Transcript The Fertile Crescent is made up of two rivers: Tigris and Euphrates

THE FERTILE CRESCENT/
MESOPOSTAMIA
Chapter 2
EUROPE
•The Fertile Crescent is known as the
Crossroads of the world because
• it links three continents together: Asia,
Europe and Africa
ASIA
•The Fertile Crescent is made up of
•The Fertile Crescent is made up of two
two rivers:
Tigris
Euphrates.
rivers:
Tigris and
and Euphrates
•Mesopotamia is a Greek word meaning
“The land between two rivers”
AFRICA
•Mesopotamia is a Greek word
meaning “The land between two
rivers”
•Desert Climate - Flooding enriched the soil.
•Farming possible by:
irrigation canals
drainage ditches
City-States
 A city-state has political and economic
control over the surrounding country side.
 Theocracy - religious rule
 Polytheistic - many gods
SUMERIANS
 cuneiform - wedge shaped writing
 The Sumerians also made technological advancements:
 Wagon wheel
Arch
 Potter’s wheel
Bronze
 Sun dial
 Number system based on 60
 Geometry to measure fields and erect buildings
AKKADIANS
Conquered Sumer
Created the first Empire (King Sargon)
BABYLONIANS
A. King Hammurabi’s Code
1. 1st to record all laws for an
empire
2. 282 laws (p. 41 & 44)
3. “eye for an eye” - very harsh
HITTITES
A. Conquered Babylon
B. First to have Iron weapons
Pastoral Nomads
1. Roamed with herds of animals.
2. Traded with cities and spread goods and ideas.
3. “cultural diffusion”
The Phoenicians
1. Built a trade empire.
2. Made glass & purple dye.
3. Alphabet of 22 characters. (basis for Latin & English)
Israelites
Lasting contributions:
1. Judaism
2. 10 Comandments
3. Monotheism
4. King Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem
Conquered by Assyrians
ASSYRIANS
1. By 850 B.C. conquered
all of the Fertile Crescent and Egypt
2. Brutal (used terror p. 62)
3. communication
4. built library
EGYPTIANS
1. The Pharaoh was considered to be divine (god-like)
and held absolute power.
2. considered a THEOCRACY
3. Nile River flooded and provided fertile soil
Hieroglyphics - on tomb walls, buildings and
paper called papyrus.
Harrapan
1. Well organized government and cities.
2. Sewage
3. Trash chutes
4. Streets ran NSEW
Shang
1. Famous for their Bronze casting.
Unit 1 ends here.
Time to Study for the Test.
The Hyksos invaded Egypt around 1652 B.C.
These invaders were able to conquer and rule
the Egyptians for 100 years because of the
horse drawn war chariot.
NEW KINGDOM (1570-1075 B.C.)
Hyksos are driven out. Egypt uses the chariot and other
military tactics obtained from the Hyksos and begin to
conquer other civilizations that include Syria and
Palestine. They create an empire.
First woman ruler: Queen Hatshepsut 1472-1458 B.C.
Ramses II 1304-1237 B.C. Expanded Egyptian Empire to
its greatest size. Signed first peace treaty in history
(Hittites). Ramses II was the last great ruler of the New
Kingdom.
INVADERS
After Ramses, civil war in Egypt left the country
weak and open to a series of invasions:
1. Persians
2. Greeks - Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.
Cleopatra was a descendant of one
of Alexander's generals (Ptolemy).
She was the last Egyptian Pharaoh.
3. Romans - 31 B.C. Egypt became a Roman
province.
WOMEN
The status of women was relatively
high. By the New Kingdom they
could buy and sell property, testify in
court and seek divorce. Property
descended through the female line.
Women still were considered their
husband's property.
EDUCATION
At first only priests were trained in
reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Eventually sons of nobles were
educated……no girls. Centers for
higher learning were opened for
medicine, astronomy and
engineering.
EGYPTIAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Hieroglyphics
Papyrus to make paper
Geometry for land surveying
Engineering skills
Stone columns in architecture
Calendar - 365 days
Medicine
Mathematics
Number system based on 10 (with fractions)
Grew cotton and made cloth
PERSIA (550 B.C.)
A. Empire under Cyrus
_____ (toleration to conquered people)
B. Divided empire into ____________
20 provinces (satrapies)
governor (satrap)
1. A province was ruled by a _________________
2. The government taxes and administers uniform laws
3. Spies
_____ are sent out by king to watch governors
(eyes and ears of the King)
Darius unified the empire by building roads and
C. ______
coin money
using standardized ___________
Zoroastrianism
D. Religion: ______________
evil (constant struggle)
1. Ahura Mazda - good
____ / Ahriman - ____
2. Ahura Mazda wins final battle
3. Those who were good - paradise / bad - eternal suffering
Avesta - book of prayers and hymns
4. Zend
___________
CHALDEAN BABYLON (612 B.C.)
A. Rebuild the old city of Babylon under
King Nebuchadnezzar
_____________________
Gardens
B. Hanging
_______________
C. Absorb Culture of conquered and add
astronomy and math
advancements in __________________
Fertile land to grow crops
Water source
Source of transportation
Current flows North
Wind blows South
Mesopotamia
Mediterranean Sea
Egypt