ancient river valley civilizations -...
TRANSCRIPT
Permanent Settlements
• During the New Stone Age, permanent settlements appeared in river valleys and around the Fertile Crescent.
• River valleys provided rich soil for crops, as well as protection from invasion.
River valley civilizations (about
3500 to 500 B.C.)
• Mesopotamian civilization —Tigris and
Euphrates River Valleys (Southwest Asia)
River valley civilizations (about
3500 to 500 B.C.)
• Egyptian
civilization
—Nile River
Valley and
Delta
(Africa)
River valley civilizations (about
3500 to 500 B.C.)
• Indian
civilization
—Indus
River Valley
(South Asia)
River valley civilizations (about
3500 to 500 B.C.)
• Chinese
civilization —
Huang He
Valley (East
Asia) “Yellow
River.”
• These river valleys offered rich
soils for agriculture, and they
tended to be in locations easily
protected from invasion by
nomadic peoples.
Other early civilizations (about
2000 to 500 B.C.)
• The Phoenicians settled along the
Mediterranean coast (part of Fertile
Crescent in Southwest Asia)
Phoenician City-States • In about 1100 B.C. the Phoenicians were the
most powerful traders in the Mediterranean
region.
• They founded city-states around the
Mediterranean Basin, rather than a single
country.
Sea Traders • The Phoenicians were remarkable shipbuilders
and seafarers.
• They were the first Mediterranean people to sail
beyond the Strait of Gibraltar.
• They may have even sailed around the entire
continent of Africa.
• The Phoenicians’ most important city-states
were Tyre and Sidon.
• Tyre and Sidon were known for their production
of red-purple dye.
• They traded goods they obtained from other
lands such as wine, weapons, precious metals,
ivory and slaves.
Phoenician Alphabet
• The Phoenicians
developed a writing
system that used
symbols to represent
sounds so they could
record transactions.
• They introduced the
writing system to their
trading partners, and it
was adopted by the
Greeks.
Other early civilizations (about
2000 to 500 B.C.)
• Nubia was
located on the
upper (southern)
Nile River
(Africa).
“Cradles of Civilization”
• River valleys were the "Cradles of
Civilization." Early civilizations made
major contributions to social, political, and
economic progress.
Other early civilizations (about
2000 to 500 B.C.)
• Hebrews settled
between the
Mediterranean Sea
and the Jordan
River Valley (part
of the Fertile
Crescent in
Southwest Asia).
• The monotheism of Abraham
became the foundation of
Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam—religions that changed
the world.
• The Hebrews were the first to
become monotheists.
Origins of Judaism
• According to the
Torah – God chose
Abraham to be the
“father” of the
Hebrews.
• Abraham – Shepherd
who lived in Ur,
Mesopotamia.
Wandering of Abraham
• God commanded Abraham to move to Canaan.
• Eventually Abraham moved to Egypt and then
back to Canaan.
Geography
• Palestine – eastern
coast of the
Mediterranean Sea.
• Strategically located
on the sea and
among empires.
• South of the
Phoenician
homeland.
Judaism
• Yahweh – God of the Hebrews.
• According to Genesis – Yahweh
made a pact with Abraham called a
covenant.
• Covenant – promises between God
and the Hebrews to remain loyal to
one another.
Exodus
• 1500 – 1200 B.C. –
Hebrews lived in
harmony in Egypt at
first.
• Eventually forced into
slavery.
• Exodus – Hebrews
flee Egypt.
Cannan
• Land promised to the
Hebrew people,
according to the Old
Testament.
• Palestine, was the
ancient home of the
Hebrews – ancient
name for the Jews.
Moses
• According to the
Bible – God told
Moses to lead the
Hebrews out of
Egypt.
• Moses – Hebrew
who was raised by
wealthy Egyptians.
Mount Sinai -
• Mountain in south central Arabia.
• Moses climbed to the top to pray.
• Is said to have talked to God.
• Returned from the mountain with the Ten Commandments.
Ten Commandments
• Principles of the
Hebrew Bible that
God gave Moses
on Mount Sinai.
• Became the basis
for the civil and
religious laws of
Judaism.
Exile
• According to the
Hebrew scriptures,
they disobeyed God’s
law and were
defeated by Assyrians
and Neo-Babylonians.
• The Jews were
Exiled from their land
and taken to Babylon.
• While the Jews were in exile, the teachings
of Judaism spread.
• Later the Persian King Cyrus the Great
allowed the Jews to return to Palestine and
rebuild Jerusalem.
Diaspora • Afterward the Jews
were dominated by
the Greeks and
Romans.
• As result of constant
rebellions, the Jews
were scattered from
their homeland again.
• This Diaspora, further
spread the teachings
of Judaism.
Development of social patterns
• Hereditary rulers (dynasties of kings,
pharaohs)
• Early society had a rigid class system,
where slavery was accepted.
Development of political patterns
• World’s first states (city-states, kingdoms,
empires)
• Centralized government (often based on
religious authority)
Development of Economic
Patterns
• Metal tools and weapons (bronze, iron)
• Increasing agricultural surplus (better
tools, plows, irrigation)
Development of Economic
Patterns
• Increasing trade along rivers and
by sea (Phoenicians)
• Development of the world’s first
cities
• Specialization of labor
Religion
Development of religious traditions
• Polytheism was practiced by most early
civilizations.
• Monotheism was practiced by the
Hebrews.