The Major River Valley Civilizations Characteristic of Civilization Mesopotamia Nile River Valley (Egypt) Indus River Valley Huang He (Yellow) River Valley Rise of Cities Trading center Not well protected, constant invasion Trading center Planned cities Plumbing Isolated due to mountains Isolated due to mountains and deserts Institutions Theocratic Government (Pharaohs rule as Gods) Dynasties (Monarchy) Writing System Cuneiform Hieroglyphics Have not deciphered yet Pictographs Cultural Development Polytheistic Ziggurats Wheel Polytheistic, Mummies, Invented geometry for building Pottery, statues Animals important Family & religion important Specialization of Labor Slaves did work, high class were rulers and priests, middle class merchants Government officials, merchants, peasants Priests, government jobs Nobles were educated, peasants worked Social Structure High class, middle class, and lower class (slaves) Divided but women had many rights Some social division Sharply divided between Nobles and Peasants

With the person sitting next to you (or the 3 in your row), decide on the 3 most important laws than any society must have- and the punishment for breaking each one. Be prepared to share your laws & punishments.

Early Laws: Hammurabi’s Code & the 10 Commandments LG 3: Identify the impact of Hammurabi’s Code of Laws and the Ten Commandments. (TEKS/SEs 20B)

Vocabulary Polytheism Monotheism Theocracy

Babylonian Empire 2,000 BC – nomadic warriors invaded Sumer (part of Mesopotamia) Established Babylonian Empire Greatest leader is Hammurabi Developed world’s 1st uniform written legal code (uniform: organized & applied to everyone)

Refer to Fertile Crescent

Hammurabi’s Code of Laws Goal: Unify diverse groups within the empire 282 specific laws! Engraved in stone and spread all over empire due to the administration of Hammurabi Different punishments given to rich & poor, men & women Based on principle of retaliation “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”

CIVILIZATION SPREADS Phoenician Sailors in Lebanon Traded across Mediterranean Invented alphabet Indo-Europeans Hittites introduced iron, horses, chariots (think about how horse & chariot would change life!) Lydians introduced coins to area

Hebrews (Jews) in Palestine Large Semitic migration in area Monotheism Abraham – 1st Prophet, receives message to worship only one God Conduct determines salvation There is only one God speaking through prophets, priests God made a covenant with the Jews, his Chosen people Note: Hebrew, Semites, Jews and Israelites are often used to refer to the same group of people.

Where Israelites Moved - Origins 1st - Migrated from Mesopotamia to Palestine 2nd - Drought led them to migrate from Palestine to Egypt 3rd - Enslaved in Egypt until Moses (parting of the Red Sea - “let my people go”) 4th - Returned to Palestine

Map from http://geology.com/world/world-map.gif

Israel & Judah Established a small state in Palestine Split into 2 kingdoms Israel in the North Judah in the South – Jerusalem = capital Example of a theocracy: religious government

Evolution of Judaism Through exile and migration, their religion evolved One God (monotheism) – Yahweh → began as a powerful and jealous god Became lofty and transcendent (superior) Transformed from a god of war to a god of social justice and compassion

Israelites (Jews) Torah - Sacred writings (or holy book) known today as the Old Testament Influenced by Mesopotamia – “eye for an eye” and flood story Ten Commandments 10 rules to follow Moral guidelines

Spread of Judaism Idea of monotheism spreads in the region Migrations, captivity, powerful kingdoms Provided foundation for both Christianity and Islam Romans forced them to far ends of empire Jewish Diaspora (diaspora: spread of people around the world)

Exit Ticket Monotheism is….? Which came first: Judaism, Islam or Christianity? Which is a set of moral laws: Hammurabi’s Code or the 10 Commandments? Which is the first written legal code: Hammurabi’s Code or the 10 Commandments?