1. River Valley Civilizations

2. The Gift of the Nile: Ancient Egypt

3. Geography
North West Africa (crossroads of three continents)

4. Geography Nile River Center of Egyptian economics and culture
Annual, predictable flooding irrigates and replenishes the soil.
Sometimes called the “Black Lands” for its rich soil. Red lands are the desert that runs on either side of the Nile.
Connects them to other cultures (flows north/winds blow south

5. Geography Natural Barriers North: Mediterranean Sea
South: falls along the Nile
East: Red Sea
West: Desert
Barriers prevented frequent invasions

6. Question Would there be an Egypt without the Nile?
Why do you think the Mississippi or Ohio rivers never developed a civilization to rival the Egyptian?

7. History Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms
3100 BC King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt
Monarchs were very powerful and considered divine
Nine distinctive periods and numerous dynasties

8. History
When things went bad, it was believed to have been due to the subjects not obeying the gods’ representative on earth
Pharaoh “great house”--Theocracy/Dynasties
Pharaohs would appoint a “vizier” or steward of the land, and would be responsible for the government bureaucracy.
Egypt had 42 provinces, each with a governor

9. Religion-beliefs about death
“Cult of the Dead”
Polytheistic
Burial Practices-mummification
Belief in two bodies: physical and spiritual (Ka) and they needed each other, even after death
Elaborate 70 day process meant to preserve the body so that the ka would be able to return to the body

10. Pyramids (old kingdom)
Tombs to honor the pharaoh
Cities of the dead: The pyramids are just part of the complex of the overall burial site
Buried with many (sometimes thousands) of items. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb is the most important because it was intact!

11. Pyramids The pyramids are an engineering marvel
Size: tallest structure on earth for 43 centuries/covers 13 football fields
Complexity: 2 million precisely cut 2-ton blocks

12. Writing System
Hieroglyphics
Used Papyrus

13. Caste System: India

14. The Harappa Civilization (3000 BC-1500 BC)
Is among the ancient civilizations, however, since we have not translated their language, we know little about them outside of archeological evidence.

15. The Harappa Civilization
The major cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. An advanced civilization with planned, bricked walled homes (some up to three stories), bathrooms with drainage systems, and other advances.

17. The Aryans
The Aryans invade the area around 1500 BC, creating the people of modern India.
Developed Sanskrit (a writing system) they we have yet to fully translate, therefore we do not know as much about this civilization

18. The Aryans
The caste system, a rigid system of five social categories based on economic and social position (Brahmins=priests, Kshatriyas=warriors, Vaisyas=commoners, Sutras=non-Aryan peasants or artisans, and Untouchables=slaves)

19. The Aryans
They advanced and education system for their sons led by a Guru (teacher) and continued to make a dominant culture.
Due to the physical diversity of the Indian subcontinent, many forms of economic activities take place; mostly farming (in spite of the monsoons), herding and trading.
Also, they developed Hinduism and Buddhism.

20. Ancestor Worship: China

21. Shang Dynasty Rise and fall of dynasties
veneration of ancestor (or ancestor worship)-the one who would lead them to the hereafter.

22. Shang Dynasty
filial piety-where all are subordinate to the head of the family and all members know their place.
bronze works of art.

23. Zhou Dynasty
Mandate of Heaven which gave the king authority from heaven as long as he ruled the proper way (if not he was overthrown).

24. Language/Philosophy pictographic written language
Terrace farming methods
three philosophies: Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism.

25. History
Printing
Civil Service Exam to be used by a government.

26. Japan Japan develops differently from China due to Geography.
Samurai warriors and their code of Bushido (way of the warrior) and the Shoguns (general) who were the actual power of Japan.

27. Japan
20% of Japan is arable.

28. Cradle of Western Civilization: Mesopotamia

29. Geography
Fertile Crescent: The term describes a crescent-shaped area of arable land, probably more agriculturally productive in antiquity than it is today.
Lack of natural barriers

30. History
A number of successive civilizations occupied the same general area in a series of rises and falls over the course of several millenium.

31. Cultural Diffusion
That different cultures shared ideas and characteristics is particularly important to this region as ideas were shared (or taken as they were conquered), modified and improved upon.
During this time period a number of achievements started.

32. Achievements of the Different Civilizations
Sumerians
City-state Political organization
Smelting of Medals: Bronze Age, Iron Age
Wheel: BC
Ziggurats: enormous, pyramid-like temples for religious purposes

33. Achievements of the Different Cultures
Sumerians
Cuneiform Writing
Epic of Gilgamesh
Early Literature: Story of a young ruler and his quest for immortality
Many note the similarities in theme to the book of Ecclesiastics in the Bible
Hammurabi’s Code (first law code)

34. Achievements of the Different Cultures
Phoenicians
Alphabet
Trading empire

35. Achievements of the Different Cultures
Assyrians
Communication
Chariots
Military Organization
Empire building and organization

36. Achievements of the Different Cultures
Persians
Roads (empire wide communication system)
Structure of government
Standing Army

37. Achievements of the Different Cultures
Hebrews
Monotheistic Religion
Torah/Law of Moses and the prophets

38. The Civilization/Culture that proved to be the longest lasting, had very humble beginnings.
The Hebrews

39. The Hebrews Abraham Founded by Abraham of Ur (Sumer)
Yahweh, “One God,” told him to take his family and move to Canaan (The Promise Land)
Nomadic Herdsmen

40. The Hebrews Descendents Isaac Jacob Joseph
Ishmael (becomes the father of other tribes in the Palestinian Region)
Jacob
12 sons, each becoming one of the 12 tribes of Israel
Renamed Israel
Joseph
Moves the Hebrews to Egypt to escape famine.
Hebrews slowly move into bondage and become slaves to the Egyptians

41. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan
After 400 years of bondage, the Hebrew people are led by Moses from Egypt back to Canaan (the promised land)
There they fight, retake the land, and set up the kingdom of Israel
King David is the most important of the Hebrew monarchs

42. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan
They are conquered by the Babylonians but allowed to keep their religious and cultural practices
They are allowed to return to Canaan and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem
Conquered by the Roman Empire

43. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan
Diasporas: The Hebrews leave their homeland and set up colonies around the Roman Empire
They become a persecuted minority around the world, climaxing in Nazi Germany’s Holocaust in the 20th Century.

44. Beliefs
Monotheistic worship of Yahweh, the only omnipotent being and one true god.
Law Code: Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law
The Torah, the Talmud are the word of God (Yahweh)
The Hebrews believe they have a special place in Yahweh’s plan for the world.

45. Beliefs
The Messiah The Prophets of Judaism prophesy of the son of Yahweh who will be a deliverer or savior to the Hebrew people: the dead will be resurrected by the Messiah.

46. Christianity
A religion founded on the belief that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the Messiah that the Hebrew’s have been waiting.
Many Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) become followers of Jesus Christ
Christianity becomes the most important religion of the Western World.