River Valley and Coastal Civilizations of the Middle East

Dr. East 9/26/2014

About Roman Numerals and Outlining

Preview

• If you were on a carnival cruise that was inexplicably stranded on uninhabited and uncharted island (meaning no one could find you), how you and the other 1500 passengers survive?

• ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neolithic River Valley Civilizations (3500 B.C. to 500 B.C)

• Why did ancient civilizations develop in river valleys or along warm coastlines?

• Ans=These river valleys offered rich soil and irrigation water for agriculture, and they tended to be in locations easily protected from invasion by nomadic peoples. Coastlines often had excellent fishing.

• Where were the earliest civilizations located during this time period? See. Pg. 27 in book.

5 Characteristics of Civilizations

• Draw with me!

Commonalities Amongst the Early Civilizations We Discuss

• Use of metal (e.g., bronze, iron) tools and weapons• Increasing agricultural surplus: Better tools, plows,

irrigation• Increasing trade along rivers and by sea (Phoenicians)• Social organization was often rigid with caste system of

society• Economies and labor often dependent upon slavery• Development of the world’s first cities– Catalhuyuk - Jericho -Aleppo– Ur -Jerusalem

Mesopotamian Civilizations: Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys (Southwest

Asia/Middle East)• Sumerians

– Developments in Writing: from Pictographs to Cuneiform – Turn to pg. 20-21 and write down how Cuneiform was created

and preserved. • Babylonians (later day people in region)

– Developments In Written Law: Code of Hammurabi– Examine pg. 23 and your answers to questions 5 and 7.

• Polytheistic beliefs in many gods • Societies organized around warring City-States• Centralized Governments and Ruling Dynasties (Hereditary

Rulers)• Slavery is Common• Cultural Diffusion of ideas through trade all over Fertile

Crescent

• Prepare together for a Map QUIZ this class! – Study your map of places and regions. – Early Neolithic Cities:

• Catal Huyuk, Aleppo, Jericho, Stonehenge

– Rivers and Regions: • Fertile Crescent (River Names and Locations: Jordan R., Tigris R.,

Euphrates R.)• Mesopotamia (as opposed to whole Fertile Crescent, smaller area just

around Tigris and Euphrates)• Sumer civilization (base of Mesopotamia near Persian Gulf, see pg. 30)

– Seas – Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf– Modern Day nations: Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Iran

Egyptian and Nubian Civilizations• Along the Nile River

Valley (longest in world) in Modern day Egypt and Sudan on the continent of Africa

• What “gifts” did the Nile bring? (pg. 35)

• What were risks of life alongside the Nile? (pg. 35-36)

Egyptian civilizations: Nile River Valley and Nile Delta (Africa)

• Nubia was located on the upper (southern) below the first cataract (place where boulders narrow the river) of the Nile River (Africa).

• Egyptian villages as far back as 5000 B.C., united into civilization by 3200 B.C.

• Home of Pharaohs (rulers who where thought to be gods• Polytheistic society with a theocratic government because

Pharaohs ruled as Gods• Home of Pyramids (resting place of deceased rulers) • History of Egypt spans 2900 years and 31 ruling dynasties until they

were invaded by the Philistines and Kushites after 1000 B.C.• OLD KINGDOM (2660 – 2040 B.C) – Age of Great Pyramids, like that at

Giza• MIDDLE KINGDOM (2040 – 1640 B.C.) – Built a canal to the Red Sea,

created 1000’s acres of new farmland in the lower Nile by draining swamps

• NEW KINGDOM (1640 – 1075 B.C) – Age of Ramses II and building of cliff statues at Valley of Kings.

Common Characteristics of Egyptian Civilization

• Practiced mummification – preservation of their dead• Had important developments in Writing: • Pictograph style writing called, Hieroglyphics• Written initially on stone and then later on Papyrus (a

paper-like strip made of reeds)• Developed a 365 day calendar with 12 months• Excelled in geometric calculations – evidence the Pyramids• Slavery is common … used all this people power to make

the pyramids

Hieroglyphics

Assignment: Create Google Doc on the following topics

• Today each person works on their own, store your “findings” in a google doc and share with me, margaret.east@apsva.us , Thurs. you collaborate as team to create a short Google presentation that you’ll show the class.

• Mummification Practices – Diego, Carlos, Julian, Nadia, and Ayelyn

• Famous Tombs & Statues, Esp. Valley of Kings and Abu Simbel– Angel, Reid, Spencer, Rimon, Steven

• Egyptian Gods/Goddesses– Vanessa, Quinn, Henry, Amaya, Fernando

• Pyramid Building Practices, Esp. Pyramids of Giza– Hojin, Gizzel, Fernando, Yanara, Miki

• Technology (not medical or pyramids…sailing, farming, irrigation, science, etc.)– Oliver, Gabriela, Michelle, Arianna

Mediterranean Coastal Civilizations:

Minoans and Phoenicians• Minoans and Crete (2000 – 1400

B.C.)– King Minos and minotaur

• Phoenicians (near Modern Lebanon, in land eventually called Palestine) (1100 B.C. – until absorbed by other kingdoms)– Ship builders and seafarers– Developments in writing: Our

alphabet developed from theirs• Traders all along the coasts to

Gibraltar and Red Sea

Location of Palestine (Home of Hebrews & Phoenicians)

Hebrews, Judaism, and Influence on Western Civilization

• Monotheistic– Leaders: Abraham and Moses

• Jerusalem ancient city in Modern Day Israel

• Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Judaism– Belief in one God (monotheism)– Torah, which contains the written

records and beliefs of the Jews– Ten Commandments, which state

moral and religious conduct, received by Moses

• Spread of Judaism– Exile– Diaspora

Your Next Quiz!