ancient river valley civilizations
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Ancient River Valley Civilizations. Today’s Goal. Analyze the similarities and differences among the ancient river valley civilizations. Essential Question: Why did the earliest civ’s begin around rivers, and how did they develop into distinct cultures? . The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Ancient River Valley Civilizations
Today’s Goal
• Analyze the similarities and differences among the ancient river valley civilizations.
• Essential Question: Why did the earliest civ’s begin around rivers, and how did they develop into distinct cultures?
The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area
The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”
Sumer
Jordan River
Sumerians first arrived in 3300 BC
Mesopotamia• Geography
- Fertile Crescent- “Land Between Two Rivers”
- Tigris & Euphrates flooded silt- Surplus crops
Challenges SolutionsUnpredictable flooding, little/no rain
No natural barriers for protection/defense
Limited natural resources
Dug irrigation ditches to carry water to fields
Built city walls for defense
Traded surplus goods, cloth, & crafted tools with other people
Advanced Cities• 3,000 BC, Sumerians > 12 cities• City & surrounding land = city-state• Built out of sun-dried mud-brick
• Trade important for Sumerian cities- Traded surplus crops for needed goods- Barter system
• Cultural Diffusion = spread & exchange of ideas & products among cultures
Ashur was a main trade centerArtifacts from Ur
Record-Keeping• Cuneiform – Sumerian writing (“wedge-shaped”)• Stylus – Sharpened reed was used to press symbols into
the clay tablets
Sumerian relief sculpture ~ cuneiform writing
Specialized Workers• Artisans• Scribes
– Prestigious position in Sumerian society– Years of training
• Priests, shopkeepers, traders
Scribe
Edubba, school or “tablet house”
Technology • Wheel • Sail• Plow• Irrigation• Lunar calendar• Number system (geometry,
trig)• Arch, post-and-lintel
construction
Sumerian WheelUsed first for pottery making and later for
transportation
Complex Institutions• 1st to develop governments w/officials & laws• Dynasty – ruling family
- Theocracy – rule by gods or their priests- Priest-kings (“lugals”)
• Tax system
Sumerian votive figures
Sumerian priest
• Sumerian religion = polytheistic– gods represented forces of nature– gods acted like humans, but immortal & all-powerful– Humans were merely servants to gods
• Offerings at ziggurats (temples)
Ziggurat (temple)Demons (ugallu)
• The gods protected Sumerians in life– No help in afterlife
• Souls went to “land of no return”• The richest accounts of
Mesopotamian myths and legends appear in a long poem known as the “Epic of Gilgamesh”
Sumerian Class Structure
Kings, Priests, Wealthy Landowners
Wealthy Merchants & Soldiers
Artisans & Farmers
Slaves
• Become slave by…- Captured as prisoner of war- Sold by parents to pay debts
• Slaves could earn their freedom• Sumerian women were…originally given many rights
– Status decreased over time– Became dominated by men– No education
Sumerian sculptures
Sargon of Akkad
• Sumerians conquered by Sargon of Akkad
• Sargon created kingdom-empire (Babylonian)
• Culture was adopted & adapted by invaders
Hammurabi’s Code• Babylonian Empire reached its
peak during the reign of Hammurabi
• Written collection of laws – These laws regulated all aspects of
life
Statue of Hammurabi
"Hammurabi is a ruler who is as a father to his subjects, who holds the words
of Marduk in reverence, who has achieved conquest for Marduk over the
north and south, who rejects the heart of Marduk, his lord, who has bestowed
benefits for ever and ever on his subjects, and has established order in the land."
Principles of Hammurabi’s Code1) Retaliation (eye for eye)2) Applied to all (except different punishments) 3) Gov’t responsible for maintaining order
(impartial referee)
EGYPT
Egyptians – EnvironmentNile River
Challenges• Flooding
– Too little/much flooding = starvation (can’t farm)
• Deserts– Could lead to
isolation
Solutions & Advantages • Flooding
– Irrigation– Fertile silt– Predictable
• Deserts – Defense– Nile = transportation
& contact
Egyptians – Political Structure • Theocracy (religions &
political ruler) called a Pharaoh
• Upper & Lower Egypt united by Narmer
Egyptians – Belief Systems/Religion• Polytheistic – gods of nature
– Similar to Sumerians• Afterlife
– Mummification • At first only for kings, wealthy
– Pyramids• Buried w/possessions
for afterlife
Egyptians – Social Structure• Similar hierarchy to Sumerians
– Mobility – rose up in ranks if literate• Women = limited rights, dominated
by men– Better than in Sumer or Shang Dynasty
• Slavery existed– BUT…slaves did not necessarily build
the pyramids
Egyptians – Economics/Trade
• Based on agriculture & trade• Why not isolated?
- Access to Mediterranean Sea- Access to Sinai peninsula
Egyptians – Science & Technology
• Papyrus• Calendar• # system• Architecture pyramids, obelisk• Medicine!
Egyptians – Art & Culture
• Religion (polytheism) was big part of life• Jewelry• Pyramids
– Architectural achievement• Valued truth &
justice
Egyptians – Writing & Literature• Hieroglyphics
– Pictographic (pictures to represent objects)
• Primary Document– Book of the Dead (tells of
afterlife)
India – EnvironmentIndus River & Ganges River
Challenges• Monsoons (wind storms)• Flooding
– Unpredictable• Rivers changed course• Too little/much rain• Mountains/deserts =
isolation
Solutions & Advantages• Irrigation – levees built to
control water • Citadels (fortified
structures) for defense/divert flooding
3300 BCE - 2400 BCE
Earliest Civilization = Harappan
Harappan (India) – Political Structure• Planned cities
- Centralized & organized government• Theocracy (religious &
political rule)
Harappan (India)Belief Systems
• Polytheistic• Priests, no temples• Fertility goddesses
Social Structure• No class divisions
Economics/Trade• Extensive trade• Brightly colored
cloth, jewelry
Harappan (India) – Science & Tech• Organized cities (grid system)• Plumbing!
Harappan (India) – Art & Culture
• Toys • Small statues & pottery• Animal figurines• Lacked weapons
- No need for warfare?
Harappan (India) – Writing & Literature• Writing is not deciphered (decoded)• No known primary documents
Decline of Harappan Civ.???• Cities fell into decay – but why?• Possible earthquakes & floods• Over-used soil• Invasion of Aryans
Shang & Zhou China – EnvironmentHuang He (Yellow) & Yangtze Rivers
Challenges• Flooding• Mountains & deserts =
isolation• Only 10% land farmable
Solutions & Advantages• Irrigation• Supplied own goods• Protective walls
Shang & Zhou China – Political Structure• Single ruler - dynasty
Shang & Zhou China – Belief Systems
• Polytheistic• Spirits of ancestors• Oracle bones to interpret gods• Mandate of Heaven = approval
of gods to rule (justified overthrow of dynasties)
Shang & Zhou China – Social Structure
• Elder men superior• Women inferior• Divided btwn nobles & peasants
Shang & Zhou China – Economics/Trade
• Roads & canals for transportation• Coined $• Internal trade
Shang & Zhou China – Science & Tech
• Irrigation• Roads & canals• Coined $• Cast iron
Shang & Zhou China – Art & Culture
• Saw selves as “center of civilization” – superior– Looked down on outsiders
• Strong family bonds• Emphasized order & obedience
Shang & Zhou China – Writing
• Pictographic characters• Not linked to spoken language• Unified the people • No known primary documents