What do you think makes people into a Civilization?

1. What do you think makes people into a Civilization? • Come up and write on the board your opinion of what it takes to turn people from a village…into a civilization?

2. River Valley Civilizations Civilization: A form of culture characterized by cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology

4. The 4 Civilizations • Lesson 1.1-Lesson 1.3: • Sumerian Civilization - Tigris & Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia) • Egyptian Civilization - Nile River • Lesson 1.4 • Harappan Civilization - Indus River • Ancient China - Huang He (Yellow) River

5. City-States in Mesopotamia I. Geography of Mesopotamia A. Because of this region’s shape and the richness of it’s soil, it is called the Fertile Crescent. Sumerianswere first to settle in this region, attracted by the rich soil. B. Three Disadvantages / Environmental Challenges 1. Unpredictable flooding / dry summer months 2. No natural barriers for protection - small villages lying in open plain were defenseless 3. Limited natural resources - stone, wood, metal PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

6. The Fertile Crescent

7. I. Geography of Mesopotamia cont… C. Solutions 1. Irrigation ditches 2. Built city walls with mud bricks 3. Traded with people around them for the products they lacked, which led to….. PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

8. Cultural diffusion!!!Def: the spread of elements of one culture to another people,generally through trade. Take the spread of writing. Similarities between the pictograms of Egyptian hieroglyphics, Sumerian cuneiform, and the Indus script are striking. Can you give examples of cultural diffusion in your society today? PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

10. II. TheCity-StateStructure of Government Define type of government A. Each city had its own government / rulers, warriors, it’s own patron god, and functioned like an independent country B. City States included everything within the city walls and also the surrounding farm land C. Examples:Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagesh D. At center of each city was the walled temple with a ziggurat – a massive, tiered, pyramid-shaped structure. PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

12. II. TheCity-StateStructure of Government E. Military commanders eventually became ruler / monarch - then began passing rule to their own heirs, creating a new structure of government called a Dynasty– a series of rulers descending from a single family line. Define type of government PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

13. III. SUMERIAN CULTURE A. RELIGION 1. Belief in many gods- polytheism B. SOCIETY • Three social classes • a. Priests and royalty (kings) • b. Wealthy merchants • c. Ordinary workers • [Slaves] –were not free citizens and thus not included in class system PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

14. III. SUMERIAN CULTURE cont…. C. SUMERIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • Sumerians invent wheel, sail, and plow; first to use bronze • Develop arches, columns, ramps and Pyramids for building • Have complex system of writing—cuneiform • Make advances in arithmetic and geometry and study astronomy, chemistry, medicine

15. IV The First Empire Builders A. Time of War •From 3000 to 2000 B.C. city-states at constant war Sargon of Akkad • Around 2350 B.C., Sargon from Akkad defeats city-states of Sumer • Creates first empire—independent states under control of one leader • His dynasty lasts about 200 years NEXT

16. V. The Babylonian Empire A. Amorites, nomadic warriors, take control of region around 2000 B.C. • Make Babylon, on Euphrates River, the capital • Babylonian Empire at peak during Hammurabi’s rule (1792-1750 B.C.) • Hammurabi’s Code Clip • Only show until 1:55