1. Early River Valley Civilizations

2. 4 River Valley Civilizations
Mesopotamia
Tigris
Euphrates
Egypt
Nile River Valley (upper and lower Nile)
Indus River
Early China
Huang He (Yellow River)
later civilizations focused on both Yangtze and Yellow Rivers

3. Mesopotamia: The Land Between Two Rivers Greek Name

4. The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

5. Natural Boundaries Unfavorable
Both rivers overflow in an unpredictable manner
The time of year could not be predicted.
The magnitude of turbulence of the flooding could not be predicted.
The area is called a "crossroad" because everyone who traveled or traded between Europe, Africa, and Asia traveled through this region, sometimes taking what they wanted

6. Gave rise to multiple empires within the general region that controlled different territory but had similar culture

7. Sumerians

8. “Necessity is the mother of invention”
Developed the wagon wheel to help transport people and goods from place to place.
Sumerian achievements in mathematics and astronomy formed the basis for concepts we use today.
number system based on 60.
division of the modern hour into 60 minutes is a holdover from Sumerian astronomy.
geometry was used to measure fields and to erect buildings in much the same fashion that it is used for those purposes today.

9. Babylonian Math

10. Babylonian Numbers

11. Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

12. Cuneiform Writing

13. Hammurabi’s [r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.] Code

14. Egypt: “Gift of the Nile”

15. Nile River Valley
Because of its geography Egypt developed to become a peaceful civilization with a higher standard of living. People as individuals were treated with more respect here than in other civilizations of the time.
The Nile River Valley is Surrounded on Four Sides by Natural Barriers
Red Sea to the East
Desert to the West
Mediterranean to the North
Mountains to the South

16. A View of Egypt by Satellite

17. “Gifts of the Nile” Predictable flooding
Mild flooding - able to use river for irrigation
Prevailing winds made trade possible both north and south on the river
Rich deposits of clay, granite, sandstone & limestone used for building
Silt deposits rich for farming
Papyrus used for mats, rope, sandals, baskets, paper

18. The Fertile Nile Valley

19. The Annual Flooding of the Nile

20. Ancient Egyptian History
Periods
Time Frame
Nile Culture Begins
3900 B. C. E.
Archaic
3100 – 2575 B. C. E.
Old Kingdom
2575 – 2134 B. C. E.
First Intermediate
2134 – 2040 B. C. E.
Middle Kingdom
2040 – 1640 B. C. E.
Second Intermediate
New Kingdom
1640 – 1532 B. C. E.
1532 – 1070 B.C.E.
Greek Ptolemaic Era
332 – 30 B. C. E.
Roman Period
30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.

21. Champollion & the Rosetta Stone

22. Mummification - Remove Organs Fill with spices - Wrap in linen strips
Seal with honey/resin

23. Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II 1210-1200 B. C. E.
Egyptian Mummies
Seti I B. C. E.
Ramses II B. C. E.
Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II B. C. E.

24. Indus River Valley Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro 2600 - 1900 BCE
subcontinent of Asia: water on east and west, mountain ranges on north
Hindu Kush and Himalayas
southwest monsoon brings heavy rain and flooding

25. Ancient Geographic Divisions in South Asia

26. Indus River Valley well-planned, citadels, grid of streets
clay brick houses, plumbing with sewer system
bronze and copper tools, gold and silver jewels, clay pots, spun and woven cloth

27. Drains & Sewer Systems

28. Development of Region Early Food Producing Era (7000 - 5000 BCE)
Regionalization Era, ( BCE)
regional cultural development
subdivided into various areas
emergence of an Early Indus state 2800 BCE and urbanization 2600 BCE

29. Aryan Invasion Theory Sometime between 2500 and 1800 BCE
Aryans began moving into India
Apparently NOT the cause of the fall of Indus Civilization; probably fell by “systems failure”
Farmers without written language; spoke Indo-European languages

30. Huang He

31. Geography Himalayas, Kunlun Shan, Tian Shan Gobi desert
Pacific Ocean to east
Therefore travel, transport, and communications are SLOW!
Loess – winds deposit this yellowish soil in the water which accumulates on the banks to produce fertile soil

32. Xia (Cha) 2100 BCE – 1800 BCE
The Xia were agrarian people, with bronze weapons and pottery.
The ruling families used elaborate and dramatic rituals to confirm their power to govern.
The rulers often acted as shamans, communicating with spirits for help and guidance
Validity of what we know of these peoples is difficult because of myths.

33. Ancient Dynasties Qin Xia (first) Shang Zhou (longest)
2100 BCE – 1800 BCE
Shang
1750 – 1027 BCE
Mandate of Heaven
Zhou (longest)
1027 – 221 BCE
Confucianism during Axial Age (ca. 500 BCE)
Qin
221 – 207 BCE
China gets its name from this dynasty

34. Shang: 1750-1027 BCE Made Silk and Bronze Warrior aristocracy
Beginnings of feng shui
Writing – pictograms and phonetic symbols = hundreds of signs
King is intermediary between people and gods
Used divination to determine will of gods

35. Zhou: 1027-221 BCE Defeated Shang king
King is “son of heaven” and ruled with a “mandate of heaven”
King maintained rule as long as wise and virtuous
771 BCE – 481 BCE – political fragmentation
480 – 221 BCE – Warring States Period

36. Zhou – 3 ideologies
Beginnings of legalism – every aspect of human society should be controlled because people are wicked
Beginnings of Confucianism – duty and public service, veneration of ancestors, hierarchy
Beginnings of Daoism – follow the Dao, or path, avoid useless struggle and violence, simplicity