Mesopotamia and Mesopotamia and Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt

Ch. 10Ch. 10

Sec. 1Sec. 1

Pp. 300-305Pp. 300-305

CivilizationCivilization

►Def. – a term that describes highly Def. – a term that describes highly developed cultures with cities, developed cultures with cities, organized governments and religions, organized governments and religions, and systems of writingand systems of writing

►They have specialized workers, and They have specialized workers, and use technology and metals.use technology and metals.

►Earliest civilization was the Bronze Earliest civilization was the Bronze Age. People mixed copper and tin to Age. People mixed copper and tin to make tools and weapons.make tools and weapons.

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

► Located in the Fertile Located in the Fertile Crescent, between the Crescent, between the Tigris and Euphrates Tigris and Euphrates RiversRivers

► Around 4500 B.C., Around 4500 B.C., wandering people wandering people settled here and began settled here and began farmingfarming

► Built walls and irrigation Built walls and irrigation systemssystems

► Created 12-month Created 12-month calendar and invented calendar and invented the plowthe plow

What Country is it Today?What Country is it Today?

►Iraq!Iraq!

SumerSumer

►Built cities that held Built cities that held up to 40,000 peopleup to 40,000 people

►Sumer was a city-Sumer was a city-state (a city that state (a city that was a small state or was a small state or nation) located nation) located where the Tigris where the Tigris and Euphrates run and Euphrates run closest to each closest to each other.other.

SumerSumer

►Trade made Trade made them them wealthywealthy

►Invented the Invented the wheel and wheel and sailboatsailboat

Mesopotamian ReligionMesopotamian Religion

► A ziggurat (a large, A ziggurat (a large, step-like tower) was step-like tower) was at the center of each at the center of each citycity

► They believed that They believed that the city’s chief god the city’s chief god or goddess lived in or goddess lived in the temple at the topthe temple at the top

► Only priests could Only priests could enter the templeenter the temple

Mesopotamian Religion and Mesopotamian Religion and GovernmentGovernment

► PolytheismPolytheism – – worship of many worship of many gods and goddesses gods and goddesses

► TheocracyTheocracy – – government government controlled by controlled by religious leaders religious leaders

►Q: Are there any Q: Are there any countries with countries with theocracies today?theocracies today?

First System of WritingFirst System of Writing

► Sumerians were first Sumerians were first to write down laws to write down laws and keep lists and and keep lists and recordsrecords

► CuneiformCuneiform – writing – writing made up of hundreds made up of hundreds of markings shaped of markings shaped like wedgeslike wedges

► Taught writing in Taught writing in tablet houses, but tablet houses, but only the wealthy went only the wealthy went therethere

Epic of GilgameshEpic of Gilgamesh► It was the world’s It was the world’s

first known storyfirst known story►King Gilgamesh King Gilgamesh

and Enkidu travel and Enkidu travel around performing around performing brave deedsbrave deeds

►When Enkidu dies, When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh Gilgamesh searches for a way searches for a way to live foreverto live forever

Akkad and BabylonAkkad and Babylon

► Around 2300 B.C., Around 2300 B.C., Akkad conquers SumerAkkad conquers Sumer

► World’s first World’s first empire empire (group of states under (group of states under one ruler)one ruler)

► Hammurabi was Hammurabi was Babylon’s greatest Babylon’s greatest rulerruler

► Developed 60 min. Developed 60 min. hour, 60 sec. min., and hour, 60 sec. min., and 360360° circle° circleSargon, King of Akkad

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

►He took what he He took what he thought were best thought were best laws from other laws from other city-states and city-states and applied it to his applied it to his empireempire

►Carved in stone and Carved in stone and placed where placed where people could see people could see themthem

A New BabylonA New Babylon

► After Hammurabi’s After Hammurabi’s death, empire split death, empire split into smaller into smaller territoriesterritories

► Chaldeans, under Chaldeans, under King King Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt Babylonrebuilt Babylon

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

►Trade spread ideas Trade spread ideas and cultureand culture

►Phoenicians were Phoenicians were located in Lebanonlocated in Lebanon

►Their alphabet Their alphabet gave rise to the gave rise to the Hebrew, Greek, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and Latin alphabetsalphabets

Egypt – Gift of the NileEgypt – Gift of the Nile

► Developed along the Developed along the Nile River valleyNile River valley

► DeltaDelta – fan-shaped – fan-shaped fertile areafertile area

► Protected from Protected from invasion by desert, invasion by desert, sea, and Nile’s sea, and Nile’s cataracts (waterfalls)cataracts (waterfalls)

► Annual floods Annual floods produced rich soilproduced rich soil

The PharaohThe Pharaoh

► 3100 B.C. – Upper and Lower Egypt were unified 3100 B.C. – Upper and Lower Egypt were unified by Narmerby Narmer

► PharaohPharaoh – “great house” – “great house”► Considered a god, he was the center of their lifeConsidered a god, he was the center of their life

ReligionReligion

►Their gods Their gods stood for some stood for some part of naturepart of nature

►Re – sun godRe – sun god►Hapi – river godHapi – river god►Horus – sky godHorus – sky god Thoth, Arbitrator between Good and Evil

ReligionReligion

►Believed soul Believed soul could not exist could not exist without the body, without the body, so they so they embalmed and embalmed and mummified them.mummified them.

►PyramidsPyramids – large – large tombs of the tombs of the pharaohspharaohs

Trade and ConquestTrade and Conquest

► Conquered by the Conquered by the Hyksos around 1700 Hyksos around 1700 B.C.B.C.

► Gave the Egyptians Gave the Egyptians bronze and iron bronze and iron weapons and the weapons and the chariotchariot

► Egypt conquered Kush Egypt conquered Kush (Sudan) and Punt (Sudan) and Punt (Somalia)(Somalia)

► Traded with Greeks and Traded with Greeks and PhoeniciansPhoenicians

Egyptian WritingEgyptian Writing

►HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics – form of writing in which – form of writing in which pictures are used for words and soundspictures are used for words and sounds

► PapyrusPapyrus – Nile plant the Egyptians turned – Nile plant the Egyptians turned into paperinto paper

Mathematics and MedicineMathematics and Medicine

►Number system based on tenNumber system based on ten►Used fractions and whole numbersUsed fractions and whole numbers►Developed geometryDeveloped geometry►Used splints, bandages, and Used splints, bandages, and

compressescompresses►Sewed up cuts and set broken bonesSewed up cuts and set broken bones►Remedies for hair loss and indigestionRemedies for hair loss and indigestion