Post on 27-Dec-2015
Writing: In the Saudi Aramco WORLD magazine,
turn to the article on pp. 2 – 9. Read the first 2 paragraphs and the
captions for all of the pictures in the rest of the article.
Write: ½ page explaining the use of aerial photography and the theories given for the formations on the ground. Do you agree with the theories? Do you have a different one?
Scientific Clues Archaeologists
study bones and artifacts—human- made objects
Anthropologists study culture—a group’s way of life
Paleontologists study fossils—plant or animal remains preserved in rock
Mary Leakey’s team discovers prehistoric footprints in Tanzania in 1978
Laetoli footprints belong to hominids–creatures that walk upright.
Donald Johanson’s team finds female hominid in Ethiopia in 1974
Nicknames 3.5 million-year-old skeleton “Lucy”
Catal Huyuk Farming thrived here
8,000 years ago; located in modern Turkey
Population of 5,000 to 6,000 grew crops, raised sheep and cattle
Made pottery, wove baskets, traded valuable obsidian
In 1958, remains of village found; wall paintings, religious shrines
Tools Needed to Survive Paleolithic (Old Stone
Age) humans were nomads —moved in search of food
Hunted animals, collected plant foods—were hunter-
gatherers Cro-Magnons had more
than 100 specialized tools; bone needles to sew
cave paintings, animal sculptures, rock engravings and paintings, jewelry of sea shells, lion teeth, bear claws, polished beads from mammoth tusks
Neolithic Revolution —agricultural revolution, began about 10,000 years ago Nomadic women scattered seeds, then discovered crops growing
Shift from food-gathering to food-production great breakthrough
THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION The Neolithic Revolution is a turning point in history. Before the Neolithic Revolution (during the Paleolithic
Age), nomads used simple stone tools and relied on hunting and gathering for food.
During the Neolithic Age, peoples’ diet and shelter dramatically changed. The domestication of animals and the planting* of crops (such as wheat and barley) led to the development of civilizations**.
*planting = cultivation **civilizations = permanent homes and
villages = settled communities
GEOGRAPHY IMPACTS HOW PEOPLE DEVELOP: The four earliest (ancient river valley) civilizations
include: 1) EGYPT (NILE River) (The Old, Middle, and New Kingdom were
periods in ancient Egyptian history. The ancient Egyptians harvested papyrus for writing
2) CHINA (YELLOW River) The Yellow River is also called the HUANG
HE River.
3) INDIA (INDUS River) The Indus River is actually located in modern-day
Pakistan (in SOUTH ASIA). The archaeological remains of the Indus Valley
cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro show evidence of urban planning
(the cities were designed in grid-like patterns). This is an indication that a well organized central government had been established.
4) MESOPOTAMIA (The TIGRIS and EUPHRATES Rivers) AKA Babylonian civilization.
Mesopotamia was located in modern-day Iraq.
Why did ancient civilizations develop in valleys of rivers?
The climate and geography of these river valleys favored agriculture.
The river valleys provided good farmland. (A plentiful water supply
provided the means for irrigation. RICH [FERTILE] SOIL helped grow crops.)
River valleys also provided a source of fresh water and transportation
(e.g. the transportation of soldiers and resources). • River valleys contained rich soils because of
annual (yearly) floods.
CHARACTERISTICS (ELEMENTS) OF CIVILIZATIONS 1. Centralized government 2. Organized religion(s) 3. Social classes 4. Specialization of labor (different jobs) 5. Art and architecture 6. Cities 7. Public Works (e.g. roads, bridges,
temples) 8. System(s) of writing
How Civilization Develops
Sumer Located in
Mesopotamia, now part of modern Iraq
One of the first civilizations—a complex culture: advanced cities
specialized workers complex institutions record keeping advanced technology
Fertile Crescent—arc of land between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean
Includes Mesopotamia—“land between the rivers”
a fertile plain -- Tigris and Euphrates rivers flood once a year, leaving rich soil.
Environmental Challenges
Around 3300 B.C. Sumerians begin farming southern Mesopotamia
Environment poses 3 disadvantages:
- floods are unpredictable; sometimes no rain
- land offers no barriers to invasion
- - land has few natural resources; building materials scarce
Sumerians worked together; find solutions to environmental challenges:
build irrigation ditches to control water, produce crops
Organization, leadership, and laws are beginning of civilization
Sumerian City-States By 3000 B.C.
Sumerians build city-states—an independent political unit
Sumer city-states Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, and Ur
Each city has temple and ziggurat; priests appeal to gods
Sumerians believe in many different gods polytheism
Priests and Rulers Share Control
Sumer’s early governments controlled by temple priests
Some military leaders become rulers; dynasties rule after 2500 B.C.
Dynasty—series of rulers from a single family
exchange products and ideas with other cultures
Cultural diffusion—process of one culture spreading to others
Life in Sumerian Society Sumerians have social classes—
kings, landholders, priests at top Wealthy merchants next; at lowest
levels are slaves Women have many rights; become
priests, merchants, artisans
From 3000 to 2000 B.C. city-states at constant war
Sargon of Akkad Around 2350 B.C., Sargon
from Akkad defeats city-states of Sumer
Creates first empire—independent states under control of one leader
His dynasty lasts about 200 years
Mesopotamia is a good model for absolute monarchies: complete control over all aspects of their subjects lives.
Babylonian Empire Amorites, nomadic warriors, take
control of region around 2000 B.C. Make Babylon, on Euphrates River,
the capital Babylonian Empire at peak during Hammurabi’s rule (1792-1750 B.C.)
Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi creates a code of laws for
the Babylonian Empire 282 laws on all aspects of life;
engraved in stone and made public Set different punishments depending
on social class, gender Goal for government to take
responsibility for order, justice Amorite rule for Fertile Crescent ends
200 years after Hammurabi
Indus River Valley Civilization The first Indian civilization builds
well-planned cities on the banks of the Indus River.
Indian Subcontinent landmass that includes India,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh World’s tallest mountain ranges
separate it from rest of Asia Indus and Ganges rivers form
flat, fertile plain. Seasonal winds—monsoons—
dominate India’s climate Winter winds are dry; summer
winds bring rain can cause flooding
Environmental Challenges Floods along the Indus
unpredictable; river can
change course Rainfall unpredictable; could
have droughts or floods
Indus Valley Civilization Influenced an area larger
than Mesopotamia or Egypt
About 7000 B.C., evidence of agriculture and domesticated animals
By about 3200 B.C., people farming in villages along Indus River Planned Cities
By 2500 B.C., people build cities of brick laid out on grid system
Engineers create plumbing and sewage systems
Indus Valley called Harappan civilization after Harappa, a city.
Language had writing systems of 400 symbols; but scientists can’t decipher it
no great social divisions
Priests closely linked to rulers. Some religious artifacts reveals links to modern Hindu culture
Had thriving trade with other peoples, including Mesopotamia: seals in Sumeria
Harappan Decline Signs of decline begin
around 1750 B.C. Earthquakes, floods, soil
depletion may have caused decline
Writing Assignment Read carefully the handout on “Tutankhamen,
the boy king”. Answer all three questions with a solid
paragraph for each.Optimal Paragraph Structure:
1. Topic sentence (what the heck are you writing about?) 2. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading. 3. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading. 4. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading. 5. Conclusion – don’t just stop, finish.
The Egyptians and the Hittites
Around 1285 B.C. Egyptians battle the Hittites in Palestine Egypt’s pharaoh, Ramses II, and the Hittite king sign a peace treaty
An Age of Builders New Kingdom pharaohs
built great palaces, magnificent temples
Valley of the Kings near Thebes is home to royal tombs
Ramses II builds impressive temples with enormous statues of himself
Egypt’s Settlements4,100-mile Nile River on
narrow strip of fertile landThe Gift of the Nile Yearly flooding brings
water and fertile black mud—silt
Farmers build irrigation system
Egyptians worship Nile as a god
Environmental Challenges
Light floods reduce crops, cause starvation
Heavy floods destroy property; deserts isolate and protect Egyptians
Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt
River area south of First Cataract is elevated, becomes Upper Egypt
Cataract—where boulders turn Nile River into churning rapids
River area north, including Nile delta, becomes Lower Egypt
Delta—land formed by silt deposits at mouth of river; triangular
Egypt Unites into a Kingdom King Narmer Creates
Egyptian Dynasty Villages of Egypt ruled by two
kingdoms—Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt
King Menes/Narmer unites them around 3000 B.C.
Establishes first Egyptian dynasty Pharaohs Rule as Gods
To Egyptians, kings are gods; Egyptian god kings called pharaohs
Pharaohs control religion, government, army, well-being of kingdom
Government based on religious authority— theocracy
Builders of the Pyramids Kings believed to rule even after
death; have eternal life force, ka Build elaborate tombs, pyramids,
to meet needs after death Pyramids made with blocks of
stone, 2-15 tons each; 481 ft. high
Old Kingdom had leadership, government; economically strong
Religion and Life
Egyptians believe in 2,000 gods and goddesses—polytheistic
Re (Ra) is sun god, Osiris, god of the dead; goddess Isis is ideal woman
Believe in life after death; person judged by deeds at death – The Afterlife
Develop mummification, process that prevents body from decaying
Book of the Dead contains prayers and spells, guides soul after death
Life in Egyptian Society Social Classes: Society shaped like
pyramid, from Pharaoh down to farmers, laborers
Few people at top have great power; most people at bottom
90% Farmers People move into higher
social classes through marriage or merit
Women have many of the same rights as men
Egyptian Writing In hieroglyphics writing
system, pictures represent ideas
Paperlike sheets made from papyrus reeds used for writing
The Empire Declines Invasion by Land and Sea “Sea Peoples” (possibly
Philistines) cause great destruction in Egypt
Libyan raids on villages and Palestine rebellions weaken empire Egypt’s Empire Fades
Weakened empire breaks into smaller kingdoms
From around 950 to 730 B.C. Libyan pharaohs rule Egypt, erect cities
The Kushites Conquer the Nile Region
Egypt and Kush From 2000 to 1000 B.C., Egypt
dominates kingdom of Kush in Nubia
The People of Nubia Live south of Egypt near
division of Blue Nile and White Nile
Nile River is a great trade route for goods and ideas Nubians link Egypt and Mediterranean to African interior through trade
Egypt under the Greeks Ancient Egypt: The
Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)
Began with the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great. On Alexander's death in 323 BC his empire was divided among his generals; Egypt fell to one named Ptolemy.
Greek became the state language and the capital moved to the newly founded Alexandria.
The fusion of existing Egyptian culture and Hellenistic influences was designed to support the new administrative system imposed on the Egyptians -- completely intentional.
Rosetta Stone inscribed at this time.