Early Civilizations Getting it all started!

What is a “civilization” anyway? It has FIVE characteristics Advanced Cities Specialized Workers Record Keeping Complex Institutions Advanced Technology

Characteristics of civilizations Large and advanced cities Specialized workers who don’t grow their own food Writing and record keeping Complex institutions – like religion and law Technology like metal and stone working

Advanced Cities Key characteristics Trade center Large populace barter, bazaar Large populace What we have today Network hubs – trade, transportation, finance, information Metropolitan areas

Specialized Workers Key characteristics Focus on different kinds of work farmers, irrigation workers, artisans, bronze workers, merchants, priests What we have today Retail, manufacturing, communication Assembly line Education, training, tests, certification

Record Keeping Key characteristics Writing, which can lead to other purposes What we have today Data of sales, payments, public records Electronic files, books, newspapers, epics, novels, poetry

Record Keeping

Complex Institutions Key characteristics Leads to government, religion, economy, social structure What we have today Government, religion, education, charities, corporations, social classes

Advanced Technology Key characteristics Produce new tools & techniques for solving problems Plows, irrigation, potters wheel, bronze What we have today Telecommunications, computers, science, automobiles, airplanes, spaces exploration

Where were these?

What did they have in common? along rivers natural barriers agriculture polytheism afterlife writing mathematics social classes dynasties

Mesopotamia Modern-day Iraq primarily Along the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers “Land between the waters” Fertile Crescent Polytheistic built large temples call ziggurats

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia Main cities Controlled by various kingdoms Ur – Sumerian city Babylon (later capital of Mesopotamia) Controlled by various kingdoms Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian, Macedonians, Romans, Turks, Mongols, British, etc.

Mesopotamia Ur was a busy trade center before the Persian Gulf shore formed further downstream. In the background is the Great Ziggurat. The Torah states that Ur was Abraham’s birthplace and where he left with his family for Canaan.

Babylon ruins in 1932 and rebuilt ruins in 2003 Mesopotamia Babylon ruins in 1932 and rebuilt ruins in 2003

Mesopotamia Babylon becomes city-state dominant in region under Hammurabi. The Code of Hammurabi is the first known written code of law. The law was engraved onto pillars which were located in public places for all to see. Of course, it would help to be able to read them…. most people couldn’t read.

Cuneiform development as a pictograph language Mesopotamia Cuneiform development as a pictograph language

Egypt Along the Nile River Two kingdoms would unite: Upper – Nubia (to the south) Lower – Delta region connecting to the Mediterranean Sea Major cities – Thebes, Memphis Controlled by several pharaoh dynasties as well as Nubians, Assyrians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, Romans

Egypt

Egypt

Hieroglyphics started as pictographs for ideas, they became more like sounds. Could be written on papyrus or carved into stone at temples. Rosetta Stone found in 1799

Indus Valley Along the Indus River in Pakistan and western India Major cities – Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa Sewage system Unable to decipher ancient text Indo-European invaders brought the foundations for later culture Religions – Hinduism, Buddhism

Indus Valley

Indus Valley ?

China Along the Huang He & Chang Jiang Rivers Many dynasties by the “mandate of heaven” Large producer of silk Ethical systems Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism Constant threat of invaders from the north, so built the Great Wall

China

China

China Ancient Chinese pictographic language on paper and bamboo.

Oracle Bones scapula from an ox turtle shell