River Valley Civilizations

1. River Valley Civilizations

2. The Gift of the Nile: Ancient Egypt

3. Geography • North West Africa (crossroads of three continents)

4. Geography • Nile River • Center of Egyptian economics and culture • Annual, predictable flooding irrigates and replenishes the soil. • Sometimes called the “Black Lands” for its rich soil. Red lands are the desert that runs on either side of the Nile. • Connects them to other cultures (flows north/winds blow south

5. Geography • Natural Barriers • North: Mediterranean Sea • South: falls along the Nile • East: Red Sea • West: Desert • Barriers prevented frequent invasions

6. Question • Would there be an Egypt without the Nile? • Why do you think the Mississippi or Ohio rivers never developed a civilization to rival the Egyptian?

7. History • Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms • 3100 BC King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt • Monarchs were very powerful and considered divine • Nine distinctive periods and numerous dynasties

8. History • When things went bad, it was believed to have been due to the subjects not obeying the gods’ representative on earth • Pharaoh “great house”--Theocracy/Dynasties • Pharaohs would appoint a “vizier” or steward of the land, and would be responsible for the government bureaucracy. • Egypt had 42 provinces, each with a governor

9. Religion-beliefs about death • “Cult of the Dead” • Polytheistic • Burial Practices-mummification • Belief in two bodies: physical and spiritual (Ka) and they needed each other, even after death • Elaborate 70 day process meant to preserve the body so that the ka would be able to return to the body

10. Pyramids (old kingdom) • Tombs to honor the pharaoh • Cities of the dead: The pyramids are just part of the complex of the overall burial site • Buried with many (sometimes thousands) of items. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb is the most important because it was intact!

11. Pyramids • The pyramids are an engineering marvel • Size: tallest structure on earth for 43 centuries/covers 13 football fields • Complexity: 2 million precisely cut 2-ton blocks

12. Writing System • Hieroglyphics • Used Papyrus

13. Caste System: India

14. The Harappa Civilization (3000 BC-1500 BC) • Is among the ancient civilizations, however, since we have not translated their language, we know little about them outside of archeological evidence.

15. The Harappa Civilization • The major cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. An advanced civilization with planned, bricked walled homes (some up to three stories), bathrooms with drainage systems, and other advances.

17. The Aryans • The Aryans invade the area around 1500 BC, creating the people of modern India. • Developed Sanskrit (a writing system) they we have yet to fully translate, therefore we do not know as much about this civilization

18. The Aryans • The caste system, a rigid system of five social categories based on economic and social position (Brahmins=priests, Kshatriyas=warriors, Vaisyas=commoners, Sutras=non-Aryan peasants or artisans, and Untouchables=slaves)

19. The Aryans • They advanced and education system for their sons led by a Guru (teacher) and continued to make a dominant culture. • Due to the physical diversity of the Indian subcontinent, many forms of economic activities take place; mostly farming (in spite of the monsoons), herding and trading. • Also, they developed Hinduism and Buddhism.

20. Ancestor Worship: China

21. Shang Dynasty • Rise and fall of dynasties • veneration of ancestor (or ancestor worship)-the one who would lead them to the hereafter.

22. Shang Dynasty • filial piety-where all are subordinate to the head of the family and all members know their place. • bronze works of art.

23. Zhou Dynasty • Mandate of Heaven which gave the king authority from heaven as long as he ruled the proper way (if not he was overthrown).

24. Language/Philosophy • pictographic written language • Terrace farming methods • three philosophies: Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism.

25. History • Printing • Civil Service Exam to be used by a government.

26. Japan • Japan develops differently from China due to Geography. • Samurai warriors and their code of Bushido (way of the warrior) and the Shoguns (general) who were the actual power of Japan.

27. Japan • 20% of Japan is arable.

28. Cradle of Western Civilization: Mesopotamia

29. Geography • Fertile Crescent: The term describes a crescent-shaped area of arable land, probably more agriculturally productive in antiquity than it is today. • Lack of natural barriers

30. History • A number of successive civilizations occupied the same general area in a series of rises and falls over the course of several millenium.

31. Cultural Diffusion • That different cultures shared ideas and characteristics is particularly important to this region as ideas were shared (or taken as they were conquered), modified and improved upon. • During this time period a number of achievements started.

32. Achievements of the Different Civilizations • Sumerians • City-state Political organization • Smelting of Medals: Bronze Age, Iron Age • Wheel: 3450 BC • Ziggurats: enormous, pyramid-like temples for religious purposes

33. Achievements of the Different Cultures • Sumerians • Cuneiform Writing • Epic of Gilgamesh • Early Literature: Story of a young ruler and his quest for immortality • Many note the similarities in theme to the book of Ecclesiastics in the Bible • Hammurabi’s Code (first law code)

34. Achievements of the Different Cultures • Phoenicians • Alphabet • Trading empire

35. Achievements of the Different Cultures • Assyrians • Communication • Chariots • Military Organization • Empire building and organization

36. Achievements of the Different Cultures • Persians • Roads (empire wide communication system) • Structure of government • Standing Army

37. Achievements of the Different Cultures • Hebrews • Monotheistic Religion • Torah/Law of Moses and the prophets

38. The Civilization/Culture that proved to be the longest lasting, had very humble beginnings. The Hebrews

39. The Hebrews • Abraham • Founded by Abraham of Ur (Sumer) • Yahweh, “One God,” told him to take his family and move to Canaan (The Promise Land) • Nomadic Herdsmen

40. The Hebrews • Descendents • Isaac • Ishmael (becomes the father of other tribes in the Palestinian Region) • Jacob • 12 sons, each becoming one of the 12 tribes of Israel • Renamed Israel • Joseph • Moves the Hebrews to Egypt to escape famine. • Hebrews slowly move into bondage and become slaves to the Egyptians

41. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan • After 400 years of bondage, the Hebrew people are led by Moses from Egypt back to Canaan (the promised land) • There they fight, retake the land, and set up the kingdom of Israel • King David is the most important of the Hebrew monarchs

42. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan • They are conquered by the Babylonians but allowed to keep their religious and cultural practices • They are allowed to return to Canaan and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem • Conquered by the Roman Empire

43. The Exodus and Conquering of Canaan • Diasporas: The Hebrews leave their homeland and set up colonies around the Roman Empire • They become a persecuted minority around the world, climaxing in Nazi Germany’s Holocaust in the 20th Century.

44. Beliefs • Monotheistic worship of Yahweh, the only omnipotent being and one true god. • Law Code: Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law • The Torah, the Talmud are the word of God (Yahweh) • The Hebrews believe they have a special place in Yahweh’s plan for the world.

45. Beliefs • The Messiah The Prophets of Judaism prophesy of the son of Yahweh who will be a deliverer or savior to the Hebrew people: the dead will be resurrected by the Messiah.

46. Christianity • A religion founded on the belief that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the Messiah that the Hebrew’s have been waiting. • Many Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) become followers of Jesus Christ • Christianity becomes the most important religion of the Western World.