Ancient CivilizationsRunning from

3500 B.C.E. to C.E.500

The Fertile Crescent

MESOPOTAMIA

• Where was it located?• What was it known for?• What happened to it?

Mesopotamia

“The Fertile Crescent”• A piece of land stretching from eastern Mediterranean

sea to the Persian Gulf• Located between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers• Its soil is rich, great for farming.• This area is shaped like a “crescent”.• Mesopotamia (Land between the rivers) lies to the east• Mediterranean section les to the west• “Empire-”- groups of different lands and peoples under

one ruler.• “City State”- an area that included a city and the farms

and villages around it.

The Sumerians• 4000 BC- 1st people in Fertile Crescent• Settled in Lower Mesopotamia• Built “City-States”• 1st to use wheeled vehicles in trade, farming, warfare• 1st to use the arch in buildings• Invented first system of writing- “Cuneiform”- wedge-

shaped writing- over 700 different symbols• Symbols stood for a name of something, and idea, or a

sound.• Decoded by Sir Henry Rawlinson-1846

• Worshipped many gods• Kings were treated as gods• Gilgamesh and the great flood• King Sargon• Skilled Builders & Artists• Army was supplied with weapons• Metals, stones, & wood were obtained by

trading• Studied math & science ( a year has 360

days)

http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/wsrp/educational_site/ancient_texts/Cuneiform_e.shtml

http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/new/new_lute.html

Ziggurats

Ziggurat at Ur

Review

• Name two things the Sumerians were the first to use?

• What is a Ziggurat?• What is the first system of writing called?• What was their religion like?

Babylonian Empire (2000 B.C.E.)

• First to build temples to honor their gods• Hammurabi’s Code (law)

Hammurabi Law Code shows:

• 1. A stern sense of justice – The code had the principle of "an eye for an eye" and demanding severe punishment for crimes - bribery, theft, dishonest weights and measures, and damage to another's property.

• 2. A sharp division of classes – The code provided harsher punishment for an offense against a noble or priest than for the same offense against a common person - an artisan, merchant, farmer, or slave

• 3. A fair treatment of women - Permited them to own property and engage in business. However, the code strictly regulated the behavior of women. It expected a woman to remain in her husband's home and be dependent on him. A husband, however, had a legal duty to support his wife. The code also gave a father nearly unlimited authority over his children. The Babylonians believed that an orderly household headed by a strong father was necessary for a stable empire.

• 4. An advanced business society- established regulations for protecting property and business contracts, limiting interest on loans, and setting wages for workers.

Other Babylonian contributions:

• Astronomy- lunar calendar, 12 month year, 7 day week, 24 hour day.

• Arithmetic- based on number 60– 60 minute hour, 360 degree circle

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Review for Babylonian Empire

• Name two specific science or math ideas the Babylonians came up with?

• True or False- They were the first to build temples for their Gods?

• What ruler created the first law code?

Hittite Empire ( 1750 B.C.E.)

• Conquered from modern day Turkey• Among the first to use iron for

weapons & tools• Signed the first treaties with other

groups like Egyptians• System of law that required

payments of fines for crimes or wrongdoings

Hittites came from the north-iron region

The importance of iron

• Hittites used iron to conquer the Babylonians who had bronze weapons. It was the “super weapon” of its time and they hid the secret of how to make it for years.

Hittite Warriors

Revenge vs laws

They lived on either side of the Tug Fork: "Devil Anse" Hatfield of West Virginia and Randolph "Ranel" McCoy of Kentucky.  Two families of spirited stock locked together in a deadly private feud

Compare /contrast

• Write down the main differences between the Hittites and the Babylonians.

• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.• 5.• 6.• 7.• 8.

Review

• What are three “firsts” for the Hittites?

review

• What are three similarities between our calendar and the Babylonian calendar?

• Why is a law code based on rules better than a system of justice based on revenge?

Phoenicia Empire(“Traders”)

( 1200 B.C.E.)

• It became strong because Egyptian and Hittites were fighting each other

• Traded goods all over the Mediterranean, spreading their goods & ideas and those of whom they trade with

• Carthage- greatest city• Invented a 22 symbol alphabet that was around sounds

-later used by Greeks and later became roots of what we use today

• Developed artistic skills ( carving ivory & stained glass)

The Alphabet

• http://www.guide-to-symbols.com/phoenician/

Review

• What are three important characteristics of this civilization?

Hebrew (1200-600 B.C.)• Never had a large empire• Monotheism• History written in Old Testament• Exodus• Ten commandments• Recorded the Bible• High moral behaviors, set new standards• Prophets fought for justice of the weak & poor• Saul, David, Solomon- strong rulers• Solomon’s temple at Jerusalem

Hebrew’s end

• Solomon’s death- kingdom splits• Civil wars• 63 BC becomes part of Roman Empire• Jerusalem destroyed• 1948 AD – Israel re-born again

Review-Hebrews

• Who were the Hebrews?• How do we know about them?• Name and discuss one famous Hebrew leader.

The NEW BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

• Chaldeans of Babylonia come in• Nebuchadnezzar II (mentioned in the Bible for the first time)-

rebuilt city of Babylon• He built “Hanging Gardens” –one of the 7 wonders of the

ancient world.• Astrology, movement of planets & stars effects human life,

creation of the “zodiac”• Astrology lead to the discovery of Astronomy• 561 BC Nebuchadnezzar dies- empire declines,• 539 BC Persian Empire comes in

Persia Empire ( 550 B.C.E.)

• Modern day Iran descendents• Cyrus the Great• Conquers Asia Minor & Fertile

Crescent• Divided huge empire into provinces• “Satraps”• Built roads & canals to improve trade• Conquered by Alexander the Great

(Greece)

Zoroasterism

• Zoroaster- started Zoroasterism-1 god “Ahura Mazda in battle with evil forces of Ahriman-Humans make decisions on which side-One day Ahura Mazda will win and judge all humans-Good go to Heaven, evil go to Hell- “Avesta” ( a religious book based on the beliefs of prophet Zoroaster)

Review for early civilizations

• See Powerpoints• See Mesopotamia packet• See unit outline handout• Know your vocabulary

Stop here

EGYPT

• What do you know?

HihAssyrian Empire (1350 B.C.E.)

• 1100-650 BC• Excellent soldiers• Calvary, iron weapons• Cruel leaders of those conquered

• Built first system of roads• Began provincial governments• Established first library

• Conquered by Chaldeans and Persians

HEADING(pg #1) - main ideas of the paragraph-main ideas-main ideasHEADING-main idea(pg. #2) main idea- “wadis”- a dry riverbed

Outlining

Introduction

(pg. 1) -Very hot in EgyptTHE RIVER BRINGS LIFE TO THE DESERT-four thousand miles long-2 branches- Blue Nile (mtns. of Ethiopia), White Nile(Lake Victoria)-Nile flows Northward-River provides food, transportation.(pg.2)-”The Gift of the Nile”NATURAL FEATURES SURROUND AND PROTECT THE NILE VALLEY-desert covers 96% of Egypt-”wadis”- dry riverbeds

- Natural geographical buffers = dry hot heat, huge sea, swamps in the north, rapids and waterfalls

- For 2000 years Egypt invaded only 3 times- *Buffers = major reason Egypt flourished WHY STUDY ANCIENT EGYPT?-Gave us basic ideas: geometry, mathematics, astronomy, -architecture ideas – columns, fortresses, drawbridges, -domestication of cats, honey bees, carrier pigeons, -tanning of leather, glass making, mosquito netting, canal and lake

construction, paper, study of human anatomy, solar calendar, scientific method of study

Egypt (3000 B.C.E.)• Only civilization to continue to today• 2700-2100 Old Kingdom:Great Pyramids &

Sphinx are built• 2100-1800 Middle Kingdom: Irrigation &

canals built; conquered by invaders• 1600-1100 New Kingdom: conquered many

lands, became a great empire, begins to decline

Egypt• Made paper from papyrus• Invented the calendar• Built Great Pyramids• Invented shaduf ( a crane-like device)• Used a loom to weave cloth• Invented hieroglyphics

Ancient Greece(500 B.C.E.)

The Golden Age of AthensOr

The Golden Age of Pericles

Contributions of Greece• First democracy• Scientific approach to

medicine• First dramas• Rules of Geometry• Philosophy• Literature & Poetry• Written Histories

• City-States/voting• Hippocrates

• Euripides & Sophocles• Euclid & Elements• Socrates, Plato, Aristotle• Homer & Sappho

More Contributions of Greece

• Studied & classified plants• Created magnificent buildings &

sculpture• Architecture uses columns (Doric,

Corinthian, and Ionic)

Democracy• Democracy- a form of government in which

the people rule• Direct Democracy- citizens participate

directly in passing the laws• Representative Democracy- representatives are chosen to represent the people

Democracy • Only males 18 or older can attend

assembly & vote• No women• No slaves• No males from other countries

Peloponnesian War• Between Sparta & Athens• Fought for control of Greece• Lasted 27 years• Sparta won!

Sparta v Athens

• Women equal to men• Taught to be loyal to

the state & obey orders• Mandatory military

service for 60 years

• Loyalty over all else

• Subservient women• Taught to question

existence (philosophy)

• Choice of occupations

• Logic First & foremost

King Philip II of Macedonia

Defeated the Greek city-states after they were weakened by the Peloponnesian War.

He united all the city-states under one rule, along with Macedonia.

Philip II was murdered (awwwwww…)

Alexander the Great• Became king after his father was murdered• Between age 20 & 22, he defeated King

Darius and the Persian Empire• Alexander’s Empire was now largest in

the world! ( It extended from Greece to India, including Alexandria in Egypt)

• He died at age 32.

http://kszczepaniak.myteacher.dvusd.com/stories/storyReader$126

http://home.cfl.rr.com/crossland/AncientCivilizations/Middle_East_Civilizations/Sumerians/sumerians.html