Western Asia (the Middle East) and Egypt Standard: The student will demonstrate an understanding of life in the classical civilizations and the contributions that these civilizations have made to the modern world. Western Asia (the Middle East) and Egypt 3500-500 B.C.

Civilization begins in Mesopotamia Chapter 2; Section 1

Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia Between the Tigris and Euphrates river In the fertile crescent Rich soil and abundant crops 3 Major groups of people living there Assyria Akkad Sumer (creators of the 1st Mesopotamian civilization)

City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia: Sumerian Cities City with political & economic control over the surrounding countryside Surrounded by walls Defense Mud bricks Built some of the largest brick buildings in the world Created the arch and the dome

Bell Quiz: Students will have 10 mins to use notes. 1. What two rivers did civilization begin between ? 2. What is the fertile crescent? 3,4,5. Name the three major group of people that lived in this region. 6. What is a city-state? 7. What help provide for the defense of these city-states? 8. What did built some of the largest building in the world? 9. How were arches and does created? 10. What is this a picture of ?

City-states of Ancient Mesopotamia: Gods, Goddesses, and Rulers Temples Massive structures built on a ziggurat (stepped tower) Believed gods and goddesses owned the cities Theocracy: government ruled by divine authority Priests & priestesses had a ton of power Believed kings were granted their power from the gods

City-states of Ancient Mesopotamia: Economy and Society Economy based mostly on farming Trade and industry also became important Metalwork, textiles, and pottery Imported copper, tin, and timber Exported fish, wool, barley, wheat and metal goods

City-states of Ancient Mesopotamia: Economy and Society Contained three major social groups Nobles Royal and priestly officials Commoners Worked for palace and temple estates Farmers Merchants Fishermen Craftsmen 90%+ were farmers slaves

The Code of Hammurabi Based on a system of strict justice Severe penalties for criminals-varied across social classes Believed in “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” Public officials jobs were taken extremely seriously Fined for not finding murders Had to replace stolen goods if burglars were not located Patriarchal society Dominated by men Women had far fewer privileges and rights in marriage than men

The Importance of Religion Polytheistic Believed in many gods Identified almost 3,000 gods and goddesses Believed humans were created to do manual labor Inferior to the gods

The Creativity & Technology Writing and Literature Cuneiform Wedge-shaped system of writing Sundial Keep time Wagon wheel Transport goods

Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of the Nile”

The Impact of Geography Nile River Longest river in the world Over 4,000 miles Yearly flooding The “miracle” of the Nile- leaves a deposit of mud creating rich soil Surplus of food = $$$ Travel & transport

Importance of Religion Polytheistic Believed in multiple gods and goddesses 2 major groups Sun gods and land gods

The Old Kingdom 2700-2200 B.C. Prosperity and splendor Led by a pharaoh Divine power/right Absolute power (complete/unlimited rule of their people) Bureaucracy Administrative organization with officials and regular procedures

The Old Kingdom (continued) Built as part of a large complex of buildings dedicated to the dead Large pyramid: pharaoh Smaller pyramids: family members “mastabas”: pharaoh’s officials Believed humans had two bodies Physical Spiritual If the tomb was properly prepared, the believed the spirit would leave the body and return Mummification Process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from rotting

The Middle Kingdom 2050-1652 B.C. Began expanding its territory Pharaoh portrayed as the shepherd of his people Expected to build public works and provide for the public welfare

The New Kingdom 1567-1085 B.C. Massive wealth emerged in Egypt Built new, enormous temples 1st female pharaoh named Hatshepsut King Tutankhamen/ King “Tut”

Society in Ancient Egypt Structure God/king at the top Pharaoh surrounded by upper class nobles and priests Merchants, artisans, scribes, and tax collectors Peasants -worked the land

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt Very positive outlook toward life on Earth Married young Girls at 12 Boys at 14 Monogamy (marriage to one person) was typical; however polygamy was sometimes accepted Husband was the master of the home, but wives were very respected Women in charge of the household and education Women maintained their inheritance Some women even owned businesses

Writing and Education Hieroglyphics Hieratic script System of writing employed by the Egyptians Used pictures and more abstract forms Written on temple walls and in tombs Hieratic script Simplified form, used for business transactions, record keeping, and other daily needs

Writing and Education Age 10= boys of the upper class went to schools run by scribes Students learned to read and write by copying texts Extremely strict discipline Girls remained at home and learned housekeeping skills from their mothers

Achievements in Art and Science Egyptians developed a 365 day calendar based on the bright star Sirius Sirius rises in the sun just before the annual flooding of the Nile River Practice of embalming led to medical expertise in human anatomy Archaeologists have recovered directions from doctors for using splints, bandages, and compresses for treating fractures, wounds, and disease

New Centers of Civilization

The Role of Nomadic People Nomadic people depend on hunting and gathering, herding and sometime farming for their survival. Were often viewed as hostile and barbaric Nomads traded animals, grains, and vegetables Indo- Europeans( 2000 BCE) Moved to areas such as Europe, India, and Western Asia Created the empire of Hittites, which weakened the power of the Egyptians

The Phoenicians Lived in the area of Palestine along the Mediterranean coast. Rose after the downfall of the Hittites and fa