1. Western River Civilizations

2. The “Fertile Crescent” Narrow region of good farmland along the Tigris, Euphrates, and Nile Rivers of the Middle East Narrow region of good farmland along the Tigris, Euphrates, and Nile Rivers of the Middle East

3. “The Crossroads of Civilization”

4. Egypt Cities Cities

5. Government Pharaoh (king) Pharaoh (king) Was worshipped as a god (religious role) Was worshipped as a god (religious role) Ruled with absolute power (political role) Ruled with absolute power (political role) Had a vizier (chief advisor) who ran day- to-day government Had a vizier (chief advisor) who ran day- to-day government

6. Religion Polytheistic (multiple deities) Polytheistic (multiple deities) Ra, the chief god in the Egyptian religion, was the god of the sun Ra, the chief god in the Egyptian religion, was the god of the sun

7. The Book of the Dead Technical text which describes the ritual process of mummification; may be one of the earliest scientific medical manuals in history (although it does contain magic spells!) Technical text which describes the ritual process of mummification; may be one of the earliest scientific medical manuals in history (although it does contain magic spells!)

9. Egyptians believed that after death, one’s soul was judged – “good” souls went to the Happy Fields of Food – “bad” souls were fed to a giant crocodile

10. Akhenaton 1353 – 1336 BC? 1353 – 1336 BC? Born Amenhotep IV Born Amenhotep IV Wife was Nefertiti Wife was Nefertiti After his death, he was reviled and many likenesses of him were destroyed throughout Egypt After his death, he was reviled and many likenesses of him were destroyed throughout Egypt

11. Akhenaton believed in a single god (monotheism) named Aton

12. Jobs & Social Classes

13. The Pyramids

14. The Pyramids were tombs and portals to the afterlife for Egyptian pharaohs

15. The Sphinx

16. Tutankhamun 1333 – 1324 BC 1333 – 1324 BC Not really important as a pharaoh Not really important as a pharaoh Importance lies in the discovery in 1922 of his unlooted tomb Importance lies in the discovery in 1922 of his unlooted tomb Died at 19 Died at 19 Murdered? Murdered?

18. “King Tut”

19. Public Works The Egyptians built a complex system for harnessing the annual flooding of the Nile River to irrigate their farmland The Egyptians built a complex system for harnessing the annual flooding of the Nile River to irrigate their farmland They also undertook numerous construction projects of massive scale They also undertook numerous construction projects of massive scale

21. Writing = Hieroglyphics

22. Ancient Mesopotamian Civilizations

23. Mesopotamia = “between the rivers”

24. Mesopotamian city-states Each city was an independent country Each city was an independent country Each had its own king Each had its own king City-states sometimes cooperated, sometimes fought each other City-states sometimes cooperated, sometimes fought each other Had common culture and religious beliefs Had common culture and religious beliefs

25. Hammurabi, King of Babylon 1795 – 1750 BC (?) 1795 – 1750 BC (?) Also built an empire that controlled all of Mesopotamia Also built an empire that controlled all of Mesopotamia Ruled by force of law – required that all 300 laws be posted for all citizens to see and know Ruled by force of law – required that all 300 laws be posted for all citizens to see and know Brought justice Brought justice

26. The Code of Hammurabi = the world’s first standardized set of written laws

27. Criminal law vs. Civil law Criminal Law Criminal Law Deals with offenses against others, such as robbery, assault, and murder Deals with offenses against others, such as robbery, assault, and murder Usually lead to physical punishments Usually lead to physical punishments Civil Law Civil Law Deals with private rights and matters, such as contracts, inheritance, taxes, marriage, and divorce Deals with private rights and matters, such as contracts, inheritance, taxes, marriage, and divorce Usually lead to financial punishments Usually lead to financial punishments

28. Ishtar & Ba’al

29. Zoroaster 600 BC? 600 BC? Persian prophet Persian prophet “Illuminated” by the one god Ahura Mazda “Illuminated” by the one god Ahura Mazda Wrote the holy texts Zend-Avesta & The Gathas Wrote the holy texts Zend-Avesta & The Gathas

30. Zoroastrianism One good god – Ahura Mazda One good god – Ahura Mazda One evil “tempter of men” – Ahriman One evil “tempter of men” – Ahriman After Ahura Mazda destroys Ahriman, there will be a Judgment Day where all souls will be weighed on the good and bad committed in their lives After Ahura Mazda destroys Ahriman, there will be a Judgment Day where all souls will be weighed on the good and bad committed in their lives Would later be a strong influence on the development of Christianity Would later be a strong influence on the development of Christianity

31. Jobs & Social Classes Kings and priests were at the top of the social ladder, followed by people of means and property Kings and priests were at the top of the social ladder, followed by people of means and property At the bottom of the social scale were farmers and slaves At the bottom of the social scale were farmers and slaves

32. Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon 630 – 562 BC 630 – 562 BC Babylonian king of the Bible Babylonian king of the Bible Depicted as cruel Depicted as cruel Conquered the Israelites and took them into slavery in Babylon Conquered the Israelites and took them into slavery in Babylon

33. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

34. The Epic of Gilgamesh Epic poem Epic poem Tells of the Sumerian hero-king Gilgamesh and his friendship with the savage man Enkidu Tells of the Sumerian hero-king Gilgamesh and his friendship with the savage man Enkidu After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh seeks immortality After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh seeks immortality Also tells a story of a great flood, similar to the Bible’s Noah story Also tells a story of a great flood, similar to the Bible’s Noah story

35. Ziggurat = a pyramid temple

36. Cuneiform = Sumerian writing system