Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia-Egypt Themes Notes AP World History
Political :Trade, War, Diplomacy, Nation Building Egypt: Unified Egypt lead by the God-King Pharaoh (Menes, 3100 BC, Old Kingdom) Hyksos people from near east settled in Nile Delta. Ousted by New kingdom Pharaohs after bringing bronze working (farming tools and weapons). New Kingdom: invaded parts of Syria and Palestine Hittite Rise: People of central Turkey brought new languages and Iron technology as major advancement Rameses II: last great Egyptian pharaoh (1290-1224 BC) Mesopotamia: Isolated city cities function as isolated political units or City-State Political structure: Kings ruled city-states as monarchy (Sargon, Hammurabi) Trade with outlying territories: Egypt, Syria, Near East out-posts, Turkey Babylonians united Mes. (Hammurabi, 1792-1750 BC) Code of Hammurabi: First codified system of laws
Change and Continuity Mesopotamia: Egypt Change Continuity Writing system—Pictograph, Ideogram, Phonetic sign Political unification—began as sovereign city-states, become unified under Hammurabi. Egypt Political instability: Old, middle, and new kingdoms experienced periods of collapse, chaos, and invasion. Territorial growth and change Metal working technology—Copper to Bronze in Second Intermediary Period (1640s). Continuity Religion—animistic, polytheism Society: Egyptian society and social structure remained though 1200+years (ex. Pharaoh)
Technology, Inventions, and Demography Mesopotamia: Writing—Pictograph to Ideograms Schools Literature Egypt: Stone working technologies—Pyramids Bronze working brought by the Hyksos Written Language—Pictograph Demography: Spread to Palestine and Syria in New Kingdom
Social Structure Mesopotamia Kings and nobles: King and royal family, priests, and high officials Free clients: Workers who relied on royal family. Worked noble lands in return for an independent plot of land. Commoners: Free citizens who could buy and sell their lands. City dwellers had some political rights. Slaves: Indentured servants, prisoners of war, and criminals. Women: domestic roles, fewer political rights, men controlled home and political world. Some roles for women in religion and some property rights for women.
Social Structure Egypt Pharaohs: God-King on earth rules divine monarchy Royal family and advisors Scribes and other government officials Soldiers, merchants, artisans Farmers and free workers Slaves Women: Also mainly filled traditional roles, no females allowed in scribe schools Some female leaders as wife of the Pharaoh, did receive royal burial Goddesses important part of religion
Cultural and Intellectual Mesopotamia: Polytheistic Religion Animism—prayed to prevent the wrath of the harsh world Code of Hammurabi—laws governed crime, medicine, trade, and agriculture. Spread of Culture: Syria, Near East, Egypt. Egypt: Polytheistic Religion; Osiris, Isis, others. Active after-life mythology. Mummification as part of death and after life. Short period of monotheism (Akhenaten, 1367-1350 BC). Pharaoh is god Horus in human form. Divine rule. Ironworking form Hittites