Ch-2-The-First-Civilizations

TheFirstCivilizations3200BCEto500BCEObjectives1.HowdidgeographyinfluenceAncientEgypt?2.HowdidtradeandwarfareaffectEgyptandNubia?3.HowdidreligiousbeliefsshapethelivesofEgyptians?4.WhatadvancesdidEgyptiansmakeinlearningandthearts?5.HowdidgeographicfeaturesinfluencethecivilizationsoftheFertileCrescent?6.WhatwerethemainfeaturesofSumeriancivilization?7.WhatadvancesinlearningdidSumeriansmake?8.HowdidearlyempiresariseinMesopotamia?9.Howdidideasandtechnologyspread?10.HowdidthePersiansuniteamassiveempire?11.HowdidtheJewsviewtheirrelationshipwithGod?KeyTerms•cataract•delta•dynasty•pharaoh•vizier•mummification•Hieroglyphics•Ideogram•Demotic•Papyrus•Decipher•Hierarchy•Ziggurat•Cuneiform•Codify•Criminal/civillaw•Satrap•Barter/moneyeconomy•Monotheistic•Covenant•Patriarchal•Sabbath•Ethics•diaspora•AncientGreekhistorianHerodotus:“EgyptiswhollythegiftoftheNile”Whatdidhemeanbythis?•AncientNileValley:farmsalongtheriver…”black”landalongNile10mileswideatmost•The“RedLand”isthedesertthatcoversmostofnorthernAfrica•Farmersgrewwheatandflax•Annualfloodsoakedthelandwithwaterandrichlayerofsilt•Peopleworkedtogethertocontrolthefloods…dikes,reservoirsandirrigationditchesandstoredwaterforthedryseasonTheAswanDam•Liketheirancientancestors,modernEgyptianshavesoughttocontroltheNileandsecuremoreofitsbenefits.TheAswanHighDamwascompletedin1970for$1billion.Itpreventsdestructivefloodsandmakesmorelandavailableforfarming.Somelandsnowyieldseveralcropsayearbecausethecanbeirrigatedyearround.Thedamalsoprovidesabout25percentofEgypt’selectricalpower.UnitingtheLand•AncientEgypthad2distinctregions—UpperEgyptinthesouthandLowerEgyptinthenorth•UpperEgypt:fromthefirstwaterfall(cataract)oftheNilenorthwardtowithin100milesoftheMediterranean•LowerEgypt:thedeltaregion(atriangularareaofmarshlandformedbydepositsofsiltatthemouthofsomerivers)wheretheNilespillsintotheMediterranean•3100BCE—UpperEgyptkingMenesunitedthetworegionswiththeNileastheempire’shighway•Thus,NilemadeEgyptthefirstunifiedstateBustofKingMenes;ruledfor62yearsTheOldKingdom•AncientEgyptianHistoryhasthreekeyperiods:OldKingdom(2700BCE-2200BCE),MiddleKingdom(2050BCE-1800BCE),NewKingdom(1550BCE-1100BCE)•Aspowerpassedfromonedynasty,orrulingfamily,tothenext,thelandgenerallyremainedunited•PharaohsruledduringtheOldKingdom,creatingastrong,centralizedstate•TheclaimeddivinesupportwhilecitizensviewedhimasagodgivinghimabsolutepowerPharaohs•Dependedonavizier,orchiefminister,tosupervisegovernmentbusiness•Taxcollection,farmingoversight,oversightofirrigationsystem•Scribescarriedoutvizier’sinstructionsHoruswasoftentheancientEgyptians'nationalpatrongod.Hewasusuallydepictedasafalcon-headedmanwearingthepschent,oraredandwhitecrown,asasymbolofkingshipovertheentirekingdomofEgypt.Memes,thefirstpharaoh,supposedlyreceivedhisreignfromHorusThePyramids•BuiltduringtheOldKingdomatGizaastombs•Workershadonirontoolsorwheeledvehicles•2.5tonstoneswerequarriedbyhandandpulledbysledstothesite•LikelyhoistedupearthenrampsThecostlypyramidsrequiredenormousplanningandorganization.Builtbyfarmersandslaves.TobuildtheGreatPyramidtodaywouldcostabout$5billionTheMiddleKingdom•Powerstruggles,cropfailuresandthecostofthepyramidscollapsedtheOldKingdom•Acenturyofdisunityfollowed…corruptionandrebellionscommon•MerchantslinkedtheeconomywithNubia,theMiddleEastandCrete•ThearmyoccupiedNubiaanditsgold•1700BCE:TheHyksos,foreigninvadersfromAsia,occupiedthedeltaregionusinghorsedrawnwarchariots•TheHyksos,impressedwithEgyptiancivilization,adoptedtheircustoms,beliefsandnames•NewEgyptianleadersdroveouttheHyksosafter100yearsTheNewKingdom•PowerfulpharaohscreatedanempirereachingtheEuphratesRiverinmoderndayIraq•LedtomorecontactwithswAsiaandAfrica•Hatshepsut,awoman,wasadefactopharaoh(1503BCE-1482BCE)whoencouragedtradewiththeMediterraneanandRedSeacoastofAfrica•RamsesIIwasthemostpowerfulpharaohoftheNewKingdom(1290BCE-1224BCE)•HefoughtunsuccessfullyagainsttheHittites,thoughusedpropagandabackhometomakesoundasifhehadwonagreatvictory•EgyptianpowerwanedgreatlyafterRamsesIIHasheputandRamsesII•NewKingdomPharoahsMummyofRamsesII•Kingswereburiedinmulti-roomed,rock-cuttombsintheValleyoftheKingsandnolongerinpyramids.PriestsconductedfuneraryritualsfortheminstonetemplesbuiltonthewestbankoftheNileEgyptandNubia•Nubia:ANilekingdomsouthofEgypt•TradedandwarredwithEgyptforcenturies•NubiaconqueredbyEgyptduringNewKingdom•RamsesIIusedNubiangoldtopayhischarioteers•NubiansservedinEgyptianarmy•750BCE:Egyptindecline…conqueredbyNubiankings•TheNubiankingdom,for100years,stretchedfrommoderndaySudantotheMediterranean•TheymaintainedEgyptianartandtraditionsandruledlikepharaohsEgyptianReligion•Believedingodsandgoddesses•Sungod:Amon-Relinkedwiththepharaoh•GodoftheDeadandjudgeofsouls;andofNile:Osiris•Goddessofhealth,marriage,wisdom:Isis•Depictedherewithoutstretchedwings(1360BCEwallpainting)EgyptianReligion•TheAnkhwasplacedoverthedeadbodytoensurepassagetotheafterlifeBeliefinanAfterlife•Believedeachsoulhadtopassatesttowineternallife•Thedeadsoulwould