1. SSWH 1
The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE

3. What is Civilization? A complex culture with 5 characteristics:
1. advanced cities
2. specialized workers
3. complex institutions
4. record keeping
5. advanced technology

4. Why did Civilizations Form?
Humans changed from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agriculture-based lifestyle.
Neolithic Revolution

5. River Valley Systems

6. Why Settle in a River Valley?
Seasonal flooding leaves rich soil for agriculture
Irrigation provided continuous water, even in dry seasons
Some river systems are great for transportation

7. Tigris-Euphrates River Valleys
Mesopotamia
Eastern part of the Fertile Crescent- strip of fertile land that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.

8. Who lived in Mesopotamia?
Sumerians (3000 B.C.E.)
City-States
City & the surrounding land.

9. Sumerian Government Each city-state had its own gov’t. Theocracy
Religious leader and political leader the same person.
Rulers seen as a representative of the gods.

10. Believed in an unhappy afterlife.
Sumerian Religion
Polytheism
Belief in MANY gods
Believed in an unhappy afterlife.
River flooding

11. Mesopotamian Empire Empire- Babylonian Empire
Political unit in which a number of peoples or countries are controlled by one ruler.
Babylonian Empire
Capital at Babylon on Euphrates River.
Relied on trade b/c lack of natural resources

12. Sumerian Writing
Cuneiform
Wedge shapes pressed into wet clay.

13. Hammurabi’s Code
Organized Mesopotamian laws into a uniform code.

14. Nile River Valley Egypt Trade up and down Nile easily
River flooded regularly

15. Egyptian Government Theocracy Pyramids Kings WERE gods. Pharaohs
Built as tombs for the pharaohs.

17. Egyptian Religion Polytheistic Believed in a positive afterlife.
Mummification

19. Egyptian Empire Bronze weapons and chariots = conquerors
conquer more lands = stimulates trade and cultural diffusion

20. Egyptian Writing
Hieroglyphics
Picture symbols

21. Egyptian Writing Rosetta Stone
Found 1799 allowed scientists to decipher hieroglyphics.

22. Let’s Compare
Mesopotamia and Egypt
Similarities Differences

23. Phoenicians Sea traders on the Mediterranean Sea
Traded all around continent of Africa
Alphabet
Needed a way to record transactions
used and adopted by those that traded with them (cultural diffusion)
Alphabet was phonetic
each symbol represents a sound

25. Zoroastrianism Persian prophet named Zoroaster Monotheistic
Belief in ONE god: Ahura Mazda
Earth seen as battleground between good & evil
A person was judged on how one fought for good

26. Ahura Mazda

27. Judaism Hebrews, or Jews, originate in Mesopotamia Abraham
Monotheistic- Yahweh
Torah
Sacred text that contains stories and ethical laws of Judaism
10 Commandments

28. Judaism Center of Religion Personal relationship with God (covenant).
Goal
Go to Heaven after death
Social issues
Men head of household
Women had few legal rights

29. Judaism Prayer 3x a day (individual or communal) Sabbath (Holy Day)
Sundown Friday night until dark Saturday night