2000-1000 BC

Annotolian PlateauSeasonal extremesDesert patches between cultivated patches

Rise of the Hittites 1800-1500 BCDominated tradeControlled iron mines

Combined farming and herdingBenefits: fertilizing, milk increase human

productivityEfficiency= pop boom, man power,

urbanizationRoles of women limited

Sex seen as sinfulWomen as diviners and healers

Can’t expand into more fertile regionsEgypt Mesopotamia

Disappears 1210 BC

The Aegean WorldSmall IslandsMountains Peninsula Peloponnese

Crete2/3 mountains Little arable landEarthquakes

Centered at KnossosHuge food storage centerOrigin of Minotaur/Labyrinth legends

Internal warfareOften destroyed by earthquakesLittle known

Linear A unreadable

Mainland GreeceTrading power

Baltic states (amber)Scandinavia (tin to make bronze)

Both civilizations abandoned by 1100 BCEarthquakesinvasions

1500 BC Hyksos invade from LibyaBecome absorbed into Egyptian cultureFinally expelledUsual fate of nomads conquering sedentary

cultureEgypt protected by desert and sea

Difficult to invadeMakes less vigilant

Sea peoples invade 1190 BCDefeated by Ramses III “The Great”Had conquered lands in Syria and

MesopotamiaDriven by famine

During same time period Harappa finally disappears

Basic dilemmaPopulation exceeds food distributionAs society crumbles, invaders take advantage

Shang culture expanded beyond bordersTechnologyTrade

Zhou further north expandConquer Shang in 1045 BCMany smaller states around ZhouZhou invent “mandate of heaven”

Transferable divine rightDynastic virture

Many small settlements fail to uniteEl Nino (1 or 2 per decade) (reversal of

current)Drown cropsDivert fish

Chavin emerges in mid elevationTrade powerAnimistic religion

Olmecs c.2000-300 BCSouthern MexicoFarming not trade

Beans, maize, squashTiered cultivation mounds

Precursors to step pyramids

Nearly all civilizations disappear by 1000 BCEgypt survives but must abandon Nubian

outposts Old Kingdom Egypt ends c. 2000 BCMiddle Kingdom Egypt ends with overthrow of

Hyksos