Download Guided Notes - History with Ms. Osborn

Name:____________________________________ Period:______________________Date:_________________
Mesopotamia and Egypt
Video Link: http://bit.ly/MesopotamiaEgyptVid
Main Idea: Historians use the term “Ancient Near East” to refer to a number of civilizations that developed in Southwest
Asia before 500 B.C. The Nile, due to its geographic location is also the site of one of the oldest civilizations – ancient
Egypt.
Essential Question:


Golden Hawk Historians will…
What features defined the civilizations of
Mesopotamia and Egypt?
What were the main achievements of
civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt?

Analyze the development as well as the
technological and cultural contributions of
Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Mesopotamia

In Southwest Asia a large crescent shaped band of fertile land forms an oasis in the midst of deserts and
mountains between two rivers – the _____________________________________________________________,
this land is often referred to as the ______________________________________________________________.
o

This land is also called ______________________________________, which means between two rivers.
The area between the Tigris and Euphrates was well suited for ________________________________________
because they flooded in the spring leaving behind fertile land.

Large cities began to form in __________________________ in 3000 B.C.
The Sumerians

Sumerian Society
o
There was a distinct ____________________________________________________, or system of ranks.
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___________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________  ______________________________ 
__________________________________________.
o
Women’s role changed over time from a place of honor to becoming more dependent on men.
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They still had legal rights and could own property.
Sumerian Religion
o
The Sumerians practiced ________________________________________, or the worship of many gods.
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They believed the god’s acted like human and controlled the natural forces like flooding, rain,
etc.
o
At the center of each city was a ____________________________ and at the center of each temple was
a _____________________________________________________, or a pyramid temple.
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At the center of the ziggurat was a shrine to that city’s god.
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Writing
o
Sumerians invented the earliest known form of writing called __________________________________
using a reed pen to make wedge shaped marks on clay tables
o

Scribes had to go through years of difficult schooling to acquire their skills
Math
o
The Sumerians developed a _________________ system based upon the number 60.

o
Divided an hour into 60 minutes and a circle into 360 degrees.
Sumerians learned to use ___________________________________ that was necessary to build the
elaborate structures and irrigation systems.
Empires in Mesopotamia
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Sargon’s Empire
o
Frequent warfare weakened Sumer’s city-states and invading people conquered the region.
o
The _______________________________________ in the Northern region of Mesopotamia were ruled
by ____________________________ created the first permanent army.
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He used his army to conquer all of Sumer and northern Mesopotamia.
Hammurabi
o
1790 BC ____________________________ of Babylon brought much of Mesopotamia under his control
o
Develops a set of laws known as the _______________________________________________________,
the first attempt to create a system of laws that would govern a state.
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o
The code helped to _________________________ his Empire.
Hammurabi also improved ______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.
The Civilizations of Mesopotamia
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Hittites
o
As the Babylonian Empire declined other civilizations prospered in and around the Fertile Crescent.
o
The ________________________, an Indo-European tribe, attacked from the North.

o
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The Hittites greatest asset was their chariots that held three people and were very powerful.
The Hittites were masters in _________________________________________ and extracting iron ore.
The Assyrians
o
The ______________________________ were originally from northern Mesopotamia where they
farmed and raised cattle.
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Assyrians power relied on their ___________________________ which included chariots,
soldiers, and a cavalry.
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They were known for their _______________________________________________________.
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The Chaldeans
o
The ______________________________________ took over after the Assyrians and revived the power
of Babylon under their leader ____________________________________________________________.

o
Their empire stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.
Nebuchadnezzar built the ________________________________________________________________
and encouraged ___________________________________, especially astronomy, amongst the people.

The Phoenicians
o
______________________________________________, in the Western part of Mesopotamia along the
Mediterranean sea, emerged as a _________________________________________________________.
o
The Phoenicians were dependent upon _____________________________________________________
for their livelihood because there was little farming available.
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As trade grew they began to establish colonies along the coast, the most famous of which is
__________________________________________.
o
The greatest achievement of the Phoenicians was the ________________________________________,
one of the first alphabets in the world.
The Hebrews and Judaism

The Hebrews
o
______________________________ recorded most of their events in the ________________________,
their holy book.

_________________________________________ is considered the founder of the Israelites
who migrated to Canaan because of a covenant he had with God.

o
Famine caused the Israelites to move to Egypt where they became enslaved.
In 1,000 B.C. the united Israelite tribes set up a kingdom called __________________________________
that was united under _______________________________________________.
o
The Israelites fell to the Assyrians and the Chaldeans who forced the Israelites into exile in
____________________________, referred to as the _________________________________________.

This was the start of the __________________________________________________________,
or the scattering of Jews outside Judah.
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Judaism
o
Judaism was a _____________________________________ religion, meaning they believed in one God.
o
At the heart of Judaism is the ____________________________________________________________,
which is a set of laws the Jews believe God gave them through Moses.

Jews had a strong belief in ________________________________________________________
that emerged as a result of an adherence to the Ten Commandments.
The Persian Empire
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The Persian Empire
o
___________________________________ founded the Persian Empire, but let the conquered people
keep their customs.
o
Unification of Persia was accomplished under _________________________ who divided the empire
into provinces that were led by a _________________________, or a governor.

He also __________________________________________ to increase communication and built
_________________________________________________.

He set up a __________________________________________________________ where goods
and services are paid for through the exchange of some token of an agreed upon value.

Zoroastrianism
o
________________________________________________ was a religion that developed in Persia based
on the teachings of a man named Zoroaster.
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o
He rejected the Persian Gods.
_______________________________________ was a single wise god who was in a constant battle
against Ahriman the prince of lies and evil
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o
People had to pick which side to be loyal to.
On judgment day all would be __________________________ by their actions. The good would enter
paradise and evil dowers would be condemned to eternal suffering.
The Kingdom of Egypt
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The ______________________________ was the most important physical feature of the Egyptian Empire, much
like the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia the regular predictable flooding made it excellent for farming.
o
The best farming occurred in the __________________________________________, a small strip of
land toward the mouth of the river.
o
People built ___________________________________________________________________________
to channel the rising river and store water for the dry season.
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Egypt was broken into two regions:
o
_____________________________________________ in Northern Egypt was located downriver of the
Nile and occupied much of the Nile Delta.
o
_____________________________________________ in Southern Egypt was located up river along a
series of cataracts, or rocky stretches marked by swift currents and rapids.

In 3100 B.C. _____________________________________________, king of Upper Egypt, __________________
the two regions and used the Nile to link the two regions and as a trade route.
Main Periods of Ancient Egypt
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The Old Kingdom (2700-2200 B.C.)
o
Pharaohs organized a __________________________________________________________________.

Egyptians believed the ________________________________________ had a divine right to
rule because he was a __________________________.
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o
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Power passed from one __________________________ to another, or ruling family to another.
This period is characterized by the ______________________ that were used as tombs for the Pharaoh.
The Middle Kingdom (2050-1800 B.C.)
o
Over time Pharaoh’s lost power to the __________________________________ and the political
stability in Egypt disappeared.

o
Famine and disease led to displeasure with the Pharaoh.
A new dynasty rose to power and established the ____________________________________________
with a focus on ________________________ with people around the Middle East and into Nubia.
o
The Middle Kingdom fell to the ______________________________ until the next Egyptian dynasty was
able to drive them out and set up the New Kingdom.
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The New Kingdom
o
New Kingdom pharaoh’s decided the best way to protect Egypt from further invasion was to build a
powerful _______________________________ and seek out “buffer” lands between the Empire and
their invaders.
o
________________________________________ ruled between 1503 – 1482. She encouraged trade
with many eastern Mediterranean lands and along the Red Sea. She was also the first female to rule in
her own name.
o
________________________________________ was the most powerful ruler who ruled between 1290
– 1224. He increased the empires size, built temples and monuments boasting of his conquests.

Egypt began to decline after his death.
Egyptian Religion

Egyptian belief in __________________________________________ had a profound effect on their civilization.

They are _________________________________________________
o
Chief god was ___________________________________: the sun god
o
Other gods that were regularly worshipped were _________________________ (protector of the dead),
_________________________________________________________________.
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Egyptians built __________________________ to honor their gods.
o

Main feature was ___________________________________, tall thin pillars with pyramid shaped tops.
Common people played no role in the regular worship of gods but rather worshipped them during annual
__________________________________.
Mummification and Burial

______________________________________ is the preservation of the dead in preparation for the afterlife.
o
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Process took months to complete.
The first step in mummification was to remove the ________________________________________________.
o
The only thing left in the body was the heart.
o
The body was packed with spices and wrapped in order to keep its shape.
Once a body was mummified the body had to be buried.
o
Egyptians were buried with __________________________________________________ as well as food
and drink for the afterlife.
Egyptian Society
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Social Structure
o
At the top of society was the _______________________________ and his family
o
Then the __________________________________________________________.
o
_____________________________________________________________________ were next.
o
The bottom rungs of society were _____________________________________________________.
Women
o
Women in Egypt enjoyed greater ____________________________________ than women elsewhere.
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o
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Could inherit property, conduct business, go to court, etc.
Women, however, could not be scribes or hold government positions.
Writing
o
They developed a form of picture writing called ______________________________________________

As language became more complex they added _______________________________________
or pictures that symbolized an idea or action

Over time they developed _________________________________ a simpler form of writing for
everyday use
o
They wrote on a paper like material made from _____________________________________________
and wrote with reed pens and ink

Rosetta Stone
o
Jean Champollion discovered the ______________________________ which helped him to decipher or
decode the ancient hieroglyphics.

The stone was flat and black with the same message carved in three forms _________________
__________________________________________
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Medicine and Science
o
Physicians became skilled at __________________________________, diagnoses, finding cures,
__________________________________, medicines.
o
Priests and astronomers studied the heavens charting movements of plants and mapping constellations
thus developing a _________________________________________
o
______________________________ was used to survey the land and build pyramids and temples and
irrigations systems
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Art and Literature
o
Paintings, statues, poems, literature, temples, pyramids, tombs give us much information of daily life,
trade, farming, religious ceremonies and battles.