SSWH 1 Presentation Ancient World

1. SSWH 1 Presentation Ancient World

2. What makes a civilization? • 1. Centralized Government 2. Organized Religion 3. Job Specialization/ Social Classes 4. Arts, Architecture, Technology 5. Infrastructure 6. Writing

3. SSWH1 Analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of societies in the ancient world from 3500 BCE/BC to 500 BCE/BC.

5. A. Compare and contrast Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies, include: religion, culture, economics, politics, and technology.

7. Why are the Mesopotamians so important? It is known as the “Cradle of Civilization” because it was first in many things: ● First to invent the wheel ● First to use sails on boats ● One of first to make up a story (Gilgamesh) ● First to use cuneiform (writing) ● First to use the calendar ● First to use the seeder plow ● First to give a number place value and recognize the concept of zero

8. Mesopotamia Geography ● Mesopotamia means between the rivers ● Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers ○ hot dry climate mixed with seasonal flooding from the rivers ● Extended from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf ● Most of Mesopotamia was located in present day Iraq

9. Mesopotamia Geography • ● Considered a River Valley Civilization ○ The rivers would overflow, leaving behind a rich black silt. Very unpredictable - made it hard to determine when to plant Sumerians believed when it flooded the gods were angry with them

10. Mesopotamia Agriculture ● Farmers grew wheat, barley, dates, and other items. ● Farmers used irrigation & the plow ● Irrigation created a surplus of food which led to the growth of cities ● Surplus led to a successful system of trade ● Used the rivers for food and trade

11. Writing ● first to use writing (around 3,000 BC) ● cuneiform - wedge shaped symbols pressed into clay tablets • What was it used for? ● wrote myths and poems ○ most famous was the epic poem called Gilgamesh ● keep records of their transactions ● send messages to other lands without traveling ● pass on their knowledge to future generations

12. Economy ● Mesopotamia lacked resources ○ Traded to get metals, timber, stone, and grapevines, etc ● At first, the Sumerians traded surplus for these goods ○ later they would develop manufactured goods

13. Religion ● Mesopotamians were polytheistic ● Each town was protected by its own, unique deity or god ● The temple, the center of worship, was also the center of every city - ziggurats • ● Mesopotamians had a very pessimistic view on life ○ Tied to the rivers overflowing and destroying so much

14. Religion • ● wealth devoted to building temples ● houses for the priests and priestesses ● believed success of crops depended on the gods ● believed Priest to be representative to the gods

15. Government ● laws varied from city state to city state ● After, King Hammurabi conquered the area and created Babylonia ○ created written laws that everyone had to follow ■ 282 laws ● the laws were written in stone (steele) and placed in a public location ● Based on “eye for an eye”

16. Hammurabi’s Code • “to promote the welfare of the people, make justice • visible in the land, destroy the wicked person and the evil, in order that the • strong might not injure the weak.” • ● placed all groups in the empire under one law • ● the intent was to provide a clear system to let all people know of the • laws • ● Parents arranged marriages, the two parties signed a marriage • contract • ● protected women and children

17. Hammurabi’s Code • ● dealt with many aspects of daily life: • ○ property rights • ○ Business • ○ professional services • ○ Crime • ○ Family and marriage • ● Women still had fewer privileges and rights • ■ expressed the patriarchal nature • of society

18. Social Organization & Daily Life • ● The King held military powers. • ● The Governors governed the • territories of the kingdom. • ● The aristocracy were priests and • traders. • ● The peasants worked the land.

19. Organization of the City • ● Role of the city: • ○ Religious center (ziggurat) • ○ Political center (palace) • ○ Trading center (market) • ○ Storage for surplus food • ○ Walls served as defense for • citizens

20. Egyptian Geography • ● The Red Lands • ○ Barren desert • ○ Created a • barrier around • Egypt • ○ Provided a • source of Land was viewed as divided into two areas: ● The Black Lands ○ Was fertile due to the black silt left behind after flooding ○ Used for growing crops

21. Egyptian Geography Benefits: ○ Predictable yearly flooding allowed farming settlements to grow ● Worshiped the river as a god b/c of its abundance • The Nile • ○ Flows northward • ○ Longest river in the • world • ○ Splits Egypt into • Upper and Lower • Egypt ancient Egyptians lived along the Nile River because it is close to land that can grow crops.

22. Egyptian Agriculture • ● Egyptian society could not have • been established without the Nile • flooding • ● Produced surplus of food • ● Hand plowed and oxen plowed • the fields • ● Use of irrigation • ● Grew wheat, barley, lettuce and • beans

23. Writing • ● Known as hieroglyphics - series of pictographs • ● Written on papyrus • ● Concept was brought to Egypt through trade with • Mesopotamia • ● Until the Rosetta Stone was discovered by • Napoleon’s army hieroglyphics could not be • translated What was it used for? • ● Original idea: provide the means to bring a • concept or event into existence • ● Began to be used for religious purposes • ● Eventually was used to record trade

24. Egyptian Economy • ● Based on farming and fishing • ● Taxes paid using agriculture • ● Used a barter system • ● They used a barter system. • ○ Traded one good for another • ● The ability to produce a surplus • allowed for specialization of work

25. Egyptian Religion • ● Polytheistic • ● Egyptian Pharaoh = living god • ● Theocracy = rule based on religious • authority Pyramids - built to house the Pharaoh in the afterlife ● Egyptian religion provided a sense of stability ● There was no word for religion ● It was an integral part of life

26. Egyptian Religion • ● Religion provided explanations for the natural world • ● Belief in the afterlife • ● gods were divided into two categories, sun gods and earth gods • ● The government devoted enormous amounts of wealth to • temples and the gods

27. Egyptian Government • ● God-King (Pharaoh) • ● Upper Class of Nobles and Priests • ● Merchants, Artisans, Scribes, and • Tax Collectors (The Middle Class) • ● Peasants – the largest number of • people in Egypt simply worked the • land

28. Social Organization & Daily Life • ● Paternalistic society • ● However, women had a great many • freedoms • ● Optimistic society - saw their gods • as benevolent • ● Practiced many forms of • entertainment • ● houses were built from mud - cool • on the inside & had flat roofs so • that in the summer time people • could sleep on the tops of them

29. B. • Describe the societies of India and • China, include: religion, culture, • economics, politics, and technology.

30. India

31. Where is India?

32. China

33. Where is China?

34. Religion • China • Belief in supernatural forces • ● Priests would read oracle • bones • ● Belief in life after death • ● Ancestor worship India Polytheistic ● Religion was tied tightly to everyday life ● Theocratic rule ● Vedic Religion - predecessor to Hinduism ● Four religious texts ● Belief in the “cycle of life”

35. Culture • CHINA • ● Some natural barriers • ● Higher classes lived in the city • ● Lower classes lived outside the • city • ● Constant conflict - warlike • ● The group is greater than the • individual • ● Family is central to society • ● Paternalistic ● India Social division was not great ● Prosperous society ● Limited conflict - natural barriers ● Paternalistic ● Developed a written language ● Planned cities - grid system ● Around 1750BC culture began to decline

36. India Thriving trade system ● Indus River provided access to the sea - long distance trading ● Barter system ● Grew cotton to make cloth ● Trade began - 2600 BC ● Unpredictability of monsoons made it hard to farm effectively ○ farms were located directly connected to the Indus • China • ● Agricultural based society - most • peasants were farmers • ● Feudal system develops • ○ Peasants worked their lords • land inside the walled towns • ○ Peasant had small plots of • land outside the walls • ○ Merchants and artisans lived • inside the walled towns

37. Politics • China • ● City wall built to protect the • city • ● Constant conflict • ● Professional warriors • ● Farming society ruled by an • aristocracy • ● Central government (King) • with governors in charge of • territories to help govern India ● Strong central government ● Citadel to protect the royal family ● City walls to protect the city ● Belief in Karma ● System of taxation

38. Technology • China • ● Flood control and irrigation • products • ● Mastery of bronze casting • ● Advances in farming • techniques • ○ Irrigation • ○ Plowshares • ● Written language India ● Use of sophisticated plumbing and sewage ● Advances in math ● Made bricks to build structures ● Used bronze ● Constructed tools ● Used a measuring system ● Use of water storage

39. C. • Explain the development of monotheism, • include: the concepts developed by the • ancient Hebrews.

40. Bible History on How Hebrews Came to be • ... • ● Abram lived with his father’s family in Ur but was ‘touched’ by a • belief in God • ● The king wanted to kill him - his family got out of there - met & • married Sarai • ● At age 75 God called on him to move south to the land of Canaan, • which his descendants would inherit - so he got up and went • ● They reached it - God reaffirmed his promise • ● At 86 with no son, Sarai offered her handmaid to Abram - got his • first son, Ishmael

41. Bible History on How Hebrews Came to be... • 13 years later, God appeared, renewed his promise, changed their • names, & told Abraham, Sarah was pregnant & that child, Isaac, would • be the son of the covenant • ● MANY MANYMANY years later descendants began to move into Egypt • and eventually the Hebrews are taken as slaves for 400 years • ● Moses shows up, plagues, parts the sea, leads the people out of Egypt • and back to Canaan • ● Received the Ten Commandments • ● Couple Hundred years later - the Hebrews unite to form the kingdom of • Israel

42. What did the Ancient Hebrews believe? • That there was only one god • ● God had power over everyone and • would protect them • ● God gave them 10 Commandment to • obey • ● The Torah is the history of the • Hebrews

43. Key Facts about the Ancient Hebrews • Judaism spread because of the • forced movement of the Hebrews • (Jews) • ● First to practice monotheism • ● Abraham is the “Father of the • Jews” • ● Ancient Hebrew monotheism most • influenced current day Christianity

44. D. • Identify the Bantu migration patterns and • contribution to settled agriculture.

45. What Continent is this?

47. Bantu Migration • ▪ Africa: earliest ancestors of • modern people • ▪ all speaking languages derived • from one language, Bantu • ▪ Most closely associated with • spreading of cultures in Africa

48. Bantu Migration • ▪ Primary reason for migrating was to find • land for farming and grazing • ▪ Farmers & ironworkers, their slash and • burn style of farming forced them to move • ▪ The Bantu cleared the land, then • fertilized it with ashes. When the land • could no longer support their families, • the Bantu moved further south. • ▪ stayed on the move to avoid conflict with • local hunting and gathering societies

49. Bantu • ▪ After hundreds of years, the Bantu • settled in southern Africa - didn’t move • north because the Sahara Desert • blocked the movement • ▪ settled near rivers and lakes for the • ability to irrigate • ▪ Bantu introduced settled agriculture to • areas they passed through

50. Bantu • ▪ spread the use of iron (spread of • technology) • ▪ Bantu speakers spread their language • and skills all throughout Africa • ▪ African languages today have Bantu • roots