Early River Early River CivilizationsCivilizations

VocabularyVocabulary City-StateCity-State: : Political unit made up of a

city and the surrounding lands. Each city state has its own government, even when it shares a culture with neighboring city states.

DynastyDynasty: Series of rulers from the : Series of rulers from the same family.same family.

Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion: Idea or : Idea or product spreading from one culture product spreading from one culture to another.to another.

PolytheismPolytheism: Belief in many gods.: Belief in many gods.

Overview of river valley civilizationsOverview of river valley civilizations

The river valley civilizations develop The river valley civilizations develop from small farming villages.from small farming villages.

The civilizations create laws, The civilizations create laws, centralized governments, writing centralized governments, writing systems, and advanced systems, and advanced technologies. technologies.

The process of trade spreads new The process of trade spreads new ideas from one civilization to ideas from one civilization to another. another.

4 Early River Valley Civilizations

The The Mesopotamian Mesopotamian

River Valley River Valley

CivilizationCivilization

Mesopotamia – Fertile CrescentMesopotamia – Fertile Crescent

Sumer – The Sumer – The Earliest of the River Earliest of the River Valley CivilizationsValley Civilizations

Sumerian Sumerian Civilization grew up Civilization grew up along the Tigris and along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Euphrates Rivers in what is now what is now Kuwait.Kuwait.

SumerSumer

Tigris River

Current times

Euphrates River – current times

Sumerians invented:Sumerians invented:

Brick technologyBrick technology WheelWheel Base 60 – using the circle . . . 360 degreesBase 60 – using the circle . . . 360 degrees Time – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in Time – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in

a minutea minute 12 month lunar calendar12 month lunar calendar archarch rampramp zigguratziggurat

Sumerian Writing: cuneiform Sumerian Writing: cuneiform

Cuneiform is created by pressing a pointed stylus into a clay tablet.

http://www.upennmuseum.com/cuneiform.cgi

Ziggurat – Holy MountainZiggurat – Holy Mountain

BabyloniansBabylonians

Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code

of Lawof Law

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code History’s first History’s first

known written lawsknown written laws 300 laws 300 laws An “eye for an eye”An “eye for an eye” Punishments varied Punishments varied

according to social according to social status. status.

““If a man stole the property of church or If a man stole the property of church or state, that man shall be put to death;state, that man shall be put to death;

also the one who received the stolen goods also the one who received the stolen goods from his hand shall be put tofrom his hand shall be put to

death.”death.”

Political Impact of Hammurabi’s Political Impact of Hammurabi’s CodeCode

First written code of First written code of laws, laws, • It created a sense of It created a sense of

orderorder• Established a Established a

coherent “rule of coherent “rule of law” which was law” which was independent of independent of ethnic or tribal ethnic or tribal custom or even custom or even familial or familial or monarchical whim. monarchical whim.

Legal Impact of Hammurabi’s Legal Impact of Hammurabi’s codecode

For the first time, For the first time, the notion of a the notion of a separate judiciary separate judiciary as part of the as part of the overall overall governmentgovernment• This is a modern This is a modern

hallmark of modern hallmark of modern democratic democratic governments the governments the world over. world over.

Egyptians invented:Egyptians invented:

HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics PyramidsPyramids GeometryGeometry Advances in medicine and surgeryAdvances in medicine and surgery

HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics

Early Egyptian writing found on Early Egyptian writing found on tombs was indecipherable.tombs was indecipherable.

Hieroglyphics Hieroglyphics

Sacred Carving

No one could read these sacred carvings until Napoleon invaded Egypt and his archaeologists found the Rosetta Stone.

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/rosetta.html

Indus River Valley Indus River Valley 2500 BC – 1500 BC2500 BC – 1500 BC

Around 2600 B.C. Around 2600 B.C. the various regional the various regional cultures were united cultures were united in what is called the in what is called the Indus Valley Indus Valley Civilization. It is also Civilization. It is also commonly referred commonly referred to as the to as the Harappan Harappan culture after the culture after the town of town of HarappaHarappa (where it was first (where it was first discovered.)discovered.)

Comparative TimelineComparative Timeline

Excavations at the ancient Excavations at the ancient Harappan and Mohenjo Daro Harappan and Mohenjo Daro mounds revealed well planned mounds revealed well planned cities and towns built on cities and towns built on massive massive mud brickmud brick platforms platforms that protected the inhabitants that protected the inhabitants against seasonal floods. In the against seasonal floods. In the larger cities the houses were larger cities the houses were built of baked brick while at built of baked brick while at smaller towns most houses smaller towns most houses were built of sun-dried mud were built of sun-dried mud brick. Each city is laid out in a brick. Each city is laid out in a grid patterngrid pattern and shows signs and shows signs of stunningly of stunningly modern modern plumbing systems.plumbing systems.

Much writing has been found at these sites, but it has not yet been translated.

Physical GeographyPhysical Geography Indian subcontinent extends southward from Indian subcontinent extends southward from

central Asia into the Indian Ocean.central Asia into the Indian Ocean. NorthNorthseparated by the rest of Asia by separated by the rest of Asia by

mountain ranges (Himalayas)mountain ranges (Himalayas)• Made it difficult for immigrants and invaders to enter Made it difficult for immigrants and invaders to enter

IndiaIndia• Khyber PassKhyber Passone of the few paths that permitted one of the few paths that permitted

people to cross the mountains into Indiapeople to cross the mountains into India Two RiversTwo Rivers Ganges River and Indus River Ganges River and Indus River SouthSouthhigh plateau called the Deccanhigh plateau called the Deccan WestWestWestern Ghats mountain rangeWestern Ghats mountain range EastEast coastal plain faces the Bay of Bengal coastal plain faces the Bay of Bengal

Early Civilizations in the Indus River Early Civilizations in the Indus River ValleyValley

2500 BC until 1500 BC2500 BC until 1500 BC• Harappan CivilizationHarappan Civilization

Two important cities: Harappa and Mohenjo DaroTwo important cities: Harappa and Mohenjo Daro Both of these cities are large and carefully planned.Both of these cities are large and carefully planned.

• Wide streets cross at right anglesWide streets cross at right angles• Each city had a water system with public baths and Each city had a water system with public baths and

brick sewersbrick sewers• Each city had a citadel (strong central fortress) built on Each city had a citadel (strong central fortress) built on

a brick platform. They were also used storehouses for a brick platform. They were also used storehouses for grain.grain.

• Long-range planningLong-range planning store and distribution of crops store and distribution of crops may suggest crop-destroying floods or threat of may suggest crop-destroying floods or threat of invadersinvaders

• Probably organized around a strong central Probably organized around a strong central governmentgovernment

Early Civilizations in the Indus Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley (cont.)River Valley (cont.)

Rich farmlands surrounded these two Rich farmlands surrounded these two citiescities• Grew cotton, wheat, barley, and riceGrew cotton, wheat, barley, and rice• Raised cattle, sheep, pigs, and goatsRaised cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats• Built canals and ditches to irrigate fieldsBuilt canals and ditches to irrigate fields• Surplus crops were stored or used for tradeSurplus crops were stored or used for trade

Written languageWritten languagepictographspictographs• Scholars today still cannot read theseScholars today still cannot read these

Early Civilizations in the Indus Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley (cont.)River Valley (cont.)

ReligionReligion• Probably worshipped a great godProbably worshipped a great god• Used the bull, buffalo, and tiger in religious Used the bull, buffalo, and tiger in religious

ritualsrituals• Mother goddessMother goddess fertility fertility• May have held religious ceremonies in May have held religious ceremonies in

their homes or in outdoor locations like their homes or in outdoor locations like scared trees.scared trees.

• We have not been able to find any We have not been able to find any temples, shrines, or religious writingstemples, shrines, or religious writings

Early Civilizations in the Indus Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley (cont.)River Valley (cont.)

Why did this civilization disappear?Why did this civilization disappear?• EvidenceEvidence Several unburied skeletons are Several unburied skeletons are

found along with homes and possessions found along with homes and possessions being abandoned.being abandoned.

• Do not know for sure however there are Do not know for sure however there are some theories:some theories:

Floods could have destroyed this settlement or Floods could have destroyed this settlement or made it difficult to grow food.made it difficult to grow food.

Some evidence suggests possible violence from Some evidence suggests possible violence from invading forcesinvading forces

Some evidence suggests a major earthquake in Some evidence suggests a major earthquake in 1700 BC1700 BC

Fertile Crescent Changes HandsFertile Crescent Changes Hands

This area was taken over numerous This area was taken over numerous times due to its lack of natural times due to its lack of natural barriersbarriers

It was first taken over by the Hittites, It was first taken over by the Hittites, then by the Assyriansthen by the Assyrians

After the Assyrians, came the After the Assyrians, came the ChaldeansChaldeans

AssyrianAssyrian ContributionsContributions Established many permanent Established many permanent

roads to facilitate troop roads to facilitate troop movement.movement.

Established the first postal system Established the first postal system to facilitate communications.to facilitate communications.

Hired many of its soldiers from Hired many of its soldiers from foreign lands and paid them foreign lands and paid them based on success (Mercenaries)based on success (Mercenaries)

ChaldeansChaldeans

Famous for the Famous for the Hanging Hanging GardensGardens

Most famous Most famous King was King was NebuchadnezzarNebuchadnezzar

Studied Studied astronomy astronomy

Conquered by Conquered by the Persiansthe Persians

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

Prominent tradersProminent traders SeafarersSeafarers Developed an alphabet that Developed an alphabet that

was passed on to the was passed on to the GreeksGreeks

Famous for “Famous for “purplepurple”” Absorbed into other culturesAbsorbed into other cultures

The Phoenicians The Phoenicians needed a way of needed a way of recording recording transactions clearly transactions clearly and quickly.and quickly.

So they developed So they developed a writing system a writing system that used symbols that used symbols to represent to represent sounds.sounds.

I’m hooked on Phonics!