This document provides an overview of early river valley civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China. It describes five key characteristics of civilization: advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology. For Mesopotamia, it discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the region, the rise of Sumerian city-states, and later empires including Akkad and Babylon. It also summarizes the early civilizations of ancient Egypt, Indus Valley, and dynasties of early China such as Shang and Zhou.
Judging the Relevance and worth of ideas part 2.pptx
Notes: ancient river valley civilizations
1. Early River Valley Civilizations
Introductory Unit
for
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China
2. Five Characteristics of Civilization
1.Advanced Cities
2.Specialized Workers
3.Complex Institutions
4.Record Keeping
5.Advanced Technology
3. The Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent lies between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in a place called Mesopotamia, which in Greek means, “land between the rivers.”
The 1stpeople to inhabit Mesopotamia were the Sumerians.
4. 1.Flooding of the rivers were unpredictable.
2.Sumer was a small region. When the floods came, all villages would be destroyed.
3.The natural resources of Sumer were extremely limited.
Disadvantages of Mesopotamia
5. Advantages of Mesopotamia
1.To provide water, Sumerians built irrigation ditches to water their crops.
2.For defense, they built city walls with mud bricks.
3.Traded with people from the mountains for products they lacked.
6. Sumerian Cities
By 3000 B.C., Sumerians had built numerous cities. They shared the same culture but began to different ways of governing their people with each having their own ruler. These cities became known as city-states.
Military leaders were usually in charge. After their deaths, they would pass their power to their sons. Such a series of rulers from a single family is called a dynasty.
7. Sargon
In 2350 B.C., Sargon invaded Sumer. Sargon was from the city-state Akkad which is north of Sumer.
Sargon then created the world’s 1stempire. An empirebrings together several people, nations, or other states under the control of one ruler.
Sargon’s empire lasted from 2350-2000 B.C.
8. The Babylonian Empire
Began around 2000 B.C.
The empire reached its peak during the reign of Hammurabi, from 1792-1750 B.C.
Hammurabi became famous with the code of laws he put together
9. Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi’s Code lists 282 specific laws dealing with everything from community, business conduct, and crime. The code applied to everyone, but different punishment was set for the rich and poor.
10. Ancient Egypt
The Nile River Valley Civilization began around 3100 B.C.
Egyptian kings came to be called pharaohs.
Pharaohs controlled both the government and the army. This type of government is called a theocracy.
11. Egyptian Inventions
Hieroglyphics: the Greek word hierosand gluphe, meaning “sacred carving”
Architects were the 1stto use stone columns
Also developed calendars, medicine, and treatments for wounds and fevers
12. End of the 1stEgyptian Civilization
The Old Kingdom began to decline in 2180 B.C. Historians called the following turmoil the 1stIntermediate Period.
During the Middle Kingdom, pharaohs regained control and restored law and order.
Finally, around 1640 B.C., the Middle Kingdom was invaded by Asian chariot riders known as Hyksos which meant, “rulers of the uplands.”
The Hyksos ruled Egypt from 1640-1570 B.C. This time is known as the 2ndIntermediate Period
Egypt would once rise again later in history known as the New Kingdom.
13. Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley civilization began on the banks of the Indus and Ganges Rivers in India.
Seasonal winds called monsoonsdominate India’s climate
14. Indus Valley Civilization
Historians do not know much of the Indus Valley civilization because of their poor writing skills
Historians believe people were farming villages along the Indus River around 3200 B.C.
15. Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization
Some of the cities archaeologists have dug up are:
Kalibangan
Mohenjo-Daro
Harappa
16. Achievements
1stto use the grid system
Cities featured a fortified area called the citadel, which contained the major buildings of the city
Religious artifacts show links to modern Hinduism.
Traded with the Sumerians from 2350-2000 B.C.
17. Fall of the Indus Valley
The Indus Valley began to decline around 1750 B.C.
Three Reason Why:
1. The Indus River changed course which left crops unfertilized
2. People wore out the land
3. A major catastrophe or invasion by the Aryans
18. The 1stChinese Dynasty
China’s first civilization developed on the Huang He River which means, “yellow river”
1stChinese Dynasty was the Xia Dynasty.
Founded by Yu, an engineer and mathematician
There are no written records of this dynasty; many believe this is a myth
19. Shang Dynasty
1strecorded Chinese Dynasty
Shangs ruled from 1532-1027 B.C.
Shang society was divided into 2 groups:
Nobles
Peasants
20. Shang Religion
Religion played a major role in the Shang Dynasty
They believed the spirits of their ancestors had the power to bring good fortune or disaster to living members of their family.
Shang god was Shang Di
21. Zhou Dynasty
Around 1027 B.C., the Zhou overthrew the Shang and established the Zhou dynasty
Lasted from 1027-256 B.C.
Zhou’s instituted the Mandate of Heaven, which said that the gods had given the throne to the Zhou’s because the Shang ruler had become a poor ruler; this was divine approval
22. Chinese Dynasties
When disaster would strike, the Mandate of Heaven might be passed to another family
Chinese history is marked by the succession of families until the early 1900’s. Historians describe the rise, decline, and the replacement of a dynasty as the dynastic cycle.
23. Zhou Government
Zhou’s invented feudalism.
Feudalism is a political system in which nobles, or lords are granted use of lands that legally belong the king
24. Fall of the Zhou Dynasty
In 771 B.C., nomads from the north invaded and killed the Zhou king. Royal family members fled east and would rule another 500 years until 256 B.C. They would be brought down by another Chinese family.