1. Unit 1- Part 2 - Early River Valley Civilizations
Objectives:
Evaluate why early civilizations formed around rivers.
Compare characteristics of the four river valley civilizations.

2. Mesopotamia

3. Geography of Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent lies between the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea.
Mesopotamia lies between the Euphrates and
Tigris rivers.
Both rivers flood once a year and create silt.
Silt- mud that makes the soil very fertile.

4. Environmental Challenges in Mesopotamia
Problems
Solutions
Flooding of rivers was unpredictable
Created irrigation ditches to carry river water to fields
Region was small with no natural barriers for protection
Built city walls for protection
Region has little natural resources
Traded grains, cloth, and crafts for wood, metal and stone

5. Mesopotamia - Sumer City-States:
- City-state- City and its surrounding land.
- Polytheistic religion (belief in many gods), where priests were religious and political leaders (Theocracy).
- Mesopotamians were the first builders as displayed in their Ziggurats (temple and city hall).
- As Sumer city-states became powerful, they traded with other peoples in the fertile crescent.
- Cultural diffusion- Process of ideas or products spreading from culture to culture.

6. City State

7. Sumerian/Mesopotamian Culture
Social classes- Priests and kings, merchants, farmers, trades people, and slaves.
Invented the wheel, sail, first writing, a number system based on 60 and used bronze.
Epic of Gilgamesh- One of the oldest poems. (Handout #1)

8. First Empires
-Empire- Brings together several people, nations, or states under one ruler.
-Mesopotamia was invaded by the Babylonians establishing the Babylonian Empire.
-Led by Hammurabi the empire was ruled by the first unified code of laws or “Hammurabi’s Code” – 282 laws dealing with family, property rights, and crime. (Handout #2)

9. Ancient Egypt

10. Geography of Egypt
-Nile River floods once a year and creates a small strip of fertile land
-Upper Egypt (South) and Lower Egypt (North) are separated by cataracts (waterfalls)
-Nile - main source of transportation
Desert - a barrier protecting Egypt from invaders

11. Egypt Unites into one Kingdom
King Menes united Lower and Upper Egypt
Starting in 2660 BCE Egypt begins the first of three phases, Old, Middle and New Kingdoms
Pharaohs were kings and gods / Theocracy or government in which the ruler is a religious figure

12. Egyptian Culture Religion was polytheistic
Mummification- Preserved the body to be ready for the afterlife
Pyramid- Tomb for the Pharaohs
Class system- Royal family, wealthy landowners, merchants, farmers, slaves
Developed papyrus (paper), Hieroglyphics (picture writing), adding, subtracting, geometry, 365 day calendar, and medicine

13. Indus River Valley

14. Geography of the Indus Valley
-Surrounded by mountains.
-Located in modern day India.
-Civilization rose between the Indus and Ganges rivers.
-The Indus river flooded unpredictably and would sometimes change its course.

15. Indus Cities
-Cities were built on a grid system.
-Had separate residential areas.
-Major buildings in the city were fortified.
-Buildings were made out of bricks.
-Cities had plumbing, and sewage systems.
-Due to planning, historians believe the cities had a strong central government.

17. Indus Valley Culture
-Artifacts suggest long distance trade.
-Religion has connections to modern Hinduism.
-Written language (Harappan).

18. Ancient China

19. -Huang He (Yellow River)
Geography of China
-Natural barriers for protection (deserts and mountains).
-Huang He (Yellow River)
-Unpredictable flooding.

20. Ancient Chinese Culture
First Chinese dynasty - Xia
Shang Dynasty-first to have written records (pictographs or Characters)
Advantage to Chinese writing-unified the people who spoke different dialects.
Other contributions included bronze work and silk textiles.

21. Ancient Chinese Culture Cont.
Filial Piety - Family was the center of society.
Patriarchal – oldest male made all the decisions.
Religion was Ancestor Worship or respect for one’s ancestors.
Oracle bones were used to communicate with the gods.

22. Zhou Dynasty 1027 BCE- Zhou overthrew the Shang.
Mandate of Heaven- Divine approval of rulers (gods give you the right to rule).
Feudalism- System where lords or nobles are given land by the king and in return must be loyal to the king.
As Lords became more powerful states fought each other and dynasties were overthrown.