U1LG2 - River Valley Civilizations (Egypt & Mesopotamia)

Unit 1: Learning Goal 2: Analyze how geography affected the development of the River Valley Civilizations and describe the political and technological advances made in the River Valley Civilizations. (TEKS/SE’s 15B,16A,B, 19A,27A) What is my goal?

How am I going to achieve this goal?

Egypt had natural barriers-desert, Red Sea, cataracts (rapids) on the Nile and the Mediterranean Sea -helped to protect Egypt from invasion.

This gave the Egyptian people a spirit of confidence.

Nile River is the longest river in the world major branches (4,000 miles). Splits into 2 Lower Egypt – Nile Delta Upper Egypt. – Land upstream to the South Yearly flooding important for growing crops. Nile was also important for transportation.

Religion: Polytheistic - had sun gods and land gods, Sun= Atum/Re (human body/head of a falcon), the Egyptian ruler took the title = Son of Re

Osiris=river god, brought civilization to Egypt Isis =land god, married to Osiris Seth=Osiris’s evil brother, cut Osiris into 14 parts and tossed the parts into the Nile. Isis with the help of other gods brought Osiris back to life. Osiris took on an important role as a symbol of resurrection.

Seth Isis Osiris ruled the realm of the dead.

The Egyptian dead were placed in tombs, kings were placed in pyramids. It was thought that the dead would be reborn. The flooding of the Nile and the new life it brought to Egypt were symbolized by Isis’s bringing Osiris back to life.

Egyptian History: Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom During these periods there was long term stability, strong leadership, freedom from invasion, the building of temples and pyramids, and considerable intellectual and cultural activity.

The Intermediate periods were between the periods of stability and were ages of political chaos and invasion.

The first Egyptian dynasty was begun around 3100 B.C by Menes, the king, when he united Upper and Lower Egypt into a single kingdom.

dynasty is a family of rulers whose right to rule is passed on within the family.

A white=upper Egypt red=lower Egypt Double crown=unite d kingdom

Old Kingdom: Pharaoh - “great house/palace” is the title that the Egyptian monarchs used.

Pharaohs had absolute power but a bureaucracy (an administrative organization with officials and regular procedures developed). An important office was whole land”) who was responsible for the bureaucracy.

vizier (“the steward of the

Pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom. These pyramids were built as burial places for the dead pharaohs ka could return.

, their families and pharaoh’s officials. The tombs contained all types of supplies and food for the dead pharaohs because the Egyptians believed that human beings had 2 bodies (physical/spiritual which they called the ka). If the physical body was properly preserved and the tomb furnished with objects of regular life, then the

Bodies of pharaohs and wealthy Egyptians were mummified (process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from rotting). First the liver, lungs, stomach and intestines were removed and placed in four special jars that were placed in the tomb.

The brain was also removed by extracting it through the nose. Then they covered the body with a natural salt that absorbed the body’s water.

Society in Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh Nobles, priests (ran the government) Merchants, artisans, scribes, (“middle class”) carried on trade Largest number worked the land of the nobles, paid taxes in the for of crops and provided military service.

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: •Married young (girls/12, boys/14) •Monogamy (marriage to 1 person) unless wife couldn’t have children •Husband master of the house, wife in charge of the household and education of children •Women’s property remained w/them even in marriage •Some women operated businesses •Marriages were arranged, only sons could carry on the family name, could get a divorce

Geography Rivers Natural Barriers Religion Government Social Structure Economy Writing Mesopotamia Egypt Fertile Crescent Africa Tigris/Euphrates Nile Flat plains Deserts, seas, cataracts on Nile Polytheistic City-states, Theocracy. kings Nobles, commoners, slaves Farming/trade cuneiform Polytheistic Rural villages, dynasties, kings Upper class, merchants, artisans, peasants Farming/trade hieroglyphics

MESOPOTAMIA Mesopotamia- The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (now Southern Iraq) overflowed their banks and deposited fertile silt. Good for farming.

Ancient Mesopotamia: cities include:Assyria, Akkad, Sumer

FERTILE CRESCENT: Fertile Crescent: an arc of land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Irrigation and drainage ditches provided water control which made it possible to grow crops on a regular basis and support a civilization.

SAMARIA Sumerians: their origins a mystery Most famous city-URUK-surrounded by walls Formed city-states-a city with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside.

Dwellings made of mud, shaped by hand and then dried in the hot sun until hard Invented arch/dome

SAMARIA CONTINUED Built some of the largest brick buildings in the world Ziggurat-a massive stepped tower on which was built a temple dedicated to the chief god/goddess of a Sumerian city People believed that gods/goddesses owned the cities-spent much of their wealth on building temples

YEP: STILL SAMARIA Temples served as the center of the city physically, economically and politically.

Priests and priestesses had a great deal of power Theocracy-government by divine authority-gods ruled the cities then passed on to kings and priests and priestesses helped the kings rule.

Traded for copper, tin and timber in exchange for dried fish, wool, barley, wheat and metal Sumerian cuneiform

FORMS OF GOVERNMENT IN EARLY CIVILIZATIONS Theocracies-A government in which religious law is linked with secular law and the leader is often seen as a divine figure.

 Examples: Mesopotamia- kings were considered to be representatives of the gods.

Egyptians believed that kings were gods, almost as great as the gods in the heavens.

Cleopatra King Tut