Ancient Civilizations

Economics Currency, trade Political Structure Govt Culture: Religion, writing, literature, art, language, technology, music, and architecture Social Structure Class system, gender relations (Civilization Name) Interactions: Humans and the Environment Use a whole sheet of paper to create this graphic organizer (can also use a chart) for the following civilizations: Mesopotamia Egypt Indus Valley Yellow River (China) Olmec & Norte Chico (use two different colors)

Rise of Civilization 4 th Millennium BCE New discoveries transformed permanent settlements into civilizations –Bronze –Writing –Strong Govt’s –Religion –Language First civilization emerged in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) c BCE

Location of Early Civilizations What environmental conditions were needed to develop the first civilizations?

Ancient Mesopotamia

Government Initially, priest-kings rule city- states – Sumerians (c BCE) City-states evolve into empires – Acadians (c BCE) Land owning aristocracy dominated Developed formal legal codes

Religion Believed in 3,000 gods Goal: Appease gods to control nature Art and literature focus on gods and religion Built ziggurats

Society Social stratification – Hierarchy in class Slavery was common – One could become a slave through war, crime, or debt – Slaves were used in temples, public buildings, or private homes Patriarchal – Plow based agriculture = need for strong men – Specialized labor – leaves women out of positions Women could hold most occupations – Laws support patriarchy Divorce, property rights, etc “Respectable” women forced to veil in public – Women symbolic of nature? Makes them a source to “dominate” according to the argument of civilizations attempt to dominate over nature

Culture Hammurabi's Code – First codification of laws Epic of Gilgamesh – First known literary work – Contains story of great flood – Gives major insight into culture of Mesopotamia

Economy

Science & Technology Inventions: wheel, sail, and plow Bronze metallurgy 1 st system of writing – Cuneiform 1 st number system – Based on units of 10, 60, & 360 Astronomy

Ancient Egypt Relatively isolated Nile flooded regularly, predictably – Provided rich soil, easy soil to farm – Civilization regulated flooding, surveying Control the Nile; control society

Government Formed by 3000 BCE – Unified territorial state Unified for most of history – Old (Early) Kingdom – Middle Kingdom – Late Kingdom Theocracy – Pharaoh was a god-king – Women could be pharaohs Hatshepsut ( BCE) Ramses II

Religion Thousands of gods – Gods have animal and human qualities – Gods & goddesses Rulers viewed as god-kings Relatively egalitarian Believe in afterlife – Heaven & Hell A good/bad after life – Mummification – Pyramids & Temples

Society Social Stratification – Limited opportunity for social mobility Slavery common Women have more rights – Could own property, propose marriage, and demand a divorce

Culture Hieroglyphic writing on papyrus Mathematics – Geometry Calendar system – 365 days (off by 6 hours) Medicine Architecture – Showcase their math skills

Ancient India & China

Indus Valley Civilization: Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa

Indus River Valley Cities emerge around BCE – Larger territory than other early civs Culturally unified city-states – Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro Extensive city-planning – Unified: Weights, measures, architecture, building styles Mysterious ending – No signs of palaces, temples, kings, tombs, or warriors – Environmental degradation? – Aryan invasion?

Indus River Valley Polytheistic religion – Influenced Hinduism Undecipherable writing system No standing army – No weapons found at these sites Advanced technology – Plumbing systems – The Great Bath – AC (kind of) – Cities in grid patterns Apartment style buildings “cookie cutter” 2 br houses for workers

Ancient China Xia Dynasty – Legendary… imaginary … (aliens) Developed in isolation along the Huang He (Yellow) River Shang dynasty emerged c BCE – Warlike kings & landed aristocracy dominate Large division in class – Cities surrounded by massive earthen walls

Ancient China Chinese Society – Family at center of society Extended-family structure – Women were subordinate Chinese Culture – Believed spirits of family ancestors could bring good fortune or disaster – Oracle bones (right) Wrote on them using pictographs – Bronze & silk

Dynastic Cycle Mandate of Heaven Rulers are chosen to rule by heaven (Considered Son of Heaven) and will continue to rule as long as heaven is pleased; if heaven is not pleased, heaven will pass the mandate to another family

The Olmec Olmec emerge in Mesoamerica c BCE Olmec zone is dense tropical forest – High rainfall - over 300 cm/year Agricultural based – Maize, beans, squash  The Triad Cities developed out of many chiefdoms – Become center for religious ceremonies Elaborate temples, alters, pyramids, and tombs May be responsible for the first written language in Americas (900 BCE)

Olmec Government & Society Several city-states with common culture Social Hierarchy – Highest rank is that of the chief – Dominated by landed aristocracy – Laborers forced to build temples, palaces, and drainage canals

Olmec Religion Polytheistic – Deities blended male & female, animal & human characteristics Feathered-serpent god (right) – Shamans organized religious life Religion led to development of writing system and calendar

Olmec Art Building of clay pyramids and temple mounds Particular sculptural style – Jaguars – Fine jade carving – Colossal heads

Norte Chico BCE in Peru – Same as Mesop./Egypt Area consisted of 25+ urban centers – Smaller cities – No defensive walls Little sign of warfare Less economic specialization Based largely on fishing and trade Not a “grain-based” civ. Polytheistic Famous for monumental architecture and weaving – No evidence of any art or ceramics No evidence of writing – Used quipu for record keeping (later adapted by Inca)

Legacy of Ancient Civilizations Writing systems, religions, and technology was influenced the development of new civilizations and cultures Ancient civilizations decline by 1000 BCE – Subject to nomadic invasions Political and cultural centers shift to new geographical areas (except China)