Download Early River Valley Civilizations

Essential Question:
1. Why did early civilizations form around rivers and
what characteristics do the four river valley
civilizations share?
-The Fertile Crescent
lies between the
Persian Gulf and
Mediterranean Sea.
-Mesopotamia lies
between the
Euphrates and
Tigris rivers.
-Both rivers flood
once a year and
create silt.
-Silt- mud that
makes the soil very
fertile.
Geography of
Fertile Crescent
Environmental Challenges in
Mesopotamia
Problems
Solutions
Flooding of rivers was unpredictable
Created irrigation ditches to carry river
water to fields
Region was small with no natural
barriers for protection
Built city walls for protection
Region has little natural resources
Traded grains, cloth, and crafts for
wood, metal and stone
Mesopotamia - Sumer City-States:
- City-state- City and its surrounding land.
- Polytheistic religion (belief in many gods), where
priests were religious and political leaders
(Theocracy).
- Mesopotamians were the first builders as displayed
in their Ziggurats (temple and city hall).
- As Sumer city-states became powerful, they traded
with other peoples in the fertile crescent.
- Cultural diffusion- Process of ideas or products
spreading from culture to culture.
City State
Sumerian/Mesopotamian Culture
 Social classes- Priests and kings, merchants, farmers,
trades people, and slaves.
 Invented the wheel, sail, first writing, a number system
based on 60 and used bronze.
 Epic of Gilgamesh- One of the oldest poems. (Handout
#1)
Empire- Brings together
several people, nations, or
states under one ruler.
-
-Mesopotamia was invaded by
the Babylonians establishing
the Babylonian Empire.
-Led by Hammurabi the
empire was ruled by the first
unified code of laws or
“Hammurabi’s Code” – 282
laws dealing with family,
property rights, and crime.
(Handout #2)
First Empires
Geography of Egypt
-Nile River floods once a year
and creates a small strip of
fertile land
-Upper Egypt (South) and
Lower Egypt (North) are
separated by cataracts
(waterfalls)
-Nile - main source of
transportation
Desert - a barrier protecting
Egypt from invaders
Egypt Unites into one Kingdom
 King Menes united Lower and Upper Egypt
 Starting in 2660 BCE Egypt begins the first of three
phases, Old, Middle and New Kingdoms
 Pharaohs were kings and gods / Theocracy or
government in which the ruler is a religious figure
Egyptian Culture
 Religion was polytheistic
 Mummification- Preserved the body to be ready for the
afterlife
 Pyramid- Tomb for the Pharaohs
 Class system- Royal family, wealthy landowners,
merchants, farmers, slaves
 Developed papyrus (paper), Hieroglyphics (picture
writing), adding, subtracting, geometry, 365 day calendar,
and medicine
Geography of the Indus Valley
-Surrounded by mountains.
-Located in modern day
India.
-Civilization rose between
the Indus and Ganges rivers.
-The Indus river flooded
unpredictably and would
sometimes change its
course.
Indus Cities
-Cities were built on a grid system.
-Had separate residential areas.
-Major buildings in the city were fortified.
-Buildings were made out of bricks.
-Cities had plumbing, and sewage systems.
-Due to planning, historians believe the cities
had a strong central government.
Indus Valley Culture
-Artifacts suggest long distance trade.
-Religion has connections to modern
Hinduism.
-Written language (Harappan).
Geography of China
-Natural
barriers for
protection (deserts and
mountains).
-Huang He (Yellow
River)
-Unpredictable
flooding.
Ancient Chinese Culture
 First Chinese dynasty - Xia
 Shang Dynasty-first to have written records (pictographs or
Characters)
 Advantage to Chinese writing-unified the people who
spoke different dialects.
 Other contributions included bronze work and silk textiles.
Ancient Chinese Culture Cont.
 Filial Piety - Family was the center of society.
 Patriarchal – oldest male made all the decisions.
 Religion was Ancestor Worship or respect for one’s
ancestors.
 Oracle bones were used to communicate with the gods.
Zhou Dynasty
 1027 BCE- Zhou overthrew the Shang.
 Mandate of Heaven- Divine approval of rulers (gods
give you the right to rule).
 Feudalism- System where lords or nobles are given
land by the king and in return must be loyal to the
king.
 As Lords became more powerful states fought each
other and dynasties were overthrown.