The First Civilizations: The People of Western Asia and Egypt

1. The First Civilizations:The People of Western Asia and Egypt

2. The Spread of Homo sapiens

3. The First Humans Australopithecines, c. 2-4 million years ago Homo habilis, c. 1-4 million years ago Homo erectus, c. 100,000-1.8 million years ago Homo sapiens Neanderthal, c. 100,000-30,000 B.C.E. Homo sapiens sapiens, c. 200,000 B.C.E. (Map 1.1 of text)

4. The Hunter-Gatherers of the Paleolithic Age Paleolithic Age, c. 2,500,000-10,000 B.C.E. Nomadic people Division of labor Fire, 500,000 years ago Cave paintings

5. The Development of Agriculture

6. The Neolithic Agriculture Revolution (c. 10,000-4000 B.C.E.) Characteristics: growing plants and domesticating animals Mesolithic Age (c. 10,000 � 7000 B.C.E.) Independent development Middle East, 8000 B.C.E. Balkans, 6500 B.C.E. France, Central Europe, and Coastal Mediterranean, 4000 B.C.E. Western Asia and Nile Valley of Egypt, 6000 B.C.E. Northwestern and Central India, 7000-5000 B.C.E. Southeast Asia and South China, 5000 B.C.E. North China, 6000 B.C.E. Mesoamerica, 7000-5000 B.C.E.

7. Consequences of the Neolithic Revolution Neolithic farms and villages Oldest in the Middle East Shift to systematic agriculture Consequences Settled in villages and towns �atal H�y�k, 6700-5700 B.C.E. Walled city 12 cultivated products Religious shrines Trade Specialization of crafts Pottery and baskets Flint blades Change in relationship of men and women Men work in the fields and herding animals Women care for children and weaving cloth Fixed dwellings and domestication of animals Writing Metalworking

8. The Emergence of Civilization Characteristics of Civilization Urban focus Distinct religious structure New political and military structures New social structure based on economic power The development of writing New and significant artistic and intellectual activity (Place small picture from text �Statues from Ain Ghazal� on one side of this space. Caption to the side of the picture: �Perhaps this is an example of new artistic activity.�)

9. The Emergence of Civilization

10. Early Civilizations Around the World Mesopotamia of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Valleys of the Indus River Yellow River in northern China Central Asia Supe River valley of Peru Why civilization developed? Challenge and response Material forces created specialization of labor Management of water resources Religion provided unity and purpose

11. The Ancient Near East

12. Civilization in Mesopotamia City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia Sumerian city-states, c. 3000-2350 B.C.E. Walls Temple atop a ziggurat Gods ruled the cities Kingship divine in origin Economy was agricultural Social groups Nobles Commoners Slaves

13. Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Akkadian Empire, c. 2340-2100 B.C.E. Semitic people (Table 1.1 of text) Sargon around 2340 B.C.E. overran the Sumerian cities and established an empire over most of Mesopotamia Empire falls about 2100 B.C.E. Amorites (Old Babylonians) Hammurabi in 1792 B.C.E. creates a new empire Established a new capital at Babylon Code of Hammurabi Strict justice Penalties according to class Performance of work Marriage and the family Regulations of sexual relations

14. The Culture of Mesopotamia Importance of Religion Influence of physical environment Human relationships with the gods Numerous gods and goddesses Cultivation of Writing and Sciences Writing in the form of cuneiform (�wedge shaped�) Primarily for record keeping which means retention of knowledge Communicate important ideas Literature - Epic of Gilgamesh Achievements in Math Based on 60 using combinations of 6 and 10 Geometry to measure fields and erect buildings Used 60 to chart the heavens Calendar of 12 lunar months (extra month time to time)

15. The Development Of Cuneiform Writing. This chart shows the evolution of writing from pictographic signs around 3100 B.C.E. to cuneiform signs by about 700 B.C.E. Note that the sign for star came to mean �god� or �sky.� Pictographic signs for head and bowl came eventually to mean �to eat� in their simplified cuneiform version.

16. Egyptian Civilization The Importance of Geography Nile River flows from central Africa Nile Delta Flooding unpredictable Food surpluses Natural barriers create isolation

17. The Old and Middle Kingdoms The Old Kingdom Upper and Lower Egypt united, 3100 B.C.E. Old Kingdom, c. 2686-2125 B.C.E. Divine kingship: the pharaoh The vizier Middle Kingdom, c. 2055-1650 B.C.E. Stability Concern of the pharaoh for the people

18. The Pyramid at Gizeh

19. Society and Economy in Ancient Egypt Pharaoh surrounded by an upper class of nobles Merchant class and artisans Most people worked the lands

20. The Culture of Egypt Spiritual life in Egyptian society Provided a sense of security and timelessness Polytheistic with two groups of special importance Sun gods Land gods Egyptian rulers were the �Son of Re� The Pyramids Tombs Great Pyramid Art and Writing Art Profile, semi-profile, frontal art Formulaic and stylized Writing Hieroglyphics Means �priest carvings� or �sacred writings� Never developed into an alphabet

21. Chaos and a New Order: The New Kingdom The New Kingdom, c. 1550-1085 B.C.E. Hyksos Horse-drawn chariots Egyptians learned bronze for making farm implements and weapons Queen Hatshepsut (c. 1503-1480 B.C.E.) Amenhotep IV (Akhnaton, c. 1364-1347 B.C.E.) Aten �Sea People� drove the Egyptians out of Palestine Empire ends in 1085 B.C.E.

22. The Temple of Queen Hatesheput in the Valley of King

23. Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: Family and Marriage Monogamy and early marriage the norm Women�s property and inheritance remained in her hands Marriages arranged by parents Divorce

24. New Centers of Civilization Megalithic structures, 4000 B.C.E. The Role of Nomadic Peoples The Impact of the Indo-Europeans From somewhere in the steppe region north of the Black Sea or in southwestern Asia One group into Asia Minor and Anatolia around 1750 B.C.E. coalesced with people of the Hittite kingdom First to use iron Hittites destroyed by another group of Indo-Europeans

25. The Phoenicians & Children of Israel The Phoenicians Palestine Ports of Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon Traders and colonizers Alphabet The Hebrews: the �Children of Israel� Semitic-speaking people Religiously important Emerge as distinctive people c. 1200 � 1000 B.C.E. United Kingdom Saul (c. 1020 � 1000 B.C.E.) David (c. 1000 � 970 B.C.E.) Solomon (c. 970-930 B.C.E.) Control Palestine Temple housed the Ark of the Covenant

26. Ancient Palestine and the Jewish Kingdoms

27. The Divided Kingdom Division into the kingdom of Israel with its capital at Samaria and Judah with its capital at Jerusalem Assyrians destroyed Samaria in 722 B.C.E. and overran the kingdom of Israel Ten tribes of the Kingdom of Israel were dispersed and disappeared Two tribes of Judah survived only to face new enemies Chaldeans defeated the Assyrians and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. Many upper class people of Judah deported to Babylon Persians destroyed the Chaldean kingdom People of Judah allowed to return to Jerusalem

28. The Spiritual Dimensions of Israel Monotheistic Yahweh: Omnipotent, just, and good Expected goodness from his people or they would be punished Was not removed from the life he created Three aspects of Jewish religion: Covenant, law, the prophets

29. The Rise of New Empires The Assyrian Empire Use of iron weapons, create an empire by 700 B.C.E. Ruled by kings with absolute power System of communication Well organized army -- infantrymen and war chariots Use of terror

30. The Assyrian and Persian Empires

31. Persian Empire Babylon fell to the Persians in 539 B.C.E. Indo-European people Cyrus (559-530 B.C.E.) Empire stretched from Asia Minor in the west to western India in the east Demonstrated considerable wisdom and compassion Cambyses (530-522 B.C.E.) Darius (521-486 B.C.E.)

32. Civil Administration and the Military Divided into 20 provinces Satraps collected tribute, responsible for justice and security System of communication Royal Road All subjects were the king�s servants Professional army of international contingents Cavalry and infantry Isolation of the later kings

33. Persian Religion Zoroaster Zoroastrianism Monotheistic Ahurmazda, the creator and only god Opposed by an evil spirit: Ahriman Gave all humans free will and the power to chose between right and wrong Each soul faced final evaluation to determine if you go to paradise or an abyss

34. Discussion Questions Why is the term �Neolithic or new stone age� misleading? How did the advent of settled agriculture change human society? Why were city-states at the center of the early stages of civilization? Compare and contrast the Assyrian and Persian approaches to governing an empire.