Transcript Ancient River Valley Civilizations Powerpointx

Ancient River Valley
Civilizations
Neolithic Revolution
Last stage of pre-historic cultural evolution
Stone tools
Domestication of plants and animals (farming)
Permanent settlements
Invention of the wheel
Development of social hierarchy
Important Definitions
City-state
A city that forms an independent state
Ex. Monaco, Vatican City, Hong Kong
Dynasty
Series of rulers from a single family
Ex. British monarchy
Cultural Diffusion
The process in which a new idea or
product spreads from one culture to
another
Ex. Rubio’s, El Charro, Michelangelo’s,
Panda Express
Polytheism
Belief in more than one god
Ex. Ancient Greeks- Zeus, Hera, Athena,
Apollo, etc.
Egypt
Founded along the Nile River
Valley
Located in Northeast Africa
Isolated from most other
societies
Separated into Upper and Lower
Egypt
Lower Egypt was by the Nile
Delta (where the river branches
off)
Upper Egypt was higher in
elevation
Divided is when U.E. descends
in into L.E.- river turns into
rapids for stretch and it difficult
to navigate
Egypt
Old Kingdom- early Egyptian history before the
unification of Upper and Lower Egypt (when the
pyramids were built)
Middle Kingdom- 1st period of history when
Egypt is unified under one Pharaoh
Capital of empire at Memphis, where the two
kingdoms meet
Theocracy- type of government in which rule is
based on religious authority
Developed solar calendar, geometry, and papyrus
New Kingdom- 2nd period of history when Egypt
is unified
Egypt was briefly taken over by nomadic
invaders
During this time they extended their borders
farther than any other time period in Egyptian
history
Mesopotamia
Also known as “Fertile Crescent”
Established between the
Euphrates and Tigris Rivers
Advantages:
Unlimited natural resources
Easy to harvest after flood
season
Access to trade routes
Disadvantages:
Scarce building materials
Unpredictable weather
patterns
No natural barriers for
protection
Mesopotamia
Sumerians
Earliest Mesopotamian civilizations
Numerous city-states
Shared same culture
Established own governments with
separate rulers
Invented the wheel, sail, and plow
Babylon
World’s first empire
Brings together people, nations, and
independent states under the control
of one ruler
Hammurabi’s Code
Uniform set of laws that extended
throughout the empire, used as basis
for future law codes
India
Founded along the Indus River
Located in along modern day IndiaPakistan borders
In the Himalayas (Everest) and
Karakorum (K2)
Natural protection of the mountains led to
settlements developing and sophisticated
city planning
How would their geography affect their
city planning?
“Harappan” Civilization
Name of one of the largest cities built so
the name spread and stuck to
characteristics of culture- very little
known about them
Theocratic
Trade along Indus River
Minimal conflicts outside
civilizations
China
Established around the Huang-He
(“Yellow”) and Yangtze Rivers
Very isolated from other civilizations so
minimal interactions
Minimal natural protection from invaders
Ruled by dynasties- long list of dynasties
that have ruled China throughout history
Shang- one of the earliest and most
prosperous, among the first early
civilizations to keep written record of
history
Mandate of Heaven- divine approval for a
Chinese ruler
Bestowed by the “spirits” and could be
taken away at anytime
Society controlled by feudalism