Chapter 2: Western Asia and Egypt

1. Chapter 2: Western Asia and Egypt Section 1: New Centers of Civilization

2. GEOGRAPHY Mesopotamia Fertile Crescent Tigris and Euphrates Rivers arc of land from Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf

3. MESOPOTAMIA AREA

4. Importance • Rich soil for agriculture • Water supply for irrigation • Protections from outside enemies

5. Mesopotamia Civilizations • Assyria • Akkad • Sumer

6. The Sumerians Built largely with mud bricks Invented the arc and dome Ziggurats- religious temple Theocracy- government by divine authority Priests and priestesses were figures politically and religiously Economy- mainly agriculture Artisans were emerging Trade was an economic staple

7. ZIGGURAT

8. The Sumerians Invention of the Wheel Potting wheel Transportation of heavy items

9. The Sumerians Social Classes Nobles Royalty priests Commoners Worked large estates as farmers and craftspeople Slaves Worked mainly large building projects and worked farms of the nobles

10. The Akkadians Conquered the Sumerians Became the worlds first empire Resided north of the Sumerian City- State. They were called Semitic people because of their language

11. Babylon Babylon controlled most of the Akkad and Sumer area Established a Code that was considered the law of the civilization Code of Hammurabi called for harsh penalties towards criminals “Eye for an Eye” was a fundamental of this law Punishment varied depending on the social status It expressed the patriarchal nature of the Mesopotamian society.

12. Religious Importance Due to harsh physical environment, many believed that destruction was controlled by the supernatural Polytheism- worship of many gods and goddesses Sumerians believed the human beings were to do manual labor that Gods and Goddesses did not want to do.

13. Creativity Cuneiform- form of writing (wedge shaped) Used to keep records Scribes kept the records Also passed on cultural knowledge Literature (The Epic of Gilgamesh) story about a half human and half god Wagon wheel (Sumerians) Math and Geometry Astronomy

14. I NEED SOME HELP What was the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates River? Why was it called the “Fertile Crescent”? What group invented the wheel? Where did people go to worship in Sumer? What is the Code of Hammurabi? What was the form of writing called that was developed by the Sumerians? What was the major form of religion?

15. Egyptian Civilization The Gift Of The Nile

16. Geography • Northern Africa • Established on the Nile River • Longest river in the world • Predictable flood patterns • Used it for travel • Natural barrier for intruders

17. Geography Upper Nile Southern Part of the great river Lower Nile Northern Part of the great river

18. Map of Area

19. Map of Area

20. Religion • Still did not have a word for religion • Religion gave Egyptians a sense of security • Polytheistic • Sun God • Land God

21. Egyptian History Menes ruled and created the first dynasty in Egypt. Three Major Periods • Old Kingdom • Middle Kingdom • New Kingdom

22. Egyptian Kingdoms Old Kingdom (2700- 2200 bc) Pharaohs (monarchs) were very influencial • By obeying Pharaohs, civilians believed they were helping maintain order and stability • Possessed absolute power Although Pharaohs ruled, they also had a Bureaucracy. It was ran by a vizier, which answered to the Pharaohs.

23. Egyptian Kingdoms Old Kingdom (2700- 2200 bc) The pyramids were built during this time period. They served as tombs for Pharaohs. Mummification was the predominate means of burial. Egyptians believed in life after death. They buried many with belonging to take with them. The largest of the pyramids built was for King Khufu in Giza. The Great Sphinx is also in Giza and is said to believe that it guards the tombs

24. Egyptian Kingdoms Middle Kingdom (2050- 1652 bc) Considered the “Golden Age” Trade expanded to Mesopotamia and Crete Pharaohs had a new role. Considered Shepherd to the People. • Expected to build public buildings • Provide for people’s welfare Invasion by the Hyksos people ended this era. They attached Egypt with bronze and horse-drawn chariots.

25. Egyptian Kingdoms New Kingdom (1567-1085 bc) Tremendously wealthy time period First female Pharaoh, Hatchepsut. Akhenton ruled. • Tried to make Egyptians monotheistic but many rebelled • This became the beginning of downfall for Egypt

26. Egyptian Area Next 1000 years, Egyptian area was dominated by the Libyans, Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians Cleopatra • Unsuccessfully tried to reassert Egypt’s independence but fail • Alliance with Rome brought defeat plus lead to her suicide and later Roman Rule

27. Egyptian Society Pharaohs Nobles and Priests Merchants and Artisans Peasants

28. Writing and Education in Egpyt Hieroglyphic- writing system using pictures and abstract forms Pyramids and temples showed the architectural and artistic achievements Advancements in geometry that calculated area and volume Because of mummification, Egyptians became experts in anatomy

29. The Phoenicians

30. Geography • The Phoenicians lived in the area of Palestine along the Med coast

31. Phoenicians • Relied heavily on trade • Improved ships and sailed as far north as Great Britain and along the south coast of Africa • Best known for its alphabet • Influenced the Greek alphabet, which influenced the Roman alphabet….which is OUR alphabet

32. Israel

33. Ancient Israel Background Main Contribution Judaism • Monotheistic in nature • Still exists today • Influenced Christianity and Islam

34. Ancient Israel Background Israelites ruled Palestine Capital was Jerusalem • King Solomon – first great king and ruled from (970-930 bc) • Built the temple in Jerusalem • Symbolic center for Israel

35. Ancient Israel Background Kingdom divided after Solomon • Kingdom of Israel • 10 tribes to the north • Kingdom of Judah • 2 tribes to the south

36. Ancient Israel Background For the next several years: In 772 bc, Assyrians conquered the tribes to the north & that area lost its Hebrew identity. Chaldeans conquered the Assyrians, destroying Jerusalem. Persians conquered the Chaldeans and Judah was restored

37. Ancient Israel Background Judah later became the home land for Jews and the given name of Judaism. Jewish belief is Monotheistic. They believed in Yahweh. God was not in nature.

38. Jewish Religion 3 Aspects of the Jewish Religion • The convenant • An agreement between God and his people. Obey by using the Ten Commandment • The law • Believed Prophets were sent by God • The Prophets • Believed that all people would follow the of God

39. The Hebrew Bible • The history of the ancient Israelites is unique, the primary source of the Judaeo-Christian tradition • According to Jewish belief, there was one God, called Yah-weh who created everything • Jews believe that anyone (not just priest/rulers) could have a relationship with Yah-weh • Natural phenomena were not gods themselves but God’s handiwork • The belief in one supreme God is known as monotheism

41. The Assyrian Empire • Located along the Tigris river • The first to use iron weapons • Ruled by kings • Highly effective military leaders and fighters • Especially known for committing atrocities on their captives

42. The Persian Empire

43. Background • Iran, “Land of the Aryans” is located between western Asia and southern Central Asia • The Persians of SW Iran created the largest empire the world had yet seen • Relatively little written material from w/n the Persian Empire has survived, so we are forced to view most of its history through the eyes of the ancient Greeks • Problems with this: • Outsiders • Ignorant • Hostile • Only interested in events that affected themselves

44. Basic Geography This region is mostly surrounded by mountains and desert Humans trying to survive in these harsh lands had to find ways to exploit limited water resources Unlike the ancient river valley civilizations, ancient Iran never had a dense population

45. The Rise of the Persian Empire

46. Persian Classes • The male head of household had nearly absolute authority over family members • Three class: • Warriors were the dominant element • Magi were ritual specialists • Peasants were common ppl who were primarily village-based farmers/shepherds

47. Darius After Cambyses, Darius I seized the throne Darius extended Persian control eastward as far as the Indus Valley and westward into Europe By 500 BCE the Persians were at the doorstep of Greece

48. Satraps • Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces • Each province was under the supervision of a Persian satrap, or governor connected by marriage to the royal family • One of the satrap’s most important duties was to collect and send tribute to the king • Darius decided how much each was to contribute and used some of it for the ppl but hoarded the majority • As more precious metal was taken out of circulation, the price of gold and silver rose and provinces found it difficult to meet their quotas

49. Persian Gov’t Surviving admin records from the Persian homeland give us a glimpse of complex their tasks were Gov’t officials distributed food and other essential commodities to large numbers of workers of many different nationalities Workers were divided into groups of men, women, and children. Women received less than men but pregnant women and women with babies received more Skilled jobs received more than their unskilled counterparts