Key Concept 1.3: Core Civilizations

1. Key Concept 1.3: Core Civilizations The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral and Urban Societies.

2. CORE/FOUNDATIONAL RIVER CIVILIZATIONS

3. Core and foundational civilizations developed in a variety of geographical and environmental settings where agriculture flourished. • Mesopotamia in the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys • Egypt in the Nile River Valley • Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in the Indus River Valley • Shang in the Yellow River or Huang He Valley • Olmecs in Mesoamerica • Chavín in Andean South America

4. Mesopotamia in the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys(c.4000 BCE-2330 BCE)

5. Egypt in the Nile River Valley(c.3100 BCE-1070 BCE)

6. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in the Indus River Valley(c.3000 BCE-1500 BCE)

7. Shang in the Yellow River or Huang He Valley(c.1750 BCE-1122 BCE)

8. Olmecs in Mesoamerica(c.1200 BCE-400 BCE)

9. Chavín in Andean South America(c.900 BCE-200 BCE)

10. The first states emerged within core civilizations. • Power new states replaced city-states as main political unit. • Rulers were viewed as divine. • Kept power by maintaining a strong military. • Competition between city-states and nomads lead to an increase in conflict!

11. Examples of early empires. • Sargon the Great: Built first empire c. 2340 BCE. • Hammurabi: King of Babylon c.1792 BCE *** Towards the end of this period, you have several more fierce empires such as, the Assyrians and Persians c. 6th and 7th Century BCE. *** Why so much conflict in this region (Mesopotamia)?

12. Read The Assyrian Military Machine p.30 • What did Assyrian kings believe was important for military success? • Do you think their accounts may be exaggerated? Why?

13. POLITICAL AND MILITARY STRUCTURE • Pastoralists (nomadic herders) interact quite often with “urban societies” • 2 examples would be through new weapons and modes of transportation. • Examples: Iron weapons and chariots • What would the effect be on “settled societies”?

14. CULTURE • Architecture and urban planning • The Arts and artisanship • Systems of record keeping • Legal codes • Religious beliefs • Trade expansion • Social hierarchies • Literature

15. Architecture and Urban Planning Specialization, conquest, and trade promote large building projects.

16. Ziggurats • Prevalent in Mesopotamia. • Usually the most prominent building in the city. • Made of mud bricks. • Dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city. • Priests/Priestesses controlled these structures.

17. Pyramids Aztec Egypt

18. Planned Cities Mohenjo Daro

19. Arts and Artisanship Promoted by the Elites (Political and Religious)

20. Sumerian Religious Sculpture • C. 2400 BCE • Made of marble. • Roughly 30 inches tall. • This is an example of a “worshipper”. • Humans and gods were thought to be physically present in their statues.

21. Egyptian Wall Paintings • Nebamun Hunting Scene. • C.1400 BCE • Located in his tomb. • Egyptian noble.

22. Systems of Record Keeping • Eventually would branch out to include other forms of “writing”. • Examples: - cuneiform – Mesopotamia - hieroglyphs – Egypt - alphabets – Phoenicia - quipu – the Inca

23. Cuneiform • C. 3000 BCE in Mesopotamia. • A reed stylus was used to make “wedge-shaped” impressions on clay tablets which were then baked or dried. • PicturesSymbols Phonetic system

24. Phoenician Alphabet

25. Incan Quipu

26. Legal Codes • States would eventually use writing to develop legal codes. • Often reflected existing hierarchies and helped the government rule over the people.

27. The Code of Hammurabi • Read the Code of Hammurabi excerpt on p. 13 in the Duiker book. • What do these points of law from the Code of Hammurabi reveal to you about Mesopotamian society?

28. New Religious Beliefs • The Vedic religion – Indus River Valley • Hebrew monotheism – Palestine • Zoroastrianism – Persia • New religious beliefs develop later in the period that in most cases offer a contrast to the “polytheistic” beliefs of early religions.

29. The Vedic Religions • Religion of Aryans, an Indo-European group (pastoralists), that migrated into the Indus River Valley c.1500 BCE. • Name comes from the collection of sacred texts called the Vedas. • Precursor to Hinduism.

30. Hebrew Monotheism • Abraham considered the “Father” of Hebrew monotheism also known as Judaism. c. 2000 BCE • Worship of “one god” is relatively new. • Moses and the 10 Commandments. • Christianity and Islam have connections to Judaism.

31. Zoroastrianism • Founder was Zoroaster who was born in Persia c. 660 BCE. • Monotheistic: Ahuramazda is the only god. • Dualism – * Ahuramazda=Good * Ahriman=Bad ***Man has “free will” to follow who he chooses.

32. TRADE: Regional and Transregional • Trade begins locallyregionaltransregional. • Goods, culture, and technology are all exchanged. • Diffusion- the spread of ideas and goods.

33. Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley • Harappan seals have been found in Mesopotamia which leads us to believe that the 2 regions trade goods. • The Indus Valley had cotton which probably was what sparked trade between the 2 regions.

34. Egypt and Nubia • What did they have to offer? • Egypt: stone dishes, painted boxes, wooden furniture, and paper. • Nubia: ivory, incense and spices

35. Social and Gender Hierarchies Egypt India

36. Literature as a reflection of society.

37. The Book of Songs • Chinese Classic • Written during the Zhou Dynasty in the 12th C. BCE. • Read “Life in the Fields” on p.70 in the Duiker book. • Who is the presumed author? Are there suggestions here that men and women had different job responsibilities on the estate? How does this compare with the situation in other ancient civilizations?