1. AP World History Practice Thesis #2
Compare the political and economic causes of decline for the Mycenaeans and Meroёtic Nubians.
There were many similarities between the decline of the Meroeic Nubians and the Mycenaean Greek cultures.
Neither the Mycenaeans nor Meroetic Nubians are said to have declined for just one reason. There are multiple causes of decline for both dynasties such as the environment and invaders.

2. The causes for economic decline in the Meroetic Nubians’ and the Mycenaeans’ cultures may have had to do with over use of natural resources, a severe drought, or a lack of trade for a sustained period of time.
The Mycenaean and Nubian cultures were two great regions which primarily based their economies on trade, so much so that when they ran out the resources they used to trade, and their primary trade partners found other suppliers, it led to their decline and eventual annexation by stronger regions.

3. While both the Meroëtic Nubians’ and the Mycenaeans’ declines were at least partially due to economies too dependant on trade and attacks from invaders, some parts differed: for example, the Nubian’s decline was more economic-based when compared to the Mycenaeans mostly political fall.
The political and economical collapse of both Meroetic Nubians and Mycenaean society may have been caused by variables such as, invasion, overuse of resources, the inability to continue trading, and perhaps internal violence.

4. Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations

5. I. The “Cosmopolitan” Middle East (1700–1100 bce)
Western Asia:
1. Hittites: first to use iron weapons
- from Anatolia
- horse-drawn chariots
- metal deposits
2. Assyrians: entire army outfitted w/ iron weapons
- metals trade

6. Commerce & Communication:
New Kingdom Egypt:
— conquest & expansion
Commerce & Communication:
1. Syria-Palestine area important crossroads for metals trade (Egyptians and Hittites)
2. copper—Anatolia & Cyprus
tin — Afghanistan
silver/iron — Anatolia
gold — Nubia
3. New modes of transportation:
horses, chariots, & camels

9. D. Greek Geography
-- peninsula % mountains -- ocean resources (food &
trade)
-- grow olives, figs, grain,
fruit & grapes

10. II. The Aegean World (2000—1100 bce)
Minoan Crete
1. legend of King Minos (palace at
Knossos)
2. ship builders & traders
3. influenced by Egypt, Syria, &
Mesopotamia
4. Gaia (“Earth-Mother”)
5. destroyed…by Mycenaeans?

11.                                                            
Palace at Knossos

12. B. Mycenaean Culture -- heavily influenced by Minoans
-- intermarried with Hellenes people (Greeks)
-- built massive walls around cities on hills
-- warrior mythology
-- epic poems (Homer’s Iliad & Odyssey)
-- Linear B writing system

13. Homer…blind epic poet
Iliad: Trojan prince Paris falls in love & kidnaps Helen
(the wife of a Mycenaean king!)
Odyssey: story of the journey of Odysseus

15. Trojan War: Characters
Greeks: Trojans:
Achilles Memnon
Agamemnon Priam
Menelaus Hector
Odysseus Paris
Nestor
Ajax

17. C. Mycenaean Politics & Economy:
1. state-controlled economy
2. political unity or…mostly extensive trade?
-- evidence of trade: wall paintings of ships in Egypt & pottery around the Mediterranean
3. Crete & Greece exported:
-- wine, olive oil, weapons, craft goods, slaves, & mercenaries

18. D. Fall of Late Bronze Age Civilizations:
1. destruction of old centers of civilization in Mesopotamia
2. Hittites & Egyptians conquered
3. Mycenaeans fall due to a combination of:
- increased conquest, yet internal collapse
- destruction of trade routes
- political unrest (palaces destroyed; Linear B gone)
4. collapse of trade networks (particularly metals)
5. “Dark Ages” of Mediterranean

19. III. The Assyrian Empire (911–612 BCE)

20. A. Geography homeland in Mesopotamia 2. expanded along trade routes
3. capital at Ninevah

21. B. God & King 1. Kings regarded as center of universe
2. secular duties: military leadership
3. religious duties: performance of rituals
4. state propaganda created fear & awe
5. public display of royal conquests & punishments

22. C. Conquest & Control 1. Assyrian army: 500,000 troops
2. military technology: iron weapons, cavalry, couriers, signal fires, spies
3. techniques of conquest: terror tactics and mass deportation of civilians
4. Assyrian officials: collect tribute & taxes, maintain law & order
Problem: difficult to control vast & diverse empire

23. D. Assyrian Society & Culture
1. agricultural-based
2. three major social strata:
a. land-owning citizens
b. farmers & artisans
c. slaves
3. preserved Mesopotamian
knowledge
4. mathematics & astronomy
5. Library of Ashurbanipal & palace
called Hanging Gardens

24. Modern Jerusalem (walls of the old city indicated by red arrow)
IV. Israelites (2000–500 BCE)
Modern Jerusalem (walls of the old city indicated by red arrow)

25. A. Geography
1. Israelites were nomadic herders 2. crossroads for trade, yet few natural resources 3. developed sedentary agriculture 4. 1st monotheistic religion

26. B. Origins, Exodus, & Settlement
1. early history of Israelites told in
Hebrew Bible (Torah)
2. based on oral traditions (5th-cen. BCE)
3. Abraham (“father of monotheism”)
-- covenant with Yahweh (God) that
Jews are “chosen” people
4. Egyptian captivity…exodus led by
Moses
5. Israelites settlement in land of
Canaan

27. C. The Monarchy 1. Saul established monarchy; David 2nd king
2. height of power under King Solomon:
-built First Temple in Jerusalem
-temple priesthood powerful
3. Social Life:
-large extended families
-arranged marriage
-men allowed extramarital relations
-women: NO property/NO divorce

28. D. Fragmentation & Dispersal
1. post-Solomon: Israel splits
2. Assyrians conquer Israel (721 BCE)
3. neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar invades (587 BCE)
4. Jewish elites & craftsmen deported to Babylon… “Diaspora”
5. institutions to preserve Jewish religion and culture developed:
-strict dietary rules (kosher)
-the Sabbath

29. The Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem:
most important of all Jewish monuments, it is the remnants of the Temple of Solomon after its destruction by the Romans in 70 A.D.

30. V. THE PHOENICIANS (1200–500 BCE)

31. A. Phoenician City-States:
-- pushed into land between sea &
mountains in modern Lebanon
-- established number of small trading
city-states:
Tyre, Byblos, Berytus
-- invented 1st true alphabet

32. B. Expansion into the Mediterranean
1. carried out by Tyre
2. colonies spread to Cyprus, then N. Africa (Carthage), Spain, Sardinia, Sicily
E, S, P causes of colonization?
-- shortage of agricultural land
-- opportunities for trade
-- Assyrian invasion
3. conflict with Greeks over Sicily

34. C. Carthage’s Commercial Empire
1. city governed by two judges
2. powerful navy (citizen rowers)
3. foreign policy focused on trade
empire , NOT just conquest
CA$H MONEY!!!