Early River Civilizations 3500 BC to 450 BC Review – Rise of Civilizations 5000 BC – Neolithic Revolution & 3000 BC– Bronze Age Mesopotamia = City States Egypt = Upper & Lower Egypt Indus = Planned Cities China = Dynasties

Learn Role of geography Earliest civilizations Main characteristics for each Dynasties & Empires (and leaders) Hammurabi’s Code & other laws Science & Technology Religion

The earliest civilizations formed along the river valleys of the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, India, and China. Each of these societies had to overcome environmental challenges in order to create a stable social organization. These people experimented with new government institutions, from city-states and kingdoms to early empires. They also developed breakthroughs in science and technology. They spread their ideas and innovations to distant lands through trade. Did you know? Africa & Asia

Early River Valley Civilizations Flooding of Tigris and Euphrates unpredictable No natural barriers Limited natural resources for making tools or buildings Environment Meso- potamia Egypt Indus Valley China Flooding of the Nile predictable; “Gift of the Nile” Nile an easy transportation link between Egypt’s villages Deserts were natural barriers. Indus flooding unpredictable Monsoon winds. Rains ½ the year. Drought ½ the year. Himalaya mountains & deserts were natural barriers Huang He flooding unpredictable; “River of Sorrows.” Yangtze River flooding unpredictable. Mountains, deserts natural barriers Geographically isolated from other ancient civilizations

Early River Valley Civilizations Independent city-states, often warring City-states governed first by priests, then by generals who became kings City-states eventually united to first empires by conquerors Power & Authority Meso- potamia Egypt Indus Valley China Kingdom with strong government organization Theocracy, with pharaohs ruling as gods Flexible social system; talent rewarded with advancement Strong centralized government Planned cities Social divisions not significant. Community and family more important than individual Sharp divisions between nobles and peasants Inflexible social system. Once a peasant……

Early River Valley Civilizations Irrigation Cuneiform Bronze Wheel, sail, plow Science & Technology Meso- potamia Egypt Indus Valley China Hieroglyphics Pyramids: Tombs not used on everyday basis Mathematics, geometry, astronomy Medicine Writing (not yet deciphered) Cities built on precise grid Plumbing and sewage systems Writing Silk Coined money Cast iron

Early River Valley Civilizations Ziggurat-temples/city centers used every day Epic of Gilgamesh; oldest novel Hammurabi’s Code; first legal system set down in stone. Home to many civilizations over time. Legacies/Additional info Meso- potamia Egypt Indus Valley China Egyptians polytheistic/immortality/life after death. Civilization survived for longest period of time Knowledge of hieroglyphics died out for centuries. Not sure how pyramids/etc. built. Writing (not yet deciphered) Cities built on precise grid. Plumbing and sewage systems Trade with Mesopotamia, accurate weights & measures Long distance trade w/Rome drained Rome’s wealth. Great Wall may have pushed Huns into Europe. Emperors trying to isolate China ended up weakening it. Emperors sought immortality. “Terra-cotta army.”

Ancient Middle East Babylonians: Hammurabi’s Code, astrology, polytheism Hittites: Iron tools, Chariots, less severe laws Hebrews: Judaism, monotheism, 10 commandments Phoenicians: sailors, traders, the alphabet Assyrians: effective government, library at Nineveh Chaldeans: Hanging Gardens, astronomy Persians: better government, roads, cultural diffusion, Zoroaster

Sum It All Up Due to Agricultural/Neolithic Revolution man transitioned from Hunting- Gathering to settled agricultural societies. The most logical places for these civilizations to arise is along rivers which provided water for crops, mud for building materials and transportation.

Sum It All Up Four civilizations arose around 6 rivers. The geographic circumstances of the rivers and surrounding lands played a huge part in shaping the cultures that lived in/on them.

Sum It All Up Lack of natural barriers (Mesopotamia) allows for constant invasions but easier trade of goods and ideas. Formidable natural barriers (India, China, Egypt) kept civilizations safe, but isolated, possibly vulnerable. “Friendly” geographic conditions (Egypt) help civilization survive for centuries.