Unit 3North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and TimesThe region’s history includes Fertile Crescent and Egyptian civilizations, the birth of three major religions, and the spread of Muslim empires.

Emperor Hammurabi receives a code of laws from the god Shamash, patron of justice.

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North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and Times

Physical GeographySECTION 1

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

SECTION 2

Ancient EgyptSECTION 3

Birthplace of Three ReligionsSECTION 4

Muslim EmpiresSECTION 5

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Section 1

Physical GeographyWater and the lack of it has shaped this region of flooding rivers, little rainfall, and surrounding seas.

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Physical Geography1SECTION

Rivers and Deserts

Water’s Importance• Little rain falls, so water and lack of water

shapes region- in area’s deserts, water is only found in oasis areas

• Annual river flooding makes some areas’ soil fertile—productive- fertile soil has nutrients to help plants grow

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Three RiversFrom Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers• Hunter-gatherers hunt, fish, and gather wild

grain, fruit, nuts- humans have been hunter-gatherers 99% of their time on Earth

• Hunter-gatherers eventually settle, raise animals, crops- first areas settled include Nile, Tigris, Euphrates river valleys

• Nile flows from east central Africa through Egypt• Tigris, Euphrates flow from southeast Turkey

into Persian Gulf

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continued Three Rivers

How Rivers Enrich the Soil• Rivers allow farming in region’s salty, sandy soil• Melted snow from Ethiopian mountains floods Nile• Melted snow in Turkish highlands floods Tigris,

Euphrates• Floods leave behind fertile soil

Irrigation• To get water from rivers to farms, farmers develop

irrigation- irrigation—methods of bringing water to dry land

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Surrounding WatersTrade Routes• Mild climate of land around Mediterranean Sea

attracts settlers- early civilizations form on eastern shores

• Red Sea is historically an important trade route for goods, ideas

• Persian Gulf also important trade route- important today because it is in the middle of oil-rich region

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continued Surrounding Waters

Energy from an Ancient Sea• Huge sea covered region millions of years ago• Sea creatures’ bodies sank to bottom, were

covered by mud, sand• Over time, heat and pressure turn dead matter

into petroleum, or oil

Turkey• Turkey is cooler then rest of region, gets more

rain• Has grasslands, forest areas

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Section 2

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile CrescentAncient Mesopotamia’s complex civilization, based on city-states, develops a code of laws and a written language.

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The Mesopotamian City-State

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

The Fertile Crescent• Hammurabi—ancient Mesopotamian emperor,

ruled 1792–1750 B.C.• Mesopotamia—Greek for “land between the

rivers”• Covers area of Iraq, parts of Syria, Turkey• Region called Fertile Crescent due to shape,

fertile soil

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continued The Mesopotamian City-State

City-States• Sumerians—first inhabitants form city-states

around 3000 B.C.• City-state—city and areas it controls• Three challenges influence development of city-

states:- high walls protect from hostile invaders- irrigation canals provide water to area with little rainfall- allow safe trading of grain, dates, cloth for stones, metals, timber

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continued The Mesopotamian City-State

Government by Priests and Kings• Each city-state builds temple to specific

guardian god- temple is built on ziggurat—pyramid-shaped tower

• City-states are first ruled by temple priests, then elected leaders- leaders later become kings

• Kings control politics, military; priests control religion, economy

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continued The Mesopotamian City-State

From Kings to Emperors• Sometimes kings conquer other city-states

- let conquered city-states keep gods, local control• Some kings build empires from conquered lands

- empire—group of countries under one ruler’s control- force conquered people to worship emperor as god

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The Class SystemThe Three Classes• Mesopotamia has class system—society

divided into social groups- each group, or class, has certain rights, protections

• Top class: kings, priests, rich property owners• Middle class: skilled workers, merchants,

farmers• Bottom class: slave workers

- some captured in wars, others sold into slavery to pay debts

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A Culture Based on WritingCuneiform• Cuneiform—one of first systems of writing,

developed by Sumerians- used to write lists, records, histories, religious beliefs, science

• Most Sumerians cannot write; scribes trained to keep records

Educating Scribes• Most scribes are children of rich officials,

priests, merchants• Boys, some girls attend “tablet houses”—scribe

schools• Memorize 600 wedge-shaped characters

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continued A Culture Based on Writing

Scribes Played Many Roles• Scribes also write own literary, scientific works

- some women write lullabies, love songs• Traveling scribes share writings from other

countries• Scribes read works out loud to audiences• Stories include tales from The Epic of Gilgamesh

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Section 3

Ancient EgyptThe civilization of the ancient Egyptians developed in response to both its desert environment and the flooding waters of the Nile River.

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3SECTION

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt and the Nile

The River in the Sand• Greek historian Herodotus calls Egypt “the gift of

the Nile”• Most of Egypt is desert, which discourages

invaders- Nile is called “the river in the sand”

• Egyptians, farmers plan their year around Nile flooding- but cannot predict amount of flooding each year- low floods limit crops; high floods destroy fields, homes

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continued Ancient Egypt and the Nile

Taming the Nile• Build canals to carry water from river to dry areas• Strengthen riverbanks to prevent overflow• Use Nile to travel between cities; build boats,

harbors, ports• Nile made trade profitable, removed need for

many roads

The Nile’s Gifts• Nile mud used for pottery, bricks• Papyrus—paperlike material from papyrus plant

found in Nile marshes

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The Great BuildersThe Pyramids• Idea of afterlife important to life, culture• Build huge temples, monuments, pyramids—

four triangular sides• Pyramids built as afterlife palaces for

pharaohs—kings

Materials and Labor• Pyramids built with large blocks of stone, capped

with gold• Builders use hieroglyphics—write with

pictographs for words, sounds• All families help with dangerous work, as laborers,

food providers

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The Pharaoh and the GodsReligion in Daily Life• Pharaoh considered to be son of sun god Re,

linked to sky god Horus- Pharoah is Egypt’s main judge, commander, religious figure

• Temples built to honor major gods, local gods, pharaohs- only priests carried out temple rituals

• Most citizens pray, make offerings in other buildings, home shrines

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continued The Pharaoh and the Gods

Preparing for the Afterlife• Average citizens are not buried in pyramids• Family members bury relatives, tend to their

spirits- preserve bodies from decay by mummifying them- fill tombs with items for dead to use- decorate tombs with art- make regular offerings to honor dead

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Section 4

Birthplace of Three ReligionsSouthwest Asia was the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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Birthplace of Three Religions

Three ReligionsJerusalem• City has been home for centuries to Jews,

Christians, Muslims• Each group believes in only one god—

monotheism- Sumerians, Egyptians believe in many gods—polytheism

• Each religion was begun by single person, has sacred writings

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Abraham and the Origin of JudaismYahweh and Abraham• Hebrews, first monotheists, believe Yahweh spoke to

Abraham- has him leave Mesopotamian Ur, settle in Canaan (now Israel)

• Abraham’s descendants are Jews; religion is Judaism

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continued Abraham and the Origin of Judaism

How Judaism Adapted over Time• In 586 B.C., Babylonians destroy Jews’ First

Temple in Jerusalem- Jews are exiled to Babylon

• Persians take over Mesopotamia 50 years later- Jews return to Jerusalem, rebuild Temple

• Jerusalem, Temple destroyed when Jews fight Roman rule in A.D. 66

• Most Jews live outside Jerusalem for next 1,800 years

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Jesus and the Birth of ChristianityEarly Life• Around 8 to 4 B.C., Jewish boy Jesus born in

Bethlehem, Palestine• According to Bible’s Gospels, written decades after

his death:- grew up in Galilee, baptized at age 30 by cousin John the Baptist- for 3 years, preaches love, forgiveness; performs miracles- 12 disciples, other followers believe he is Jewish Messiah—savior- called Christ—Greek for messiah; followers called Christians

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continued Jesus and the Birth of Christianity

Final Days• Some government, religious leaders feel Jesus,

followers are threat- in Jerusalem, Jesus betrayed by disciple, Judas Iscariot- arrested, tried, crucified; disciples believe he was resurrected

Beginnings of Christianity• Disciples spread Jesus’ teachings and belief he

was Jewish Messiah• Christianity develops from Jewish roots, spreads

around world• Today, few Christians live in Southwest Asia

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Muhammad, the Prophet of IslamThe Region’s Third Monotheistic Religion• Muhammad born in Mecca around A.D. 570

- founder of Islam—religion with one god, whose prophet is Muhammad- Muslim—believer in Islam

• Muslims believe that around 610, Muhammad is commanded by a voice

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continued Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam

Muhammad’s Teachings• Muhammad believes angel Gabriel tells him the

will of God- Gabriel sends him revelations over next 22 years

• Revelations later collected into Qur’an—sacred text of Islam

• Muhammad shares divine messages, criticizes rich of Mecca

• Mecca’s leaders try to kill Muhammad• In 622, Muhammad, followers escape to nearby

Medina

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Section 5

Muslim EmpiresIslamic beliefs and culture spread out Southwest Asia and much of the world

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Muslim Empires

The Five Pillars of IslamReligious Duties• Five Pillars of Islam—Muslims’ important

religious duties- these duties unite Muslims around the world

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Muslim EmpiresConquest, Trade, and Learning• After Muhammad’s death, a caliph is chosen to

succeed him• Caliphs form caliphate—empire—as theocracy,

ruled by religious leader• Caliphate’s vast trading system spreads Islamic

ideas, artwork• In early Middle Ages, Muslims save important

books, papers- preserve ancient world’s knowledge, later studied by Europeans

Islam in Europe• Muslims conquer Spain, but stopped in 732 at

Tours by Charles Martel

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The Ottoman EmpireSuleiman, “The Magnificent”• Muslim Ottoman Empire controls Turkey, other

parts of region- ruled by sultans from capital Constantinople(now Istanbul)

• Sultans tolerate other religions• In 1500s Suleiman I creates code of laws for

system of justice- called “The Magnificent” by Christians, “The Lawgiver” by Muslims

• Under Suleiman I, Empire is richest, most powerful in region, Europe

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Slaves and SoldiersThe Janissaries• Many male slaves in Empire are soldiers• Janissaries—special group of soldiers loyal to

sultan- developed in late 1300s out of slave forces

• So powerful by 1660s, sultans feared them• Attacked sultan in 1826

- 6,000 Janissaries are killed; sultan disbands force

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The Decline of the Ottoman EmpireWeakening in the 1800s• Empire constantly fights wars, grows weak

- cannot compete with industrialized trade- comes close to bankruptcy in 1800s

• Sultan Mehmed V on losing side of WWI, gives up Arab lands

• By 1924, Ottoman Empire is replaced by modern Turkey

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