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SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.
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Geographic Features Mesopotamia – The Fertile Crescent Curved shape of land including lands facing Mediterranean Sea & plain between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
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Define “Fertile Crescent” A well-watered and fertile area, the fertile crescent arcs across the northern part of the Syrian desert
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a. Describe the development of Mesopotamian societies; include the religious, cultural, economic, and political facets of society, with attention to Hammurabi’s law code. Mesopotamia : City-state of Sumer Early civilization developed along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers due to the rich soil used for agriculture
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Geographic Features Mesopotamia – The Fertile Crescent Flooded yearly (unpredictable) leaving behind a thick mud called silt Farmers planted crops in rich soil Resulted in plentiful harvests allowed villages to grow
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Challenge: –Unpredictable flooding with a period of little to no rain. Land sometimes became almost a desert.
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Solution: –Dug irrigation ditches that carried river water to their fields –Led to production of surplus crops
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Challenge: –No natural barriers for protection (defenseless)
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Solution: –Built city walls with mud bricks
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Challenge: –Limited natural resources –Building materials scarce
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Geographic Features Environmental Challenges for Sumerians Solution: –Traded their grain, cloth, & crafted tools with people of mtns & deserts –In exchange, they received raw materials like stone, wood, & metal Cultural Diffusion: process by which a new idea or product spreads from one culture to another
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Location: Modern day Iraq & Iran Means: Land between 2 rivers (Tigris & Euphrates) Religion: Center of society, Polytheistic (many gods), Ziggurat (temple)
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Development of Mesopotamia Culture Art & Architecture –Literature – The Epic of Gilgamesh –Ziggurats –Arches –Columns –Ramps
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Development of Mesopotamia Culture Science & Technology –Cuneiform (See AKS 30g) –Irrigation –Bronze –Wheel –Sail –Plow
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Development of Mesopotamia Religion Polytheistic –Belief in more than one god Ziggurat (Sumerian temple) was the center of city life –Priests conducted rituals & sacrifices to city gods –Served as storage for grains, fabrics, gems
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Development of Mesopotamia Politics Rulers –Military leaders that shared power with priests Priests prayed to gods, controlled irrigation systems Ruler controlled standing armies
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Power and Authority Ziggurat –Temple at the center of each city-state
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Power and Authority Sumerian City-States –1 st settled in 3300 BC –City-state is a city and its surrounding lands
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Key Civilizations in Mesopotamia Babylonian Empire (1800-1500 B.C.) –Most important king was Hammurabi –Hammurabi’s Code 282 laws that formed the basis of the Babylonian legal system Different punishments for rich & poor “Eye for an eye”
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Mesopotamia Religion: Polytheistic Culture: Patriarchal (Controlled by Men), ruled by a council of elders which developed into city- states, women could own property, written language, music Economics: Agriculture was the a main economic force, especially along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
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Mesopotamia Culture: Art, Religion, Trade (women have rights) Economy: Bartering Politics: Priests 1 st leaders, after many wars the best fighters became permanent leaders (dynasties) Law: Hammurabi’s Code – 282 written laws, created to unify the community (govt responsible for society)
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Power and Authority Priest were Rulers –Priests acted as go betweens for the people and the Gods –Priests demanded crops as a form of taxation for their services –People believed that the Gods were responsible for all things in their lives (crops, rich soil, rain, etc.)
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Science and Technology Cuneiform –Sumerian writing system on clay tablets
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Who was Hammurabi? Hammurabi became the king of Babylon around 1792 BC. He transformed Babylon from a single city- state into a large empire, which united Mesopotamia under one rule.
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Hammurabi’s Ingenuity Even though Hammurabi made Babylon a powerful empire that lasted for the next 1,000 years, he is remembered mainly for his code of laws. Hammurabi’s Code was the first laws ever written down. It was a compilation of 282 laws. The death penalty was enforced for breaking many of the laws.
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Code of Hammurabi After years of constant fighting by Mesopotamian city-states, Hammurabi came to power The first ruler of Babylon, Hammurabi set up a a code, or set of laws for the people to follow He wanted to rule fairly and promote the welfare of the people
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EGYPT
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b. Describe the relationship of religion and political authority in Ancient Egypt. Egyptian Pharaohs (kings) were considered to be living gods The rule based on religious authority is called a theocracy Pharaohs continued to help rule after their deaths- pyramids were built to house the pharaoh and everything he would need in the after life
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northeast corner of Africa Egypt grew to be an important civilization for over three hundred years because of the Nile River.
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Impact of Geography The Nile is a unique river, beginning in the heart of Africa and coursing northward for more than 4000 miles. It is the longest river in the world. The Nile Delta is called Lower Egypt; the land upstream, to the south, is called Upper Egypt. To the ancient Egyptians, the most important feature was the yearly flooding.
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Geographic Features Ancient Egypt – Nile River Benefits: –Predictable yearly flooding allowed farming settlements to grow –Worshiped the river as a god b/c of its abundance
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Geographic Features Ancient Egypt – Deserts on Either Side of Nile River Benefits: –Shut out invaders –Spared Egypt constant warfare
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Importance of Religion Religion also provided a sense of security. The ancient Egyptians had no word for religion. Religious ideas were an inseparable part of their world order. Polytheistic- Were divided into two groups sun gods and land gods
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Society in Ancient Egypt God-King (Pharaoh) Upper Class of Nobles and Priests Merchants, Artisans, Scribes, and Tax Collectors (The Middle Class) Peasants – the largest number of people in Egypt simply worked the land
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Egyptian Culture Writing System –Hieroglyphics Like Sumerian cuneiform, it used pictures to represent ideas
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c. Explain the development of monotheism; include the concepts developed by the ancient Hebrews, and Zoroastrianism.
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Monotheism Definition: –Belief in a single god Hebrews believed in one god b/c: –Believed Abraham had made a covenant with God, where Abraham and his descendants promised to obey God in return for God’s protection
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Origins of Judaism 2000 B.C. –God commands Abraham to take his people to Canaan. All the early history of the Hebrews is written in the Torah – the first five books of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible
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Origins of Judaism 1650 B.C. –Descendants of Abraham move to Egypt At first, they held places of honor in the Egyptian kingdom Later, Hebrews forced into slavery
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Origins of Judaism 1300-1200 B.C. –Hebrews begin their “exodus” from Egypt Moses led the Hebrews out of slavery Later, he received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai
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Origins of Judaism 1020 B.C. –Hebrews unite and form the kingdom of Israel Saul –Drove the Philistines out of central Palestine David –United the tribes & made Jerusalem the capital –Began a dynasty
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Origins of Judaism 962 B.C. –King David succeeded by his son, Solomon Solomon built a great temple in Jerusalem to glorify God and house the Ark of the Covenant (this held the Ten Commandments)
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Ancient Hebrews Believed that their god had power over all people and that he would protect them Their god gave them laws or commandments to obey (Ten Commandments) The history of the Hebrews is written in their bible, the Torah
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Zoroaster Persian prophet Taught that earth is a battleground between good & evil & each person is supposed to take part in this struggle Taught belief in one god, Ahura Mazda, who will one day judge everyone according to how well he/she fought the battle for good His teachings led to the concept of Satan and the belief in angels seen in Judaism, Christianity, & Islam
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d. Describe early trading networks in the Eastern Mediterranean; include the impact Phoenicians had on the Mediterranean World. Many of the ancient trade routes were water based
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The Importance of Trade Trade between regions was important in the transfer of ideas from the Near East (Middle East) to area on the edges of Europe (in the Mediterranean Sea)Trade between regions was important in the transfer of ideas from the Near East (Middle East) to area on the edges of Europe (in the Mediterranean Sea)
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Rise of the Phoenicians Phoenicia never really unites into a nation but does include several wealthy city- states Phoenicians were master ship builders and are said to have traveled to Britain and around the coast of Africa nearly 2,500 years before anyone elsePhoenicians were master ship builders and are said to have traveled to Britain and around the coast of Africa nearly 2,500 years before anyone else
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Phoenicia founded many colonies along the coast of the Mediterranean (Carthage) which lead the Phoenicians to be one of the richest civilizations of the ancient worldPhoenicia founded many colonies along the coast of the Mediterranean (Carthage) which lead the Phoenicians to be one of the richest civilizations of the ancient world Phoenicians were also some of the best builders of the ancient world – they are reported to have built the Temple of Solomon for the Hebrew peoplePhoenicians were also some of the best builders of the ancient world – they are reported to have built the Temple of Solomon for the Hebrew people
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The Alphabet Because the Phoenicians were so involved in trading they had to create a alphabet to record transactionsBecause the Phoenicians were so involved in trading they had to create a alphabet to record transactions
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Seafaring Traders - Phoenicians Skilled shipbuilders & sailors –First Mediterranean people to sail beyond Strait of Gibraltar, possibly even around Africa
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Seafaring Traders - Phoenicians Phoenician traders spread their alphabet system to the peoples with whom they traded
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Phoenicians The Phoenicians developed a series of powerful city-states along what is now Lebanon-colonized a large area
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Phoenicians The Phoenicians were great sailors and shipbuilders This enabled them to explore and set up city-states throughout the Mediterranean These city-states were used for trading posts for goods found throughout the region
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e. Explain the development and importance of writing; include cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and the Phoenician alphabet. Cuneiform: Created by Sumerian scribes as a means to keep records: written into moist clay which was then dried
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Sumerian Cuneiform Consisted of pictographs Used wedge-shaped tool to press symbols into clay, then baked clay in the sun to preserve the writing Used for record-keeping, writing about wars, natural disasters, etc. Marked beginning of written history
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Hieroglyphics In early Egyptian hieroglyphics, pictures stood for an idea. As they developed, the pictures came to represent sounds Egyptians used a form of paper called papyrus to write on Writing allowed civilizations to record their history, religious, and cultural beliefs
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Egyptian Hieroglyphics Consisted of pictographs Scribes recorded history, beliefs, & ideas of ancient Egypt (often times in the tombs of the pharaohs) Used to document tax collection, laws, storage of grain, etc.
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Phoenician Alphabet Needed a way of recording transactions clearly and quickly Similarities can be seen between Phoenician, Greek, & modern-day alphabets
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Phoenician alphabet Developed as a means of recording trade transactions-spread throughout the Mediterranean Was a phonetic system: one sign represented one sound Other cultures based their alphabet on the Phoenicians (Greece)
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SSWH8 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America.
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a. Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca empires.
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Olmec (1200-400 BC) One of the earliest civilization in the Americas Settled along rivers with good soil for agriculture Farming led to the development of towns The Empire ended due to changes in the soil which led to under production of crops
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Olmec Known for their creation of colossal stone heads of their rulers
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Mayan (200B.C-900 A.D.) The Mayan were influenced by the Omlec They built independent cities linked by trade and military alliances War between the city- states, disruption of trade, and over farming may have caused the down fall of the Mayan
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Aztec Empire (1400-1521 A.D.) Came as nomads and settled in central Mexico near lakes with fertile soil Formed alliances, built cities: The Capital had a population of 200-400,000 people The arrival of Cortes (Spanish) spelled the end of the Aztec Empire)
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Inca (1460-1532) Settled in a fertile valley, and then proceed to conquer the western coast of South America Established empire through military and diplomatic means During an Incan civil war, Pizarro (Spanish) was able to defeat the splintered empire
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b. Compare the culture of the Americas; include government, economy, religion, and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.
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Government MayansIndependent city-states ruled by a king/priest. Power gained through hereditary means. AztecsHad a central emperor with regional rulers who paid tribute to the emperor. IncasLed by a king with the empire divided into units. All towns were connected to the capital by roads. Citizens expected to work a certain number of days for the state
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Economy MayansBased on agriculture and trade (salt, feathers, jade) AztecsBased on agriculture and trade. Goods paid as tributes from conquered peoples. IncasBased on trade and self-sufficient farming
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Religion MayansCentral to Mayan life. Worshiped multiple gods. Some human sacrifice- mainly worshiped through prayer and assorted offerings. AztecsCentral to Aztec life. Worshiped multiple gods. Large scale human sacrifice to the Sun God. IncasAncestor worship with human sacrifice on special occasions
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Arts MayansDeveloped a religious calendar based on astronomy and an advanced writing system. Carved jade, built pyramids. AztecsDeveloped a calendar similar to the Mayans. Built pyramids. Paintings and pottery were usually religious or war based in theme. IncasWorked metal, pottery and cloth
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