1. Ancient Civilizations

2. Sumer Lived 7,000 yrs. ago in present-day Iraq Lived 7,000 yrs. ago in present-day Iraq Cities built along Tigris and Euphrates rivers Cities built along Tigris and Euphrates rivers –Rich soil and water supply

3. Sumer continued Developed one of the world’s first civilizations Developed one of the world’s first civilizations 9 out of 10 people - farmers 9 out of 10 people - farmers Others Others –businesspeople –priests –rulers –traders/merchants –slaves

4. Irrigation Irrigation - the use of streams, ditches, canals, and other means to water crops in place of rainfall Irrigation - the use of streams, ditches, canals, and other means to water crops in place of rainfall When the river flooded, the ditches filled with water. When the river flooded, the ditches filled with water. Water was used with dry weather. Water was used with dry weather. –People carried water to crops from the ditches.

5. Let’s Become a Farmer GGGG eeee oooo gggg rrrr aaaa pppp hhhh yyyy c c c c hhhh aaaa llll llll eeee nnnn gggg eeee

6. Government City-state - a city and surrounding land that make up an independent state, with its own army, ruler, and laws City-states formed one nation- ruled by one king Cooperation –h–h–h–helped trade and irrigation –a–a–a–allowed people to live together

7. Laws Needed to live peacefully Needed to live peacefully Interesting laws in Sumer Interesting laws in Sumer –Anyone who said a crime was committed needed to prove it. If not, the person accusing someone of a crime would be put to death. –If your leg was cut in a fight, you had the right to cut off your enemy’s leg.

8. Laws continued Classes - a group to which certain people in society belong Classes - a group to which certain people in society belong Three classes Three classes –aristocrats –commoners –slaves  Had rights, owned land, could buy his/her freedom  Under certain crimes- free people could be made slaves

9. Writing Used picture writing Used picture writing Invented cuneiform Invented cuneiform –Wedge-shaped writing on clay tablets –Clay hardened by baking Writing Writing –record keeping possible –communication from one city to another possible

10. Religion Built temples Built temples Believed priests could talk to the gods Believed priests could talk to the gods Told stories Told stories –gods creating human beings –story of the great flood  The gods wanted to destroy people on Earth, so they created a great flood. A favored king of one city was warned by friendly gods, so he built a great boat. In this boat, the good king took all the animals. What story is this?

11. Went to school –w–w–w–wealthy boys Studied –M–M–M–Math –S–S–S–Science –A–A–A–Astronomy –R–R–R–Reading –H–H–H–History –G–G–G–Geography Sumerians

12. Sumerians continued Developed many ideas we use today Developed many ideas we use today –Seasons of the year –Hours and minutes (time) –First to use the wheel –Invented the sailboat –Measurement  Farming- needed a way to measure land accurately  Silver money- used weights and measures to find value of their coins

13. Sumerians continued Maps –S–S–S–Scratched maps on clay tablets Architecture (buildings) –U–U–U–Used curved arches to make doorways –C–C–C–Columns hold up roofs –B–B–B–Built places and temples from baked, clay bricks

14. Follow-Up Questions What do we know about Sumer that might make us wonder if it really was one of the first civilizations? What do we know about Sumer that might make us wonder if it really was one of the first civilizations? What six or eight things about Sumer remind you of the United States today? What six or eight things about Sumer remind you of the United States today? What two or three things are different from our way of life now? What two or three things are different from our way of life now?

15. Early African Civilizations Sahara Desert separated Egypt from other African civilizations Sahara Desert separated Egypt from other African civilizations Nok people lived in West Africa (what is now considered Nigeria) Nok people lived in West Africa (what is now considered Nigeria)

16. African Civilizations continued Used farming Used farming Raised crops Raised crops –Grains –Yams –Bananas Used iron to make tools and better weapons Used iron to make tools and better weapons

17. Hittites North of Sumer in Asia Minor (Present-day Turkey) lived the Hittites North of Sumer in Asia Minor (Present-day Turkey) lived the Hittites Learned to read and write from Sumer and Egypt Learned to read and write from Sumer and Egypt Religion and laws were similar to Sumer Religion and laws were similar to Sumer Iron weapons Iron weapons Chariots pulled horses Chariots pulled horses

18. Palestine Hittites conquered the Hebrew people Hittites conquered the Hebrew people Palestine (present-day Israel) Palestine (present-day Israel) Hebrews- monotheistic (worship one god) Hebrews- monotheistic (worship one god) –All other civilizations at this time were polytheistic.  Polytheistic- worship more than one god

19. Phoenicia Used trees to build trading ships –T–T–T–Took them to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean –S–S–S–Sailed along the coast of Africa to the south and as far as the north –S–S–S–Set up colonies and traded with the people they met CCCColonies - a settlement set up and ruled by people from another country

20. Phoenicia continued Traded Traded –Fine blown glass –Beautiful handmade cloth Used purple dye for royal clothing Used purple dye for royal clothing Created the first alphabet Created the first alphabet –Made words by putting letters todether –Our alphabet is based on the Phoenician alphabet.

21. Follow-Up Questions All successful nations knew how to write. Why was writing so important to a nation? All successful nations knew how to write. Why was writing so important to a nation? Good weapons help nations conquer others. Using an alphabet speeds up communication. Good roads help unite a nation. Which of these is most important to a civilization, and why? Good weapons help nations conquer others. Using an alphabet speeds up communication. Good roads help unite a nation. Which of these is most important to a civilization, and why?