First Civilizations

First Civilizations

Mesopotamia • Land between two rivers • Tigris and Euphrates • Flooding and drought unpredictable

Independent innovation • Will pass on to Egypt/Indus river civilizations • Geography • Lack natural barriers • Frequent conflict over water/property rights

Sumerians • Birthplace for world’s first cities • City-state • Ziggurat • Temple

Cuneiform 3500 BCE Sumerian system of writing Gilgamesh oldest story in the world

Number system based on 60 • Used for navigation and measurement of time • 60 seconds • 360 degrees • Calendar- 12 months • Wheel • Origin of wheel unknown • First associated with the Sumerians

Akkad First empire in the world Empire Several people, nations under the control of one ruler Sargon I Will unite Mesopotamia into one empire No one sure how large empire actually was Disappear after death of Sargon’s grandson

Babylonian Empire • Most famous ruler was Hammurabi • Developed Hammurabi’s Code • Code of law • Based on an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth • Reinforces principle that government is responsible for what happens in society

Hittites • First to use iron weapons • Law more about payment for damages rather than punishment • First to sign a peace treaty

Phoenicians • Confederation • Loose union of independent city states • Will never unite into a country • Experts at ship building and navigation • Big into trade • Purple dye • Starts practice of bill of sales and contracts

Phoenicians • Alphabet • Basis of the Greek alphabet • Sacrifice first born to please the gods

Lydians • Introduce system of using coins

Assyrians • Reputation as lethal fighting force • Nineveh • Walled capital city • Walls a mile wide • Ancient world library

Chaldeans • King Nebuchadnezzar • Hanging Gardens of Babylon • Foundation for science of astronomy

Persians • System of provinces with governors • Allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem • Single code of laws • Built royal road • Zoroaster • Reform Persian religion • World divided between good and evil • People control their own fate • Influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islamic religions

Hebrews • Lived in Canaan • Area between Jordan river and Mediterranean Sea • Philistines • Will be in conflict with Hebrews over control of Canaan

Abraham • Father of the Hebrew People • Receive covenant from Yahweh • Covenant – promise of land and pledge to make Hebrews a great nation

Yahweh • Hebrew God- One creator • Made world and all life • Created world for humans to enjoy and practice free will • Unusual because does not belong in only one place • Hebrew could worship Yahweh where every they went • Yahweh not only god for Hebrews but god for all people every where.

Beliefs • Destiny of world is paradise and with divine help • Salvation-- afterlife • Tasks of human beings • Serve and honor God • Promote the ethics of the prophets • Maintain the identity of the people • Sin is not a fact of birth, it is a matter of choice

Torah • First five book of bible • Author - Moses • Most sacred writings • Christians respect Torah as part of the Old Testament

Talmud • Strict code of conduct/righteous behavior • Ethical monotheism • Dietary restrictions • Charity, social responsibility, concern for poor • Restriction on women • Extremely patriarchal • Retributive principle • Eye for an eye • Common in Middle East

Exodus • Hebrews will move to Egypt • Will be forced into slavery • Exodus • Movement of Hebrews out of Egypt • Led by Moses • Takes 40 years before to return to the promise land

Moses • Received the 10 Commandants • Basis for civil and religious laws of Judaism • “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” • Strict justice but softened by God’s mercy

Twelve Tribes • When Hebrews return to Canaan loosely organized into 12 tribes • Continued to be threaten by Philistines • Eventually only one tribe left– Judah • Hebrews became known as Jews and the religion as Judaism

Israel • New kingdom of Jews will become known as Israel • Jerusalem • Established by King David • Home to Ark of Covenant • Contained the tablets of Moses Law

Kingdom • Kingdom of Israel will divide • Israel- North • Judah- South • Fight among themselves but often united against common enemy

Babylonian Captivity • Babylonians gain control of Judah and Israel • King Nebuchadnezzar • Will destroy Solomon’s temple • exile survivors to Babylon

Cyrus the Great • Persian king who will conquer Babylon • Will allow Jews to return to Jerusalem

Temple will be rebuilt • However area will be swallowed by Romans • Called the area Judea • Under Roman rule birth of a new religion called Christianity

70 and 132 CE the Jews will be suppressed by Roman campaigns. • Jews killed, temple leveled • Jews transplanted through Africa, Europe, Middle East and Asia • Diaspora • Exile – linked not by geography but cultural identity • From then on set up synagogues where they could worship as a community • Led by rabbis

Judaism is not a missionary religion • Did not attempt to convert non Jews – even after 70 years in Babylon

Today • Birth of modern Israel 1948 • Horrors of actions of Nazis will led the United Nations to create a homeland for displace Jews • Owes existence to idea of promise land • Tradition kept alive for 18 centuries

Impact of Judaism • First major monotheistic faith • Spawn two other monotheistic religions • Christianity • Islam

In Mesopotamia civilizations were conquered, their cultural heritage, religions, laws, customs and technology rarely lost • Conquering civilizations commonly adopted and adapted customs and technology of those defeated

Mesoamerica and Andean South American • Olmec/Mayan & Chavin Civilizations • Demonstrated a pattern of development that was the same that occurred in entirely different parts of the world • However there was no contact with the other civilizations • Suggest the development within civilization can occur independently– not as a result of exposure to others civilizations • Not a river Civilization

Lacked knowledge of the wheel • Build pyramids, temples and ball courts • Mathematics- • Value of zero • calendar– extremely accurate • System of writing • Polytheistic • Geography and lack of large pack animals prevent communication between Andes and Mesoamerica

Ancient Egypt

Kemet • One of the world’s first civilization • Early name was Kemet • Means “black land” after the dark soil • Ancient Greeks will later name the area Egypt • Developed around the Nile River

Nile River • Longest river in the world • 4,160 miles long • Nile Delta • Last 100 miles of the river • Empties into the Mediterranean sea • Two way transportation • Current flows North • Prevailing winds called Etesianwinds blow South • 6 cataracts • Waterfalls and rapids • Only last 750 miles of river are navigable

Annual Flooding • Renews the land with thick layer of silt • Very dependable • Same time every year • No longer floods because of Aswan Dam • Result is the soil is becoming wore out

Papyrus • Nile river important source of papyrus • Long thin reeds used to make: • Rope • Matting • Sandals • Paper

Uniting Egypt • Egypt difficult to invaded because of desert, delta and cataracts • Egypt consisted of two kingdoms • Lower Egypt • North part of Nile River • Upper Egypt • South part of Nile River Valley

Narmer • Narmer was the king of Upper Egypt • Also called Menes • Will united Upper and Lower Egypt • Establish capital at Memphis • Form first dynasty • Line of rulers from one family • 30 dynasties will rule Egypt

Theocracy • In beginning both Upper and Lower Egypt will maintain separate identities • Theocracy • A government in which the same person is both religious and political leader • God-King delegated many responsibilities to a bureaucracy • A group of government officials • Bureaucracy led by the king’s vizier • Prime minister

Kingdoms • Ancient Egyptian history is into time periods called kingdoms • Old Kingdom • Middle Kingdom • New Kingdom

Old Kingdoms • Pyramids • Built to honor god-kings • To provide them an eternal resting place • Great Pyramid • One of 3 built at Giza • Stands 481 feet high & 756 feet at each side of base • Structure covers 13 acres • 2million stone blocks • Limestone brought 400 miles upriver • Each stone block cut perfectly • Stones weigh between 2 ½ tons to 15 tons

Old Kingdom • Believed king’s soul continued to guide kingdom after death • Pharaoh eternal soul called Ka • Mummification • Used to preserve the body • Body steep in natron salt for 40 days

Old Kingdom • Great Sphinx • Guard the Great Pyramid • 240 feet long and 66 feet high • Body of lion and human head • Historians do not agree on the purpose of the Great Sphinx • Many Egyptians believe that sphinx was the guardian of the sacred sight

Middle Kingdom • Capital moved to Thebes • Egypt invaded successful for the first time by Hyksos • Hyksos had advantage of bronze weapons and horse drawn chariots • Dynasty will last around 110 years

New Kingdom • An Egyptian prince, Ahmose will drive the Hyksos out of Egypt • Start of New Kingdom • Assume the title of Pharaoh • Means Great House of the king

First Civilizations