, and pottery, including a large collection of terra-cotta toys two-storied and spacious, lined the town streets; they had drainage systems that led into brick-lined sewers

Ancient India Social Class Structure: Caste System: Brahmana (priests), Kshatriya (warriors), Vaishya (traders and agriculturists), and Shudra (workers). Person's occupation or group depended upon birth Sanskrit: writing system

Early China Shang Dynasty: 2000BCE system of writing pictographs - drawings of objects ideographs – thought or idea Oracle Bone early writing: Zhou Dynasty: Mandate of Heaven rise & fall of dynasties Qin Dynasty: Shi huangdi - new technologies warfare, cavalry, Legalism – you will obey orders! Burned Confucian books

Ancient China Qin China: standardized the language and writing of China currency became standardized circular copper coin Great Wall built in north to protect China Roads and irrigation canals built –Burned books

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