1. River Valley Civilizations
Egypt
Mesopotamia

2. Egypt

3. Favorable Geography Benefits of Nile Natural Boundaries Rich soil
Water
Transportation
Natural Boundaries

4. Egyptian History Early gov’ts to control Nile Eventually combined:
Lower Egypt (north)
Upper Egypt (south)
Old Kingdom
3,100-2,200 BCE
Pyramids built as tombs

5. Egyptian History Middle Kingdom 2,200-1,730 BC Age of Nobles
Canal from Nile to Red Sea
Ended by Hyksos with horses/chariots

6. Egyptian History New Kingdom 1,570-1100 BC The Empire Ramses II
Tutankhamen

7. Egyptian Culture Pharaoh=absolute monarch Privileged aristocracy
Pharaoh & his family
Nobles
Priests
Unprivileged masses
Peasants
Slaves

8. Egyptian Life Economic activities Religious beliefs
Depended chiefly on agriculture
Glassblowing
Imported timber and copper
Religious beliefs
Polytheistic
Mummification

9. Egyptian Contributions
Math
Surveyed land
Art
Huge stone statues
Carved/painted various scenes
Architecture & engineering
Pyramids and temples
Dams and irrigation canals

10. Egyptian Contributions
Hieroglyphs on papyrus
History
Scientific/Math knowledge
Government/Business records
Science
Solar-year calendar (365 days)
Prepared mummies
Recognized/Treated diseases

12. Mesopotamia

13. Fertile Crescent Divided into: East West
Tigris and Euphrates river valleys (Mesopotamia)
West
Eastern Mediterranean coast

14. Influence of Geography
Rivers/Coastline
Seaports/trade developed
Lack of stone
Clay for construction & writing
Low, level plains
No natural barriers to invasion

15. Peoples Sumerians Hittites Babylonians Assyrians Hebrews Chaldeans
Phoenicians
Lydians
Hittites
Assyrians
Chaldeans
Persians

16. Sumerians 2300 BCE-Independent city-states; Sargon the ruler
Contributions
1st known empire in history
Cuneiform on clay tablets
System of numbers based on 60
Basis of time and rotation units
Architecture
Invented arch
Built ziggurats

17. Babylonians 1790 BCE led by Hammurabi Conquered other city-states
Contributions
Code of Hammurabi -1st set of laws to be codified
Astronomy
Led to astrology

18. Hebrews Contributions
BCE-moved from SE tip of Fertile Crescent to SW
Conquered by various Mesopotamian peoples
Contributions
Monotheism
Old Testament
Emphasis on high moral principles

19. Phoenicians 1200-800 BCE-north of Palestine on Mediterranean coast
Traded throughout Mediterranean
Established colonies
Specialized in purple (royal color)
Contributions
Missionaries of civilization
Alphabet

20. Lydians After 1000 BCE lived in Asia Minor Contribution
Coinage of money

21. Hittites
About 2000 BCE appeared in northern Asia Minor (area rich in iron)
Contribution
Iron- ushered in “Iron Age”

22. Assyrians Art After 800 BCE built an empire Led by Assurbanipal
Learned about iron from Hittites
Conquered Fertile Crescent/Egypt
Terrorized enemies and subjects
Contributions
Government
Divided empire into provinces
Built military roads
Library
Art

23. Chaldeans 612 BCE overthrew Assyrians Contributions
Gained control of Fertile Crescent
Established 2nd Babylonian Empire
Contributions
Architecture
Nebuchadnezzar-Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Astronomy

24. Persians 6th century BCE expanded from Plateau of Iran
Largest empire yet seen
Est. by Cyrus the Great
“The Benevolent King”
King Darius (Height of empire)
Contributions
Government
Provinces ruled by satrap
Eyes and Ears of the King
Roads for military and trade
Coined money

25. Persians (cont’d.) Contributions Spread of culture Religion
Treated subject peoples humanely
Adopted ideas and practices from their conquered peoples
Stimulated interchange among peoples
Religion
Zoroastrianism: Good and evil

26. River Valley Civilizations
Egypt
Mesopotamia