Welcome to the

Ancient Civilizations 70’s Dance Party

!

Ancient Civilizations 70’s Dance Party!

• We need 2 Big Groups and 2 small groups (The Movers & the Shakers) within the big group.

• Form 2 lines that face each other.

•

Movers

share ONE question from their list and discuss the answer with their partner across the isle. Repeat this process with the

Shakers. (3.5 Mins)

• When time is up, the movers slide down one position or (boogie down one position). Shakers stay in place or Shake your groove thang!

• The

Mover

at the end of the line should boogie down between the rows to the other end.

Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Why River Valleys?

• 1. Offered rich soils for agriculture • 2. Tended to be located in places that could offer protection from nomadic invaders

The Fertile Crescent

•

Arc of land between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia

One

land…Two

Rivers • Mesopotamia means = “land between the rivers” – Tigris River and Euphrates River • Both rivers flooded once a year and left thick bed of silt.

– Silt: rich, new soil farmers could plant and harvest enormous quantities of wheat and barley

Religion & Politics

Power of the Priests • Sumer’s earliest governments were controlled by temple priests – Farmers believed they needed blessings for success of their crops – Priests were the middle man for the Gods – Priests demanded portion of farmer crops as tax

Political

• Later followed Hereditary rulers: when the power is passed down to family members Sargon

City-state

- an independent city and it’s surrounding land . • For example Washington D. C. or Vatican City in Rome .

MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATIONSS

SUMER AKKAD BABYLONIA ASSYRIA CHALDEA

LOCATION

SOUTHERN PART OF MESOPOTAMIA SOUTHERN PART OF MESOPOTAMIA CENTRAL PART OF MESOPOTAMIA NORTHERN PART OF MESOPOTAMIA CENTRAL PART OF MESOPOTAMIA

TITLES

FIRST CIVILIZATION OF THE WORLD FIRST EMPIRE OF THE WORLD OLD BABYLONIAN EMPIRE SCOURGE OF GODS NEW BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

IMPORTANT LEADERS

UR – NAMMU SARGON I HAMMURABI ASSURNASIRPAL ASHURBANIPAL NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Sargon of Akkad:

The World’s First Empire [Akkadians]

Babylonian Empire They overtook Sumerians around 2000 B.C.

And they built capital, Babylon, on Euphrates river

The Babylonian Empires

The most famous king of Babylonian Empire was Hammurabi [1792-1750 B.C.] Famous Code of Law “the punishment fits the crime” and “eye for an eye” He took all the laws of the region’s city-states and unified them into one code. This helped unify the region.

Hammurabi’s

[r. 1792-1750 B. C. E.]

Code

Economy

• Metal tools and weapons (bronze, iron) • Increasing agricultural surplus (better tools, plows, irrigation) • Increasing trade along rivers – traded with Egypt • Development of the world’s first cities • Specialization of labor

• •

Religion

Polytheistic: Belief in Many Gods (3,000!!!) Gods could be angered at any moment and to keep them happy Sumerians:

–

Built impressive ziggurats or temples to sacrifice food, wine and animals

–

Souls of the dead wandered in the land of no return

MORE ZIGGURATS!!!

Sumerian Society

Kings and Priests Wealthy merchants Ordinary Sumerian people Slaves

Women

• Could hold property • Join lower ranks of priesthood • There were few women scribes – Scholars think that girls were not allowed to attend schools

Intellectual

Epic of Gilgamesh • Myths and legends recorded in this long poem • One of the earliest works of literature in the world

Gilgamesh

•The Mesopotamians believed that the dead descended to a gloomy underworld.

•This Epic contains a different account of the “Great Flood”.

“Gilgamesh, whither are you wandering?

Life, which you look for, you will never find.

For when the gods created man, they let Death be his share, and withheld life In their own hands”

Achievements

Science and Technology • Invented the wheel, the sail, the plow • First to use bronze.

• Developed system of writing • Built irrigation systems, buildings, surveyed flooded fields.

Achievements

Science and Technology • Invented the wheel, the sail, the plow • First to use bronze.

• Developed system of writing • Built irrigation systems, buildings, surveyed flooded fields.

Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Egypt

Egypt Unites

• In the beginning, Egypt was separated into two kingdoms: –1. Lower Egypt –2. Upper Egypt

Lower Egypt Upper Egypt

King Menes

• Established a capital, Memphis • Established first Egyptian Dynasty • Unites Upper and Lower Egypt

United

United lower and upper Egypt and wore a crown that symbolized its united kingdom

Pharaohs

• Egyptian kings = pharaohs • The Egyptians viewed their pharaohs the same as the gods –KINGS WERE GODS • Stood as center of religion as well as government and army • Type of

Government

= Theocracy

Trade

• By 3200 BC, Egyptians were trading with the Mesopotamians • Also traded up and down the Nile –Gold –Ivory –Cattle –Granite blocks

Religion

• Polytheistic • 2,000 gods and goddesses • Built huge temples to honor gods • Believed in afterlife –Osiris – god of the dead

Video Link

Social

• Very different from the city states of Mesopotamia • Egypt’s united kingdom allowed –High degree of unity –Stability –Cultural continuity (staying the same)

Life in Egyptian Society

Pharaoh Royal Advisor Priests Traders/Merchants Ordinary Citizens Slaves

Intellectual

• •

Developed writing = hieroglyphics

–

Pictographic writing system Developed written numbers for recording taxes

–

Addition, subtraction

Achievements

• Knowledge in math = skillful engineers – Pyramids – Palaces • Egyptian Architects first to use stone columns in homes, palaces and temples • 12 month, 365 day calendar from studying the stars – So accurate it was only 6 hours off from today’s calendar year

Calendar/ Time Piece

Geography

• Nile River – 4,132 miles long, flows northward • Every year in July the river flooded REGULARLY leaving behind rich soil. • The Nile is the longest river in the world!

• Forbidden Deserts on either side of the Nile = Natural barriers

Desert = Dry Water = Fertile/Green