Warm-Up

What does MMCMXCIV mean?

What is the difference between History and

Prehistory?

What are the 4 Early Civilizations? What river(s)

helped them thrive in their locations? (Fill in your

Ancient Civ maps if you haven’t done so already)

Four Early Civilizations

I. Geography

A. Mesopotamia1. First civilization formed between the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers 2. Fertile Crescent had easily domesticated plants and

animals 3. Location was ideal for cultural diffusion- spreading

of ideas, beliefs, customs, languages, skills, and technology

I. Geography

B. Egypt1. Formed around the Nile river delta- mouth of river2. Natural defenses of desert, Mediterranean Sea, and

unnavigable river

I. Geography

C. China1. Formed on east coast of China around the Yangzi and

Yellow (Huang He) rivers 2. Long distance from other civilizations because of

mountains and desert to the West

I. Geography

D. India1. Formed around the Indus River in the Indian

subcontinent2. Monsoons - seasonal winds and rain

II. Organization

A. Cities1. Larger than

villages with diverse populations and formal organization

2. Centers of trade3. City-state- a

political unit based on a city government and the land around that it controlled

II. Organization

B. Government1. Ruled by kings who

formed dynasties- rulers come from one family

a. Egypt was ruled by pharaohs- kings who were believed to be descended from the gods

b. Chinese believed in the dynastic cycle- Gods granted the Mandate of Heaven but took it away if a dynasty became corrupt

II. Organization

2. Usually close connection b/w religion and government: theocracy- rule by religious figures

3. Complex governments developed bureaucracies- structured, organized gov’t run by trained officials

Warm-Up

Write 3 Questions AND Answers that you think might be on the a quiz.

III. Society

A. Social Classes1. Kings and priests2. Large landowners and

wealthy merchants3. Artisans (skilled

craftspeople), farmers, laborers

4. Slaves Ex: Indians developed

a caste system with little social mobility

III. Society

B. Religion and Philosophy1. Most early religions were polytheistic- worship of

many gods2. First formalized religion was Hinduism (India)

III. Society

3. Hebrews (in Mesopotamia) developed monotheistic religion- Judaism

4. Chinese philosophya. Confucianism-

emphasized respecting authority, honoring family/ancestors, and tradition

b. Daoism- force that connects all things in nature, balance of all things in yin and yang

IV. Expression

Writing Earliest writing systems

were cuneiform (Sumer) and hieroglyphics (Egypt)

Hammurabi’s Code- first written legal code (Babylon)

Phoenicians- developed the first alphabet

Hammurabi’s Code

2

   If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.

  14    If any one steal the minor son of another, he shall be put to death.  195

   If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.

196

   If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. [ An eye for an eye ]

Hammurabi’s Code

211

   If a woman of the free class lose her child by a blow, he shall pay five shekels in money.

218

   If a physician make a large incision with the operating knife, and kill him, or open a tumor with the operating knife, and cut out the eye, his hands shall be cut off.

229

   If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

IV. Expression

Art and Architecture At the heart of each Sumerian city was a ziggurat- a

pyramid-shaped temple Egyptians built pyramids- tombs for pharaohs