CHAPTER 2The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

World Civilization: The Global Experience, Fifth Edition

Stearns/Adas/Schwartz/Gilbert

Copyright 2007, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Civilization in MesopotamiaII. Ancient EgyptIII. Egypt and Mesopotamia ComparedIV. Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Civilization in Mesopotamia

Civilization by 3000 B.C.E. Writing

Expanded citiesComplex social structureReligion

A. The Sumerians Tigris and Euphrates plainIrrigation > food surplusSumerians in c. 4000 B.C.E.

Political and Social OrganizationCity-States

Establish boundariesState religionCourts

KingsDefense, war

PriestsWith kings, administer state land

and slaves

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Civilization in Mesopotamia

A. The Sumerians

Culture and Religion Writing

Cuneiform: stylus on clay tablets

PhoneticScribes

GilgameshAstronomyNumeric systemReligion

Patron gods

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Civilization in Mesopotamia

A. The SumeriansGains and Losses

Greater inequalities: gender, class, wealth

B. Later Mesopotamian CulturesThe Akkadian Empire

Sargon Ic. 2400 B.C.E. To Egypt and Ethiopia

The Babylonian Empirec. 1800 B.C.E., unites Hammurabi

Law CodeScientific knowledge expanded

Hittitesc. 1600 B.C.E., conquer Babylonians

Fragmentation1200 to 900 B.C.E.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

II. Ancient Egypt

A. Basic Patterns of Egyptian Society

Farming by 5000 B.C.E. Civilization emerges by 3200 B.C.E.

Difference: no city‑states

GovernmentPharaoh, intermediary between gods

and menBureaucracyRegional governors

B. Egyptian Ideas and ArtHieroglyphic alphabet

Pictograms, phoneticPapyrusMonopolized by priesthood

MedicineReligion

Isis, Osiris, HorusCycle of life, annual rise and

fall of Nile

Egypt, Kush and Axum

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

II. Ancient Egypt

C. Continuity and Change Old KingdomInvasions from Palestine, c.

2200 B.C.E.End of Old Kingdom

Middle KingdomRestorationControl of Sudan

New Kingdomc. 1570 B.C.E.Greater international

contact

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

III. Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared

A. DifferencesPolitical form

Mesopotamian city-statesEgyptian centralized government

Epic tradition

Gilgamesh in Mesopotamia

None in Egypt

Building

Monumental, use of stone in Egypt

Use of brick, not so immense in Mesopotamia

Trade, outside contact

Greater in Mesopotamia than in Egypt

Greater technological advances in Mesopotamia

Women had higher status in Egypt

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

III. Egypt and Mesopotamia Compared

B. SimilaritiesStratified societyNoble, land-owning classPriesthoods Astronomy and mathematics importantBoth conservative except when under

outside threat

C. WomenPatriarchal society

Males dominate political lifeFemale roles less important

Women have some religious roles

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern MediterraneanVarious centers from c. 20000 to 1000 B.C.E.

A. Kush

Southern Nile, Egyptian borderIndependent existence by 1000 B.C.E.Conquered Egypt by 730 B.C.E.

After Assyrian conquest of EgyptKush moves southMeroë, 6th century

Height from 250 B.C.E. to 50 C.E.center of iron working

Defeated by Axum, c. 300 C.E.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean

B. The Mediterranean Region

HebrewsSemitic From c.1600 B.C.E. Yahweh

Torah

Minoans

Crete, from c. 1600 B.C.E.

Trade with Egypt, MesopotamiaEgyptian influence:

architecture, math, writingMesopotamia:

political traditionsConquer Greek mainland

Mycenae

The Eastern Mediterranean, c. 1100 B.C.E.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa

Stearns et al., World Civilizations: The Global Experience, 5th Edition Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean

B. The Mediterranean RegionPhoenicians

c. 2000 B.C.E., Lebanese coastNot unified, several city-statesAlphabet, spread to other civilizationsColonization

To Atlantic, Iberia, BritainCarthage

Independent power Conquered by Assyrians

C. The Issue of HeritageLegacy?Disruption after 1200 B.C.E..Indo-Europeans

Use of ironRulers

Not god-kingsChosen by warriors

The Eastern Mediterranean, c. 1100 B.C.E.