Transcript First Age of Empires 1570 B.C.-200 B.C.

First Age of
Empires 1570 B.C.200 B.C.
Chapter 4
1: Egypt and Nubia
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Due to a succession of
weak pharaohs, Egypt
fell to the Hyksos
(invaders)
 Hyksos were driven out
 This started a new
period of Egyptian
history-New Kingdom
(wealthier)
 Egyptians became
conquerors under the
New Kingdom with a
well equipped army
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Hatshepsut-New
Kingdom pharaoh.
Focus on trade. She
brought much wealth to
Egypt
Her stepson, Thutmose
III, was much more
warlike and led
invasions into Palestine,
Syria, and Nubia
Egyptians and Hittites
lost power from “People
of the Sea” ?
Egypt was ruled by the
Libyans until 730 B.C.
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Nubia
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Egypt had dominated
the Nubian kingdom of
Kush for 1000 years!
After Egypt lost its
power, Kush emerged as
a regional powerhouse
Kush had to follow
Egyptian influence
Viewed themselves as
guardians to Egyptian
values and sought to
restore the Egyptian way
of life
Kushite king, Piankhi,
defeated the Libyan
dynasty in 751 B.C.
 Started Egypt’s 25th
dynasty
 Kushites defeated in
Egypt by the Assyrians
in 671 B.C. and retreated
back up the Nile
 Kushites royals moved to
the city of Meroe-rich
from trade btw. Africa,
Arabia, and India
 A rival area, Askum,
defeated Meroe around
350 A.D.
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2: Assyria
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Assyrian army
dominated Southwest
Asia and parts of Africa
for more than 200 years
This was due to Assyria’s
sophisticated military
organization and
weaponry
Assyrians are from the
northern part of
Mesopotamia and had to
respond to constant
attacks-no natural
barriers
Military strength was
product of ongoing
invasions
 Take a look at its
geography:
Mesopotamia - The British
Museum
 Sophisticated army due
to : ladders, weapons,
tactics, and tunnels
 Glorified military
 Killed or enslaved
victims
 Received bounty for
head
 Close lands were
governed as provinces
other paid tribute
Assyria
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Lost power because it
ruled too many lands
Also, Assyrians were
cruel to those they
conquered
The Chaldeans helped to
conquer the Assyrians
The Chaldeans made
Babylon their capital
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King Nebuchadnezzar
restored Babylon to its
prior glory under
Hammurabi
 One of the seven
wonders of the world
could be seen in
Babylon: Hanging
Gardens
 His empire fell shortly
after his death
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3: Persia
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Persia rose up after
Assyria to gain control
 The ruled with tolerance
and wise government
 They possessed a very
strong military, but it
was only used to back up
its policies
 Under King Cyrus (550
B.C.) Persia began to
conquest neighboring
kingdoms
Under the leadership of
Cyrus the Persians
conquered the Fertile
Crescent and most of the
Anatolia
 Under Persian rule
subject had many
freedoms
 Allowed the Jews back
into Jerusalem
 Son, Cambyses took over
power and conquered
Egypt, but scorned their
religion
 After his death the
Egyptians revolted
 Darius took over power
and began restoring the
empire
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Persia
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Darius divided the
empire into 20 provinces
Each province still
practiced their own
religion, spoke their own
language, and followed
most local laws
Installed a governor,
satrap, who ruled locally
Checked up to ensure
the loyalty of his satraps
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Developed an excellent
road system: Royal Road
Use of standard money
to unite his empire
Both helped to
encourage trade
Zoroastrian religion: 2
spirits fight for
possession of a person’s
soul (light and darkgood and evil). There
would be a final
judgement and those
who lived for good would
go to paradise
Tolerance and good
government enabled
Persia to become a large
empire that lasted for
200 years
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China
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Zhou dynasty lasted for
8 centuries and ended in
a bloody warfare where
local leaders
representing the king
began to think of
themselves autonomous
 This warfare led to the
end of the Zhou dynasty
 ? How to restore
harmony to China after
the warfare: Confucius
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Confucius was a scholar
of ancient China and
stressed proper conduct
and relations
Confucianism was never
a religion, but a ethical
system
Stressed education: with
education one could
become a gentleman.
This laid the
groundwork for the
bureaucracy
Foundation for Chinese
government and social
order
Daoism-follow the way
“Dao” of nature.
Humans fail b/c they
argue (good v. bad)
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China
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Legalism-smaller group.
Believed that
government should use
the law to end civil
disorder and restore
harmony-harsh
Highly efficient and
powerful government
Disobedient should be
harshly punished
Thought ruler should
burn any writings that
encouraged critical
thought on government
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I Ching and yin and
yang helped Chinese
understand how they fit
into the universe
Qin dynasty (240 B.C.):
harsh rule, supported
legalists. Halted internal
problems with violence,
fought invaders and
doubled the size of
China
Required nobles to move
to capital-ruled by
autocracy (unlimited
power)
Made peasant build
roads-Great Wall
Killed Confucian
scholars
China
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Standardized Chinese
writing, law, currency,
and weights and
measures
Qin regime unpopular
After original ruler died
(Shi Huangdi) his son
took over
3 years into rule, peasant
began revolting
Han Dynasty would take
power next
Take a virtual tour of the
Great Wall of China:
Walk The Great Wall of
China - Travel Beijing