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Western Asia & Egypt

Western Asia & Egypt. Chapter 2. Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia. What was the geography around the area of Mesopotamia? How did the geography impact the Mesopotamian civilizations? Key Terms: City-States Theocracy Patriarchal Polytheistic . The Fertile Crescent .

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Western Asia & Egypt

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  1. Western Asia & Egypt Chapter 2

  2. Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia • What was the geography around the area of Mesopotamia? How did the geography impact the Mesopotamian civilizations? • Key Terms: • City-States • Theocracy • Patriarchal • Polytheistic

  3. The Fertile Crescent Fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The first civilization discovered in Mesopotamia – “Land Between Two Rivers” The first Sumerian cities emerged in southern Mesopotamia around 3,200 B.C.E.

  4. City-States of Mesopotamia • By 3,000 BCE Sumerians built city-states • Ur & Uruk • Used mud bricks for building • Invented the arch and dome • Most important building= ziggurat (temple) • Gods and goddesses owned the city (polytheistic) • Believed humans were created to serve the gods • Had a theocracy • Kings ruled but priests were extremely important 3rd Century BCE Ur, Iraq

  5. City-States of Mesopotamia • Economy • Agricultural • Industry & trade • Made metalworks and woolen textiles • Imported copper, tin, & timber • Social Structure

  6. Sumerian Creativity • Cuneiform • Record keeping, teaching, & law • Being a scribe= great job • The Epic of Gilgamesh • Invented • Wagon wheel (wheel was invented by 3000 BCE) • A number system based on 60 • Charted constellations • Advances in geometry to help engineering What tool of measurement based on 60 do we use today?

  7. Empires • Akkadians lived north of Sumerian city-states • Around 2340 BCE, Sargon conquered Sumerian city-states • First empire • 1792 BCE Hammurabi established a new empire over both Akkad & Sumer • Estb. Code of Hammurabi

  8. Code of Hammurabi • Most important early system of law • Punishments varied according to social class • Punished public officials who failed to do their duties • Marriage & family codes applied to all • Enforced obedience of children • Patriarchal in nature

  9. Code of Law Activity DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW • Fold a sheet of paper over, creating 4 quarters • Select 4 laws and copy one into each quarter of a sheet of paper. • Explain each law in your own words using 3-5 sentences. • Assess each law using your own sense of justice. Do you think the law is fair? (3-5 sentences)

  10. Egypt: “The Gift of the Nile” • How did the Nile influence Egypt? • How else did the geography of Egypt help the establishment and continued existence of Egyptian civilizations? • Key Terms • Dynasty • Pharaoh • Bureaucracy • Mummification • hieroglyphics

  11. Egyptian Empire About 1450 B.C.E.

  12. Egyptian History

  13. Egyptian Society • Religion • Belief that many gods & goddesses ruled the world & the afterlife. • Amon-Re = sun god. • Osiris = god of the underworld and of the Nile. • Pharaoh believed to be a god as well as a monarch. • Belief in eternal life after death. • Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them through the afterworld. • Practiced mummification, the preservation of the body for use in the next life.

  14. Egyptian Society • Belief in eternal life after death. • Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them through the afterworld. • Practiced mummification, the preservation of the body for use in the next life.

  15. Egyptian Society • Daily Life • Married young • Girls at 12 & Boys at 14 • Arranged marriages • Monogamous • Husband was master of house; wife was respected • Women had property & ran businesses • Romance was important

  16. Egyptian Society

  17. New Centers of Civilization • How did nomadic peoples affect the centers of civilizations? • Key Terms • Pastoral nomad • Monotheistic

  18. Hittites • War-like tribesmen from Asia Minor; captured Babylon • Eventually they withdrew, but occupied the western part of the Fertile Crescent • 1600-1200 BCE • Contributions to Civilization • Made widespread use of iron • Horse-drawn chariots in battle. • System of laws with punishments that were less severe than Hammurabi’s.

  19. Phoenicians • 1000-700 BCE • Lived north of Palestine along the Mediterranean coast. • Became skilled shipbuilders & sailors, and traded throughout the Mediterranean • Established many colonies, including the great city of Carthage in North Africa

  20. Contributions to Civilization • Traders carried the products and cultures of the Middle East to less advanced peoples. • Alphabet • The Greeks and Romans later made some changes that resulted in the alphabet we use today

  21. “Children of Israel” • Hebrews (Jews) • 1200-586 BCE • Created Judaism • Abraham was founder • Lived in Egypt for several hundred years, but were forced into slavery • Moses led them out of Egypt • Recorded their history & religious beliefs in the Old Testament • Practicing monotheism. • High moral conduct: Ten Commandments. • Influenced Christianity & Islam through its emphasis on monotheism and moral principles.

  22. Hebrews • United Kingdom • King Solomon • Jerusalem was capital • Built temple that became center of religion • Divided Kingdom • Kingdom divided after Solomon • Kingdom of Israel • 10 tribes that were scattered when the Assyrians conquered • Kingdom of Judah • 2 tribes • Conquered by the Chaldeans • Read Connections to the Past on page 57

  23. Assyrians • Ruthless conquerors—overran Phoenicia, Palestine, Babylonia. • Empire largest in the world to that point in history. • Used bows and iron-tipped arrows, battering rams, and the first to use men on horseback. • Assyrians terrorized people with acts of violence and torture. • Lasted 150 years before being destroyed by the Chaldeans and Persians.

  24. Contributions to Civilization • First to set up an effective system for governing an empire. • Built a great library in Nineveh. It had thousands of clay tablets that have told us much about the ancient Middle East.

  25. Chaldeans • Helped overthrow the Assyrians • Took control of the Fertile Crescent and established the 2nd Babylonian Empire • King Nebuchadnezzar • Rebuilt Babylon into the largest and most impressive city in the ancient world • Contributions • “Hanging Gardens” on rooftops in Babylon. Greeks called them one of the “seven wonders of the world.” • Further advancement in astronomy by accurate observations of the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

  26. Persians • Chaldean Empire declined after the death of Nebuchadnezzar • New Persian Empire extended for 3,000 miles from Egypt to India • Lasted 200 years, reaching its height under King Darius I • Declined due to high taxes • People no longer loyal • Fight for the throne between half-brothers

  27. Contributions to Civilization • Set up well-organized government. • Divided into provinces and directed by a “satrap.” • Built roads to speed trade and movement of armies. • Allowed conquered people to keep their religion, laws, and local customs. • “Cultural Diffusion”—the exchange of ways of living—took place between various groups in the empire. • Accepted teachings of the prophet Zorocaster

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