Transcript File - Joy Eldridge at VHS

SSWH 1
The student will analyze the
origins, structures, and
interactions of complex
societies in the ancient Eastern
Mediterranean from 3500 BCE
to 500 BCE
What is Civilization?
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A complex culture with 5
characteristics:
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
advanced cities
specialized workers
complex institutions
record keeping
advanced technology
Why did Civilizations Form?
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Humans changed from a huntergatherer lifestyle to an agriculturebased lifestyle.
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Neolithic Revolution
River Valley Systems
Why Settle in a River Valley?
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Seasonal flooding leaves rich soil for agriculture
Irrigation provided continuous water, even in dry
seasons
Some river systems are great for transportation
Tigris-Euphrates River Valleys
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Mesopotamia
Eastern part of the Fertile Crescent- strip of fertile
land that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to
the Persian Gulf.
Who lived in Mesopotamia?
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Sumerians (3000 B.C.E.)
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City-States
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City & the surrounding land.
Sumerian Government
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Each city-state had its own gov’t.
Theocracy
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Religious leader and political leader the same person.
Rulers seen as a representative of the gods.
Sumerian Religion
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Polytheism
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Belief in MANY gods
Believed in an unhappy afterlife.
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River flooding
Mesopotamian Empire
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Empire-
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Political unit in which a number of peoples or
countries are controlled by one ruler.
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Babylonian Empire
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Capital at Babylon on Euphrates River.
Relied on trade b/c lack of natural resources
Sumerian Writing
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Cuneiform
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Wedge shapes pressed into wet clay.
Hammurabi’s Code
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Organized
Mesopotamian laws
into a uniform code.
Nile River Valley
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Egypt
Trade up and
down Nile easily
River flooded
regularly
Egyptian Government
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Theocracy
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Kings WERE gods.
Pharaohs
Pyramids
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Built as tombs for the pharaohs.
Egyptian Religion
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Polytheistic
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Believed in a
positive afterlife.
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Mummification
Egyptian Empire
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Bronze weapons and
chariots = conquerors
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conquer more lands =
stimulates trade and
cultural diffusion
Egyptian Writing
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Hieroglyphics
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Picture symbols
Egyptian Writing
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Rosetta Stone
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Found 1799
allowed scientists
to decipher
hieroglyphics.
Let’s Compare
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Similarities
Mesopotamia and Egypt
Differences
Phoenicians
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Sea traders on the Mediterranean Sea
Traded all around continent of Africa
Alphabet
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Needed a way to record transactions
used and adopted by those that traded with them
(cultural diffusion)
Alphabet was phonetic
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each symbol represents a sound
Zoroastrianism
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Persian prophet named Zoroaster
Monotheistic
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Belief in ONE god: Ahura Mazda
Earth seen as battleground between good & evil
A person was judged on how one fought for good
Ahura Mazda
Judaism
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Hebrews, or Jews, originate in Mesopotamia
• Abraham
Monotheistic- Yahweh
Torah
• Sacred text that contains stories and ethical
laws of Judaism
• 10 Commandments
Judaism
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Center of Religion
• Personal relationship with God (covenant).
Goal
• Go to Heaven after death
Social issues
• Men head of household
• Women had few legal rights
Judaism
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Prayer
• 3x a day (individual or communal)
Sabbath (Holy Day)
• Sundown Friday night until dark Saturday
night