Transcript File

Key Features of Egyptian Religion
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Egyptians considered religion to be essential to every
part of their lives, and so there was no word for religion
in the Egyptian language.
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Egyptians were polytheistic. They believed in many gods.
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Gods and goddesses were associated with heavenly
bodies and natural forces.
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Because of the importance of the sun and fertile lands
along the Nile, sun and land gods and goddesses held
special significance.
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The Egyptian ruler took the title “Son of Re” and was
considered an earthly form of Re, one of the sun god's
names.
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Pharaohs were mummified so that their bodies would be
preserved for life in the next world.
Key Achievements of the Old and Middle Kingdoms
Old Kingdom
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The Old Kingdom was an age of prosperity and
unity lasting from about 2700 to 2200 B.C.
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Divine kingship was established. Pharaohs ruled
with absolute power.
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A bureaucracy was developed. Eventually, Egypt
was divided into provinces run by governors
appointed by the pharaoh.
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Pyramids were built as tombs for the mummified
bodies of the pharaohs.
Key Achievements of the Old and Middle Kingdoms
Middle Kingdom
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Egypt expanded during the Middle Kingdom, from
2055 to 1650 B.C.
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Egypt conquered Nubia to the south and sent
military personnel to protect its expanded
territory.
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Traders traveled to Kush, Syria, Mesopotamia,
and Crete.
Egyptian Social Structure
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The pharaoh was at the top of the social order in
ancient Egypt.
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The nobles and priests who surrounded the pharaoh
were the upper class.
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Below the upper class were merchants, artisans,
scribes, and tax collectors.
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The lower classes made up the largest group of people
in Egypt. Most were peasants who lived in small
villages, paid taxes, and were forced to provide
military service and labor for building projects.
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Egyptian society was basically patriarchal, but women
could inherit property, operate businesses, and
become priestesses. A few even became pharaohs.
Egyptian Cultural and Artistic Accomplishments
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The hieroglyphic writing system, in which pictures and
abstract symbols were used to communicate meaning,
was developed in about 3000 B.C.
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The hieratic script, a simplified form of hieroglyphics,
was used in business and everyday communications.
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Architectural achievements included pyramids,
temples, and other monuments.
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Sculpture followed particular formulas, as in the
representation of the human body from multiple
perspectives.
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Advances in mathematics aided in the construction of
Egypt’s massive monuments.
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The Egyptians created an accurate 365-day calendar.
Early Nomadic Peoples
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Early nomadic peoples relied on hunting and gathering,
herding, and sometimes farming for survival.
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Pastoral nomads carried goods and new technologies
between civilizations. They would occasionally attack or
overrun settled communities and establish their own
empires.
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Indo-Europeans migrated from southwestern Asia to
India, western Asia, and Europe in about 2000 B.C.
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One group of Indo-Europeans, along with native
peoples, established the Hittite Empire in Anatolia in
about 1600 B.C. They were the first Indo-Europeans to
use iron.
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Invading “Sea Peoples” destroyed the Hittite Empire in
about 1200 B.C.
Importance of the Phoenician Alphabet
Trade
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The Phoenicians took advantage of their
geographical position and shipbuilding prowess to
establish far-reaching trade routes reaching as far
as Britain and Africa’s west coast.
Alphabet
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The Phoenicians used 22 different symbols to
represent the sounds of their speech. The Arabic
alphabet, the Greek and Roman alphabets, and
most of the other alphabets used today can be
traced to the Phoenician alphabet.
Importance of the Phoenician Alphabet
Key Features of Judaism
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Jews are monotheistic and believe in one God who
created the world and everything in it.
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God made a covenant, or contract, to protect Jews if
they followed his Torah, or precepts.
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The Ten Commandments are one important part of
the Torah.
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Jewish prophets called for social justice and concern
for all humanity.
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Judaism has influenced Christianity and Islam.
Key Features of Judaism
The Israelites
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According to their traditions, the Israelites originally
migrated from Mesopotamia to Canaan, then moved to
Egypt, and then were led back to Canaan by Moses.
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Between 1200 and 970 B.C., the Israelites took control of
Canaan, forming a kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital.
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Under King Solomon, ancient Israel reached the height of
its power.
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After Solomon’s death, Israel’s people divided into two
kingdoms: the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the
Kingdom of Judah in the south.
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Assyria conquered the Kingdom of Israel and scattered its
people. After a period of exile in Babylonia, the people of
Judah were allowed by the Persians to return to their
homeland.
Indian Geography and Monsoons
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The Himalaya Mountains form the northern border of
the Indian subcontinent. They are the highest
mountains in the world.
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Immediately south of the Himalaya is the Ganges River
valley, a chief region of Indian culture.
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The dry Deccan Plateau stretches from the Ganges
Valley to the southern tip of India.
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Lush plains are found on India’s eastern and western
coasts.
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Monsoons are seasonal wind patterns that cause heavy
rainfall in the summer and winter. Indian farmers
depend on the summer monsoon rains to grow crops.
Urban Planning and the Economy of the Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus or Harappan civilization (3000–1500 B.C.)
included more than a thousand settlements. Among
them were the planned communities of Harappa and
Mohenjo Daro.
Urban Planning in Harappa and Mohenjo Daro
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All houses were built to the same plan—a square
courtyard surrounded by rooms—though they
varied in size.
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Streets were laid out in a grid pattern. Main
streets running north-south were crossed by
smaller east-west roads.
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Public wells supplied all residents with fresh
water.
Urban Planning and the Economy of the Indus Valley Civilization
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An advanced drainage system moved
wastewater from bathrooms to sewage pits
beyond the city walls.
Divine Rule
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As in Egypt and Mesopotamia, religion and
political power were linked. Royal palaces also
served as temples, and rulers based their power
on a belief in divine assistance.
Economy
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The Indus Valley economy was based on farming.
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Indus Valley goods and raw materials were traded
as far away as Mesopotamia.
Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
Although the way the Indus civilization ended remains
a mystery, archaeologists have identified these factors
in its decline:
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Flooding
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Earthquake
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Change in climate
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Environmental change caused by human
settlement
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Change in the course of the Indus River
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Influx of nomadic Aryan people from central Asia
Shang Society
The Shang dynasty ruled China from about 1750 to
1045 B.C.
Aristocracy
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Shang society was based primarily on farming.
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The king and aristocracy were concerned mainly
with warfare.
Shang Society
Political and Social Structure
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The kingdom was divided into territories ruled by
aristocratic military leaders called warlords; the
king appointed these leaders.
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Though the majority of people were peasants,
there were some artisans, merchants, and slaves.
Shang Society
Religion and Culture
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Belief in supernatural forces that helped royalty
and life after death was common.
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Communication with deities was done through
oracle bones.
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Shang artisans were masters of bronze casting.
Key Geographical and Cultural Features
Arable Land
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China has thousands of miles of fertile, foodproducing land along its two main rivers, the
Huang He and the Chang Jiang.
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Only about 10 percent of China’s land is suitable
for farming, however. Much of the remaining land
consists of mountains and deserts.
Key Geographical and Cultural Features
Geographic Isolation and the Northern Frontier
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Mountains and deserts formed natural boundaries
with neighboring countries and so isolated the
Chinese from other peoples in Asia.
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Contact with Mongolian, Indo-European, and
Turkish peoples in the frontier lands to the north
often ended in conflict.
Varied Climate
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Climate variations are based on land elevation
and monsoons. Dry and wet seasons create major
temperature differences in winter and summer.
The Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ruled from 1045 to 256 B.C. and was
the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history.
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As in the Shang dynasty, the Zhou king ruled
over the government, and the kingdom was
divided into territories governed by appointed
officials.
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The Zhou king was considered a link between
Heaven and Earth. By virtue of the Mandate of
Heaven, the king held authority to command.
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Under the mandate, kings were expected to rule
with goodness and efficiency, following the Dao
(or “Way” of proper behavior in Confucianism) to
protect the country from disasters.
The Zhou Dynasty
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Territories that had become powerful states
eventually challenged Zhou rule. The period of
civil war that broke out in 403 B.C. is known as the
Period of the Warring States.
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By the end of the Zhou period, iron weapons had
replaced bronze weapons, and soldiers on
horseback carried powerful crossbows.
Essay: The Mandate of Heaven
Mencius was a leading disciple of Confucius who lived
in the 300s B.C., during the Period of the Warring
States in China. He gave the following advice to the
king of Liang, one of the warring states:
“ Your dogs and pigs feed on the food of your people,
but you are unaware that you should restrain them.
On our roads are people starving to death, but you
are unaware that you should open your granaries.
When people die you say, ‘It is not my fault; it is the
year!’ How does this differ from stabbing a man to
death and then saying, ‘It is not my fault; it is the
sword!’ If your majesty would stop putting blame on
the year, people from throughout the empire would
come to you at once. ”
—Mencius, as quoted in China’s Imperial Past
Essay: The Mandate of Heaven
Mencius is suggesting that the king is losing the
Mandate of Heaven. Think about what you have
learned about the Mandate of Heaven in this lesson.
Write an essay explaining why the ruler might be
losing the Mandate. Consider the following questions
so you plan your essay:
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What responsibilities does a ruler have under the
Mandate of Heaven?
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How should the king change his behavior?
Common Features of Mesoamerican Civlization
Zapotec Civilization
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The Zapotec civilization was established in central
Mexico around 500 B.C.
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It was centered at Monte Alban, where temples and
pyramids were built on a massive stone terrace atop a
1,200-foot mountain.
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Most of the people of Monte Alban lived in terraces cut
into the sides of the mountain.
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Nobles and priests ruled over farmers and artisans.
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The Zapotec had a written language, but it has not
been deciphered.
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The city was abandoned in the late eighth century
A.D.
Teotihuacán
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Teotihuacán, the first major city in Mesoamerica, was
established about 250 B.C.
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The city was located in one of the richest farming areas
in Mesoamerica. Most inhabitants were farmers.
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Teotihuacán was a busy trade center. Goods were
shipped to Central America, Mexico, and what is now
the southwestern United States.
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Among the goods made by the city’s artisans were
tools, weapons, pottery, and jewelry.
Teotihuacán
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The artisans were especially famous for objects made
from obsidian (volcanic glass). It is estimated that
there were 400 obsidian workshops in the city.
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For unknown reasons, the city’s power declined, and it
was destroyed and abandoned around A.D. 800.
The Chavin Culture
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The Chavin people of South America built a religious
center out of stone, with a temple flanked by two
pyramids.
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In 300 B.C., they constructed a solar observatory
consisting of thirteen stone towers.
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They crafted objects out of gold and silver.
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There are signs that the Chavin created a simple
writing system.