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Unit I: Spiritual Beginnings

Unit I: Spiritual Beginnings. Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hebrew Literature. Why it matters…. Ancient Middle East: “Cradle of Civilization” First farming people in river valleys gave birth to basic elements of civilization Law, Commerce, Arts, Religion, Education, Literature, etc.

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Unit I: Spiritual Beginnings

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  1. Unit I: Spiritual Beginnings Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hebrew Literature

  2. Why it matters… • Ancient Middle East: “Cradle of Civilization” • First farming people in river valleys gave birth to basic elements of civilization • Law, Commerce, Arts, Religion, Education, Literature, etc. Later cultures, including our own, built upon that foundation.

  3. River Cultures • Earliest world civilizations sprang up around rivers • Nile, Tigris, Euphrates – rich in silt for farming • Also provided easy means of travel

  4. Appleton, WI: river culture • The “Crescent” • Much Valley industry relies on river

  5. Egypt • History spans 3000 years—record for a single civilization’s occupation of one area • Cities scattered up and down Nile River • Protected by vast deserts, Egypt was spared the constant shifts of power that plagued other nations • Pyramids are the sources of some of the world’s oldest literature

  6. Mesopotamia • Between Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in present-day Iraq • “The Land Between the Rivers” • World’s first cities arose in this “fertile valley” • Each city-state had its own leader, deity, army, and temple for worship

  7. Hebrews/Israel • Much of the written history tells stories of nomadic life, migration, slavery • Eventually the Hebrews settled down in Canaan (between Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River) • Torah = Law

  8. Mesopotamia: HAC pp. 18-19 • After original settlement by Sumerians, Mesopotamia was dominated by a series of invaders • Conquerors generally preserved the culture of the defeated people • P. 18: Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians

  9. Searching for the Past pp. 24-25 • Writing? Clay tokens from 8000BC found in Middle East—used to record shipments of goods • Egyptian hieroglyphics—code “broken” by using Greek to translate (Rosetta Stone) • In mid-1800s, British man found a large store of ancient clay tablets while searching for cities in the Bible

  10. Searching for the Past cont’d • Egyptian: King Tut’s tomb was found in 1922 (by British, again) • Significant because most Egyptian tombs were looted for their gold and riches over history since the fall of the last Kingdom • Dead Sea Scrolls: oldest surviving texts of Biblical passages • Preserved in earthenware jars, wrapped in linen—can view on Internet

  11. Egypt: HAC pp. 20-21 • Egyptian history is divided into three kingdoms • Each was a dynasty, a succession of rulers from the same family or bloodline • Old, Middle and New kingdoms

  12. Hebrews: HAC pp. 22-23 • Associated with a particular people rather than a geographic region • At various times, the Hebrews occupied every part of the ancient Middle East • Cultural developments marked by interaction with other civilizations of aME

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