Chapter  4  notes     1  

World History Chapter 4: First Age of Empires (1570 BC – 200 BC) Overview of This Time-Period (pp. 86-87)

Previewing Main Ideas (Heading)

Question Asked Possible Answer

Empire Building

Groups from Africa to China sought to conquer other groups and spread their influence across vast regions. Those societies built the world’s first empires. Geography: Look on the map on p. 87 and locate the Nile, the Tigris, and the Euphrates rivers, where many of the early empires arose. Why do you think the empire builders fought over these regions?

These river valleys were fertile areas for farming and were the locations of the first cities of civilization. In the case of the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, these rivers are the best (if not only) major water source in their areas, which – away from these rivers – is mostly desert or at least very dry land that’s undependable for farming. In addition to farming, these rivers were also essential for transportation and trade routes.

Cultural Interaction

For a long period, Egypt ruled Kush and the two cultures interacted. When the Kush Empire conquered Egypt, therefore, the Kushites adopted many Egyptian cultural values and ideas. Geography: Look at the map and the time line (bottom of page on pp. 86-87) as well as the map on p. 75 labeled “Patterns of Ancient Trade.” What other cultures might have adopted Egyptian values?

By around 1500 BC, all four of the river valley civilizations we studied in Ch. 2 – on (1) the Nile; (2) the Tigris & Euphrates; (3) the Indus; and the (4) Huang He & Chang Jiang – were actively trading with one another by sea as well as by overland routes. (The three westernmost civilizations were also actively trying to take one another over.) Egyptian culture might have influenced the Assyrian, Persian, Mycenaean, Minoan, Phoenician, Greek and Roman cultures.

Religious and Ethical Systems

After the warring states period, Chinese philosophers developed different ethical systems to restore China’s social order. Geography: How might China’s location have affected the spread of the ethical systems that began there?

Notice (inset on the map on p. 87) that China’s empire period started later than the empire phase of the other three river valley civilizations. The biggest obstacle to the spread of Chinese ethical systems was most likely its sheer distance from the other cultures and all the major natural barriers that made it difficult to journey there (e.g., deserts, the Himalayas).

Chapter  4  notes     2  

SOME CONNECTIONS TO NOTICE (My Questions to You):

Notice, on the map on p. 87 and on the timeline (bottom of that page), that the westernmost established civilizations were expanding, trading with, and running into conflict with each other during this time period.

1. How many years passed between the establishment of the New Kingdom in Egypt and the conquest of Egypt by Kush?

[Answer: About 819 years.]

2. When the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean collapsed (timeline: 1200 BC), which of the empires was the closest?

[Answer: Egypt. Egypt’s New Kingdom period was kind of the last glorious period of Egyptian civilization. It was the time of King Tutankhamun (although, honestly, we know about him today, but he wasn’t a big deal at all during his own time) and also the time of Ramses II (also known as Ramses the Great – who was a big deal, and one of Egypt’s most powerful and influential leaders). However, after Ramses II’s death (around 1200 BC), Egypt began sinking into a long, slow decline – and the conquest of Upper Egypt by Nubia in 751 BC was kind of the end of the line for Egypt to be in control of its own destiny. Soon thereafter (in the time of the flourishing of the Persian Empire – on your timeline as 551 BC), Egypt became a part of the Persian Empire. It’s been “part of” some other empire ever since. You may wonder why all these people who took over Egypt wanted Egypt so much. Of all the areas where civilization first flourished, Egypt is the most fertile, meaning that because of the richness and dependability of this “gift of the Nile,” Egypt could grow the most food. An empire anywhere nearby cast covetous eyes on Egypt because it was the by far the most capable of reliably growing lots of food. Egyptian culture, though, was still pretty developed compared to its immediate neighbors. Notice that some of those we’re now discussing who conquered parts of Egypt adopted its culture, rather than changing Egypt’s to its own.]

3. During the period in history covered in this chapter, events in Persia and Greece were occurring that would bring these two cultures into conflict with each other (which we’ll talk more about when we get to Chapter 5). On the timeline, just after the Assyrian Empire hit its height in 850 BC, what was going on in Greece?

[Answer: Greece was starting to grow in power and influence. It was starting to expand, founding city-state colonies outside of Greece itself. (The point is – and we’ll talk about this in Chapter 5 – that some of Greek’s colonies were west of Greece in various parts of the Mediterranean (like in Sicily and in the southern part of the Italian peninsula), but some of Greece’s colony cities were to the east of Greece, in an area that the Greeks called Lydia. Lydia was located on the far western edge of what is today the Turkish peninsula, just south of the Black Sea, where “Sardis” is marked on your map (p. 87). Sardis itself is a good example of a city that became a Greek-allied city. (That particular city wasn’t actually founded by Greeks, but at the height of Greek influence in that area, Sardis became allied with Greece. The problem – and the later conflict with Persia – was

Chapter  4  notes     3  

that this area, Lydia, was supposedly claimed by the Persian Empire. Eventually, the conflict developed into a war between Greece and Persia.]

Here’s a map of ancient Lydia (note that Sardis is among these cities – all of them allied or colonies of the Greeks):

Interact with History (p. 88)

1. Why might a merchant welcome the expansion of a strong empire? [An empire would impose government rule on lands that were lawless and therefore dangerous to cross. Strong rule would make travel and trade safer.]

2. How might an empire oppress the region? [An empire might impose high taxes, harsh laws, religious discrimination, and restrictions on trade or cultural traditions.]

SECTION 1 (p. 94)

2. Which empire was invaded more often? Why? [Egypt was invaded most often. Other well-developed civilizations (like the Hittites) attempted to conquer Egypt because they were both competing for control of lands in the same area. (Egypt and the Hittites were both attempting to control Syria at the time.) Kush and the Libyans conquered Egypt because Egypt was a rich prize, a wealthy civilization. At that time Egypt was weak, with ineffective pharaohs when the other groups (Kush and the Libyans) had strong leaders.

Chapter  4  notes     4  

Main Ideas 3. How did the New Kingdom of Egypt become so powerful and wealthy?

[Under pharaohs like Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, and Ramses II, New Kingdom Egypt was able to conquer new lands, traded new ideas and material goods, and build splendid monuments, temples, and tombs. The land of Egypt again rose to wealth and power.]

4. What cultural aspects of Egyptian civilization did the Kushites adopt? [They adopted Egypt’s religion, language, writing system, customs, and clothing.] NOTE: The textbook doesn’t mention it, but as part of the Egyptian religion they began to follow, both the Libyans and the Kushites adopted the Egyptian practice of mummification of their dead.]

5. Why was Kush able to thrive after losing Egypt to the Assyrians? [Kush moved its capital to Meroë (further south) and benefited from the new region’s significant rainfall (meaning they could grow their own food instead of relying on or trading with Egypt for it) and significant supplies of iron ore (which hadn’t been something that Egypt had, anyway, but which – during that era – was one of the latest metalworking technologies, needed for weapons and tools, so if they had a surplus of iron ore, that could become trade goods as well, since it was desired by others.] The following map shows the location of the former kingdom of Kush as well as the location of the new nation of Aksum:

Chapter  4  notes     5  

Critical Thinking and Writing 6. Drawing Conclusions: What role did geography play in Egypt’s rise and fall?

[Although Egypt’s location on the Nile helped its agriculture (include irrigation as well as making trade possible up and down the length of the Nile), it made Egypt vulnerable to attacks by sea.

7. Making Inferences: How did trade help both Egypt and Nubia maintain their dominance of the Nile region? [It was trade that provided the wealth for both societies.]

8. Hypothesizing: What might have happened if the Kushites had imposed their own culture on Egypt? [Possible answer: If the Egyptians were forced by the Kushites to abandon their own culture in favor of the conqueror’s, then the Egyptian people might have rebelled against the new regime.]

SECTION 2

Geography  SkillBuilder:  Interpreting  Maps  (p.  96)  

1. What’s  the  approximate  distance  between  Nineveh  and  Thebes?  [About  1500  miles]  

2. What’s  the  southernmost  part  of  the  Assyrian  Empire  and  to  what  other  empire  did  it  previously  belong?  [The  southernmost  part  of  the  Assyrian  Empire  extends  along  the  Nile  to  Thebes,  which  had  belonged  to  the  Egyptian  and  then  to  the  Kushite  empires.]    

SkillBuilder:  Interpreting  Visual  Sources  (p.  97)  

1.     Making  Inferences:  What  emotions  might  the  relief  have  inspired  in  the  Assyrian  people?  [They  might  have  felt  confidence,  pride,  or  loyalty  (that  their  empire  was  the  strongest,  their  soldiers  were  the  mightiest,  etc.)]  

2. Making  Inferences:  How  might  the  Assyrians’  enemies  have  reacted  to  the  sculpture?  [They  might  have  felt  fear  or  hatred  for  the  Assyrians.    On  the  other  hand,  these  emotions  might  well  cause  them  to  feel  that  they  didn’t  want  to  rebel  against  the  Assyrians’  rule,  because  those  guys  were  really  tough  soldiers  and  showed  no  mercy  to  conquered  peoples.]  

 Main  Idea:  Analyzing  Primary  Sources  (p.  97)  

A. What  was  Nahum’s  opinion  on  the  collapse  of  the  Assyrian  empire?  [Basically,  that  no  one  would  shed  a  tear  when  Assyria  finally  fell  and  its  nobles  were  slain  and  its  people  were  scattered,  made  refugees  by  the  new  conquerors.]  

Chapter  4  notes     6  

 Section  2  Assessment  (p.  98)    

2.     Why  did  the  Assyrians  develop  into  a  great  military  power?    Why  did  their  power  decline?  

Assyrian  Power  

Causes  for  Rise   Causes  for  Decline  

1.  Need  to  defend  against  attacks  (by  enemies,  which  taught  them  to  be  warlike)  

1.  Hatred  by  the  peoples  they  conquered  (who  resented  Assyrians  because  they  were  so  cruel)  

2.  Ironworking  technology  (used  for  war  chariots,  armor,  weaposn)  

2.  Overextension  (took  over  too  many  territories  to  keep  good  control  over,  especially  when  resisted  by  people  who  rebelled  against  them)    

3.  Advanced  planning  (military  tactics  and  strategies,  like  building  bridges  or  sapping  walls)  

3.  No  strong  leader  (decline  was  fast  after  death  of  Ashurbanipal;  suggests  they  didn’t  have  a  strong  successor  to  step  in  and  lead  them)  

 Main  Ideas  (p.  98)  

 3. What  methods  did  the  Assyrians  use  when  they  attacked  enemy  cities?  

[They  crossed  over  obstacles  like  rivers  or  moats  by  building  pontoon  bridges.    If  they  faced  city  walls,  they  weakened  them  by  tunneling  under  the.    Their  soldiers  were  disciplined  and  marched  shoulder  to  shoulder,  with  shields  that  would  protect  them  if  they  were  fired  on  by  archers  on  the  city  walls.    Their  own  archers  “softened  up”  the  city’s  resistance  with  waves  of  arrows  as  the  Assyrians  attacked.    Then  they  would  use  iron-­‐tipped  battering  rams  to  break  down  the  city  gates.  When  they  won,  the  Assyrians  showed  no  mercy  to  the  conquered.    They  killed  or  made  slaves  of  the  conquered  people.    If  the  conquered  people  survived,  the  Assyrians  often  forced  them  to  settle  far  away  from  their  homeland  to  make  it  harder  for  them  to  rebel  against  their  conquerors.]      

4. What  contributions  to  government  administration  and  culture  did  the  Assyrians  make?  [They  had  a  system  of  governors  who  reported  to  a  central  authority    The  palace  had  an  impressive  library.]  

5. Why  did  the  people  in  the  region  rejoice  when  the  Assyrian  Empire  was  defeated?  [The  Assyrians  were  cruel  rulers.]  

Chapter  4  notes     7  

Critical  Thinking  and  Writing  (p.  98)    

6. Forming  Opinions:  Do  you  think  the  Assyrians’  almost  exclusive  reliance  on  military  power  was  a  good  strategy  for  creating  their  empire?  Why  or  why  not?  [It  may  have  been  a  good  strategy  for  creating  their  empire,  because  their  military  strength  and  strategies  were  hard  to  defend  against.    However,  it  wasn’t  a  good  strategy  for  keeping  their  empire.    All  they  knew  how  to  do  was  take  over  by  force.    They  did  that  to  the  point  that  they  overextended  their  empire,  conquering  more  lands  than  they  could  actually  control.    Their  cruelty  caused  the  people  they  conquered  to  resent  them.    The  Assyrians  inspired  fear  but  not  loyalty  in  the  people  who  lived  under  their  rule.]  

7. Making  Inferences:  Why  might  the  Assyrian  warrior  kings  have  had  such  a  great  interest  in  writing  and  reading?  [They  might  have  been  somewhat  interested  in  the  culture  of  the  people  they  conquered,  since  it  was  different  than  their  own.    They  were  interested  in  military  strategy,  so  they  may  have  been  interested  in  learning  how  earlier  rulers  of  the  lands  they  conquered  managed  or  ruled  their  lands.    The  relief  on  p.  97  shows  that  they  were  interested  in  having  their  own  history  recorded,  written  down  as  well  as  depicted  in  art.]  

8. Comparing:  In  what  ways  were  King  Ashurbanipal  and  King  Nebuchadnezzar  similar?  [Both  of  them  built  major  buildings  as  well  as  monuments  to  themselves.    Ashurbanipal  built  a  huge  library  of  20,000  clay  tablets,  one  of  the  world’s  largest  libraries.    Nebuchadnezzar  built  the  Hanging  Gardens  of  Babylon  and  had  “I  am  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon”  inscribed  on  all  the  bricks  of  the  walls  of  Babylon.    You  could  say  that  these  guys  were  very  self-­‐confident.  (They  certainly  weren’t  shy!)]  

 SECTION  3  

 Main  Idea  –  Summarizing  (p.  100)  

A. What  are  some  examples  of  Cyrus’s  tolerant  method  of  ruling?  [He  showed  kindness  to  the  conquered  people.    He  forbid  looting  by  his  soldiers.    He  showed  respect  for  the  religions  of  the  conquered  people.]  

 Geography  SkillBuilder:  Interpreting  Maps  –    (p.  101)  

1. What  part  of  the  ancient  world  did  Cambyses  add  to  the  Persian  Empire?  [Cambyses  conquered  Egypt,  around  522  BC.)  

2. Compare  the  map  of  the  Persian  Empire  with  that  of  the  Assyrian  Empire  on  page  96.    What  areas  did  the  Persians  rule  that  the  Assyrians  did  not?  [The  areas  the  Persians  added  were  sections  of  western  Egypt,  past  the  river  Nile.    They  also  added  the  southeastern  edge  of  Macedonia,  and  a  region  from  the  Mediterranean  Sea  and  Black  Sea  to  the  Indus  River.]    

Chapter  4  notes     8  

Connect  to  Today  (p.  102)  1. Recognizing  Effects:  How  would  the  Royal  Road  enable  a  ruler  to  maintain  power  in  

the  empire?  [Possible  answer:  It  would  allow  he  ruler  to  hear  news  from  distant  territories  while  it  was  still  fresh  and  allow  the  ruler  to  send  orders  quickly  about  how  he  wanted  his  governors  or  soldiers  to  deal  with  a  problem.]  

2. Comparing:  What  systems  of  communication  and  transportation  today  might  be  compared  to  the  Royal  Road  of  the  Persians?  [Possible  answers:  You  might  compare  the  Persians’  Royal  Road  to  modern  transportation  systems  like  railroads  or  freeways  or  to  modern  communication  systems  like  telephones  or  the  Internet.]  

 Main  Idea:  Comparing  (p.  103)  

B. What  idea  and  world  view  did  Zoroastrianism  share  with  other  religions?  [Zoroastrianism  shared  with  other  religions  the  idea  of  a  final  judgment,  as  well  as  the  idea  that  people  had  the  free  will  to  choose  between  good  and  evil.]  

 Section  3  Assessment  (p.  103)    

2.   Which  of  the  differences  between  Cyrus  and  Darius  do  you  consider  the  most  important?  Why?  [Cyrus  only  –  He  founded  an  empire  and  he  let  the  Jews  return  to  Jerusalem.  Darius  only  –  He  seized  power  and  introduced  coins  of  a  dependably  standard  value.    Both  of  them  are  said  to  have  ruled  fairly  and  both  expanded  the  size  of  the  empire  they  ruled.    The  most  important  difference  is  that  Cyrus  was  the  kinder  ruler.    His  kindness  and  consideration  of  the  people  of  his  empire  were  remarkable  for  that  time.]  

Main  Ideas  3.   How  did  Cyrus  treat  the  peoples  he  conquered?  

[He  was  careful  to  try  to  treat  them  as  valuable  subjects,  worthy  of  respect.    He  didn’t  allow  his  soldiers  to  burn,  loot,  or  kill.    Cyrus  also  honored  local  customs  and  religions.]  

4.   What  methods  and  tools  did  Darius  use  to  hold  together  his  empire?  [He  divided  the  empire  into  provinces,  with  satraps  (governors),  a  military  general,  and  a  chief  tax  collector  in  each  province.    He  built  roads  to  improve  travel  and  communication  between  the  provinces  and  the  central  government.    He  also  standardized  the  money  system  with  coins  of  various  set  denominations.]  

5.   What  did  Zoroaster  teach?  [He  taught  that  life  on  earth  is  a  battleground  in  a  battle  between  good  and  evil,  and  that  each  person  has  to  make  a  choice  about  which  side  to  choose  in  this  struggle.  He  taught  that  after  people  die,  there  will  be  a  judgment  in  which  each  one,  individually,  has  to  answer  for  how  well  he  or  she  fought  in  behalf  of  the  forces  for  good.    He  taught  that  there  were  spiritual  forces,  like  the  devil  or  angels  who  helped  or  tempted  the  people  who  were  trying  to  do  good.]  

Chapter  4  notes     9  

Critical  Thinking  and  Writing  (p.  103)    6.   Making  Inferences:  What  do  the  words  that  Appeared  on  Cyrus’s  tomb  suggest  

about  his  character?  [For  a  ruler  of  a  huge  empire,  Cyrus  was  remarkably  plain-­‐speaking  and  modest.]  

7.   Drawing  Conclusions:  How  did  the  Royal  Road  help  Darius  maintain  control  over  his  people?  [It  helped  him  to  maintain  better  control  through  improved  communication  with  his  provinces  (which  the  better  transportation  allowed  to  happen  more  quickly  and  smoothly).]  

8.   Developing  Historical  Perspective:  What  events  led  to  the  development  of  Zoroastrianism?  [The  people  of  the  middle  eastern  region  had  experienced  so  much  war,  conquest,  and  famine  that  they  were  looking  for  answers  to  why  there  was  so  much  suffering  in  the  world.    Zoroaster’s  answer  to  that  was  that  there  was  a  good  god,  Ahuru  Mazda,  and  that  he  wanted  to  help  and  protect  people,  but  that  there  was  an  evil  spirit  who  opposed  him  and  tempted  people  to  do  wrong.    Zoroaster  said  that  the  sorrows  of  the  world  were  due  to  the  struggle  between  these  two  opposing  forces,  but  he  promised  that  if  people  lived  a  good  life  on  earth,  they  would  be  rewarded  by  Ahuru  Mazda  in  heaven  after  they  died,  based  on  how  well  they  helped  Ahuru  Mazda  in  his  struggle  against  the  evil  one  and  the  people  he  had  seduced  into  following  his  orders.    

Section  4    Main  Idea:  Analyzing  Primary  Sources  (p.  106)  

A. What  do  you  think  is  the  Daoist  attitude  toward  being  a  powerful  person?  [Possible  answer:  Daoists  thnk  that  a  powerful  person  is  out  of  balance  with  nature  and  too  concerned  with  worldly  things  (rather  than  the  natural  order  or  balance  of  things).    

Main  Idea:  Recognizing  Effects  (p.  107)  B.   How  did  the  Legalists  think  that  a  society  could  be  made  to  run  well?  

[The  Legalists  thought  that  government  should  use  law  and  law  enforcers  to  end  civil  disorder  and  restore  harmony.    They  also  thought  that  ideas  should  be  controlled  by  the  government.]    

SkillBuilder:  Interpreting  Visual  Sources  (p.  108)  1. Making  Inferences:  What  were  the  benefits  of  the  watch  towers  along  the  wall?  

[Having  the  watch  towers  along  the  Great  Wall  of  China  provided  China  with  early  warning  of  attackers.]  

2. Drawing  Conclusions:  What  modern  structures  serve  the  same  purpose  of  the  watch  towers?  [There  are  walls  of  various  kinds  in  some  places  –  one  controversial  one  is  the  border  wall  along  the  boundary  between  the  U.S.  and  Mexico,  and  another  controversial  one  is  a  border  wall  built  by  Israel,  between  Jewish  territories  and  

Chapter  4  notes     10  

Palestinian  areas,  particularly  running  through  the  city  of  Jerusalem.    These  days,  barrier  or  border  walls  are  not  too  common.    The  job  of  providing  guards  (and  nearer-­‐to-­‐conflict-­‐area  troops)  is  provided  by  military  bases  around  the  world.    Setting  off  an  alert  that  the  border  has  been  breeched  is  more  often  performed  by  modern  communications  equipment,  like  cell  phones,  radios,  and  other  communications  gear.      Detecting  movement  along  borders  is  more  often  a  task  that,  these  days,  is  performed  by  radar,  satellites,  sonar,  or  drones.    In  many  cases,  this  automated  equipment  can  also  send  an  alarm  signal  if  movement  across  a  border  area  is  detected.]  

 Main  Idea:  Recognizing  Effects  (p.  109)  

C.   What  were  the  positive  and  negative  effects  of  Shi  Huangdi’s  rule?  [The  positive  effects  of  his  rule  were  that  he  enlarged  and  unified  the  Chinese  empire.    He  also  improved  trade,  transportation,  and  communication.    The  negative  effects  are  that  he  used  slave  labor,  murdered  people  who  disagreed  with  him  or  who  were  even  thought  likely  to  criticize  him,  and  burned  “useless”  books  (including  books  about  Confucius’s  teachings,  early  Chinese  literature,  and  Chinese  mythology).    He  was  very  dictatorial  about  the  Chinese  nobles,  as  well,  seizing  their  land  (which  he  turned  into  administrative  districts)  and  forcing  these  nobles  to  live  in  the  capital  city  where  he  could  keep  a  constant  eye  on  them.]    

Section  4  Assessment  (p  109)  2.   Which  aspect  of  Chinese  life  was  most  affected  by  the  chaos  created  by  the  

warring  states?  [In  the  realm  of  Philosophy,  all  of  the  philosophers  of  the  time  –  Confucius,  Legalists,  and  Laozi  –  offered  solutions.    In  the  area  of  Politics,  Shi  Huangdi  enforced  centralization  of  power  as  well  as  of  administration.    In  the  area  of  Cities,  people  who  were  frightened  or  displaced  by  the  chaos  moved  there  for  protection,  causing  the  cities  to  grow  rapidly.      The  area  that  was  the  most  affected  was  philosophy,  which  tried  to  find  answers  to  the  problems  causing  the  chaos.  Therefore,  in  this  particular  area,  the  chaos  of  the  warring  states  had  the  most  long-­‐term  effects.]  

Main  Ideas  3. How  did  Confucius  believe  that  social  order,  harmony,  and  good  government  

could  be  restored  in  China?  [He  thought  that  society  should  be  organized  around  five  basic  relationships:  (1)  between  ruler  and  subject;  (2)  between  father  and  son;  (3)  between  husband  and  wife;  (4)  between  older  brother  and  younger  brother;  and  (5)  between  friend  and  friend.    He  developed  a  code  of  conduct  that  was  supposed  to  regulate  how  each  of  the  people  in  these  relationships  would  act  towards  each  other.    Three  of  these  relationships  were  between  family  members.    Confucius  thought  that  the  family  was  a  major  key  to  having  social  order.  

4. What  did  the  Legalists  see  as  the  key  to  restoring  social  order?  [They  thought  the  key  was  an  efficient,  powerful  government.]  

5. What  measures  did  Shi  Huangdi  take  to  crush  political  opposition  at  home?  

Chapter  4  notes     11  

[He  ordered  the  noble  families  to  live  in  the  capital  (and  confiscated  their  land  so  that  they  couldn’t  go  back  to  it  or  act  independently),  divided  China  into  governmental  districts,  burned  books  (restricting  access  of  other  ideas  than  those  he  approved),  and  murdered  scholars  (to  eliminate  possible  sources  of  opposition  or  criticism).  ]  

Critical  Thinking  and  Writing  6. Hypothesizing:  How  would  followers  of  the  three  philosophical  traditions  in  

China  react  to  the  idea  that  “all  men  are  created  equal”?  [Possible  answer:  None  of  the  three  philosophical  traditions  of  China  emphasized  equality.  This  was  not  really  an  idea  that  the  Chinese  were  thinking  of  at  that  time.    They  were  more  concerned  with  how  society  worked  as  a  whole  (preferably  peacefully)  than  they  were  about  individual  rights.    If  this  idea  were  suggested,  all  three  might  reject  it,  for  a  variety  of  reasons.    (Confucius  because  he  didn’t  really  think  in  terms  of  civil  or  individual  rights  but  more  in  terms  of  the  responsibilities  of  individuals  to  contribute  to  an  orderly  society.  Laozi  (Daoism)  thought  that  if  the  natural  order  was  preserved,  then  the  social  order  (and  civil  rights)  would  be  taken  care  of  along  the  way.    The  Legalists  would  reject  the  idea  of  “civil  rights”  because  they  thought  that  whatever  was  needed  for  an  orderly  government  was  the  greatest  good  and  that  ideas  like  “equality”  were  better  off  being  handled  by  the  government  who  might,  or  might  not,  find  it  convenient  to  allow  those  kinds  of  ideas  to  be  addressed  in  society.]  

7. Analyzing  Causes:  Why  did  Shi  Huangdi  have  his  critics  murdered?    [Primarily,  he  was  afraid  that  they  would  gain  followers  and  that  these  groups  would  challenge  his  rule.]  

8. Making  Inferences:  Would  a  ruler  who  followed  Confucian  or  Daoist  ideas  have  built  the  Great  Wall?    Why  or  why  not?  [Probably  not,  because  if  a  ruler  followed  those  philosophies,  he  most  likely  wouldn’t  have  been  as  ruthless  or  as  controlling.    Confucius  said  that  the  ruler  should  practice  kindness  towards  his  subjects  –  whereas  Shi  Huangdi  built  the  Great  Wall  with  basically  the  slave  labor  of  thousands  and  thousands  of  peasants.  The  Daoists  said  that  what  mattered  most  was  harmony  and  respect  for  the  natural  order.  They  probably  would  have  rejected  the  very  idea  of  re-­‐shaping  the  whole  landscape  along  the  northern  border.    Without  Shi  Haungdi’s  determination  to  get  it  done,  no  matter  what,  it  probably  wouldn’t  have  gotten  done.)  NOTE:  Some  scholars  today  believe  that  China  was  not  really  in  danger  of  invasion  when  the  Great  Wall  was  built.    These  scholars  suggest  that  the  reason  Shi  Huangdi  built  the  wall  was  that  he  feared  that  without  steady  employment  the  soldiers  in  his  huge  army  might  cause  trouble.    Providing  them  with  employment  building  the  Great  Wall  kept  them  busy.    It  also  worked  pretty  well.    The  Great  Wall  prevented  foreign  invasion  of  “heartland”  China  for  about  14  centuries  –  until  Genghis  Khan  broke  thought  the  wall  in  about  1213  AD.]  

Chapter  4  notes     12  

 Chapter  4  Assessment  (pp.  110-­‐111)  

 Main  Ideas    

The  Egyptian  and  Nubian  Empires  (Section  1)  11.   How  did  the  Kushites  treat  Egyptian  culture  after  they  conquered  Egypt?  

[They  adopted  or  imitated  it.    They  saw  themselves  as  the  guardians  of  Egyptian  values.]  

12.   When  did  Kush  experience  a  golden  age?  [Their  golden  age  happened  when  they  moved  further  south  to  Meroë.]  

The  Assyrian  Empire  (Section  2)    13.   How  did  Assyria  acquire  its  empire?  

[They  developed  a  strong  army  that  used  highly  advanced  organization,  strategies,  and  weapons  (at  least  by  the  standards  of  that  era)  to  conquer  other  people  and  take  control  of  their  lands.]  

14.   What  were  the  positive  achievements  of  the  Assyrian  Empire?    [They  built  Nineveh,  the  largest  city  in  the  world  at  that  time.    They  created  finely  carved  sculptures.    They  built  and  stocked  one  of  the  ancient  world’s  largest  libraries.]  

The  Persian  Empire  (Section  3)  15.     What  is  Cyrus’s  enduring  legacy?  

[His  most  enduring  legacy  is  his  kind  and  tolerant  method  of  governing.]  16.   How  far  did  Darius  extend  the  Persian  Empire?  

[He  extended  it  over  2500  miles,  including  Egypt  and  Anatolia  (modern  Turkey)  in  the  west,  part  of  India  in  the  east,  and  the  Fertile  Crescent  in  the  center.]  

The  Unification  of  China  (Section  4)  17.   Around  what  five  basic  relationships  did  Confucius  believe  society  should  be  

organized?  [The  five  basic  relationships  were:  (1)  between  ruler  and  subject;  (2)  between  father  and  son;  (3)  between  husband  and  wife;  (4)  between  older  brother  and  younger  brother;  and  (5)  between  friend  and  friend.]  

18   Why  did  Shi  Huangdi  have  the  Great  Wall  built?  [The  Great  Wall  was  supposed  to  have  been  built  to  stop  attacks  by  foreign  enemies.    ]    NOTE:  Although  some  modern  scholars  have  questioned  this  as  a  real  necessity,  it’s  still  the  “official”  reason,  so  until  the  modern  scholars’  version  is  proven,  better  stick  with  that  explanation.  

 Critical  Thinking    

1. Empire  Building    Leaders   Successes     Failures  

EGYPTIANS      

Queen  Ahhotep   Helped  to  drive  out  the  Hyksos   (Didn’t  complete  the  job)  

Chapter  4  notes     13  

Kamose   Won  a  great  victory  over  the  Hyksos  

(Not  quite  able  to  complete  the  job)  

Hatshepsut   Was  able  to  expand  trade;  trade  expedition  to  Punt  

(May  have  been  murdered  by  her  stepson,  Thutmose  III)  

Thutmose  III   Led  a  number  of  victorious  invasions  into  Palestine  and  Syria  as  well  as  into  Nubia  

 

Ramses  II   Fought  the  Hittites  in  Palestine    

(Wasn’t  able  to  defeat  the  Hittites  –  had  to  settle  for  a  peace  treaty)  

KUSHITES      

Pianku   Overthrew  the  Libyan  dynasty  ruling  over  Egypt  and  united  Egypt  and  Nubia  into  one  kingdom  

Short-­‐lived  dynasty  (after  his  death,  the  Assyrians  swept  into  Egypt  and  took  over)  

ASSYRIANS      

Sennacherib   Destroyed  Babylon;  established  new  Assyrian  capital  at  Nineveh  (largest  city  of  its  day)  

 

Ashurbanipal   Built  a  huge  library  at  Nineveh   (cruel  Assyrian  ruler;  after  his  death,  Nineveh  was  burned  by  rebelling  Medes  and  Chaldeans)  

Nebuchadnezzar   Restored  Babylon  and  built  the  famous  Hanging  Gardens  

(Babylonian  empire  fell  shortly  after  his  death)  

PERSIANS      

Cyrus   Conquered  an  empire  spanning  2000  miles;  respected  local  traditions;  lasting  legacy  as  a  kind  and  tolerant  ruler  

 

Cambyses   Son  of  Cyrus;  expanded  the  Persian  Empire’s  territory  

Not  tolerant  like  his  father;  after  he  died,  rebellions  erupted  all  over  the  empire  

Chapter  4  notes     14  

Darius   Successful  in  seizing  the  throne;  had  a  well-­‐organized  and  efficient  administration  (peace  and  stability);  added  to  the  empire;  built  the  Royal  Road  

Tried,  but  didn’t  conquer  Greece  

CHINESE      

Shi  Huangdi   Doubled  size  of  Chinese  Empire  and  unified  China;  crushed  political  opposition;  centralized  power;  created  roads;  set  unified  standards  for  writing,  law,  currency,  and  weights  and  measures;  irrigation  projects;  built  the  Great  Wall  of  China  

Used  dictatorial  methods;  used  slave  labor;  murdered  scholars  who  criticized  him  or  might  have  opposed  him;  burned  books  he  considered  “useless”  (like  philosophy,  folk  tales  and  mythology)  

2. Drawing  Conclusions:  Religious  and  Ethical  Systems  Religious  and  ethical  systems  in  Persia  and  China  arose  in  response  to  what  similar  conditions?  [They  arose  in  response  to  the  chaos  in  the  world  that  caused  people  to  question  the  reason  for  suffering  and  to  try  to  find  answers  for  it  or  ways  to  address  it.]  

3. Developing  Historical  Perspective  How  have  Cyrus’s  and  Sennacherib’s  contrasting  ruling  styles  probably  affected  their  regions?  [Cyrus  is  viewed  as  a  tolerant  ruler  while  Sennacherib  is  seen  as  a  cruel  one.]  

4. Recognizing  Effects:  Cultural  Interaction  What  positive  results  occur  when  cultures  interact?  What  negative  results  might  there  be?  [The  positive  results  that  can  occur  include  cultures  engaging  in  trade,  exchanging  ideas,  and  learning  from  each  other.    The  negative  results  that  can  occur  are  that  one  culture  may  attack  another  or  become  too  dependent  on  that  culture.]  

5. Synthesizing  What  similar  purpose  was  served  by  the  Persians’  Royal  Road  and  the  Great  Wall  of  China?  [Both  were  large  public  works  projects  that  helped  strengthen  the  central  government.]    

Standards-­Based  Assessment  (p.  111)  1. C.    2. B  3. A