1. The Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, and the Persian Empire
What factors helped unify early civilizations in Southwest Asia?
Geography of the Fertile Crescent
LESSON 1
The Sumerians
LESSON 2
Military Empires
LESSON 3
The Phoenicians
LESSON 4
The Persian Empire
LESSON 5
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2. Geography of the Fertile Crescent
LESSON 1
The Big Idea
The valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers were the site of the world’s first civilizations.
Main Ideas
The rivers of Southwest Asia supported the growth of civilizations.
New farming techniques led to the growth of cities.
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3. Rivers Support the Growth of Civilization
Lesson 1
Rivers Support the Growth of Civilization
Main Idea 1
The rivers of Southwest Asia supported the growth of civilizations.
Land Between Two Rivers
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the most important physical features of the region known as Mesopotamia.
Mesopotamia means “between the rivers” in Greek.
Mesopotamia is part of a larger area of rich farmland called the Fertile Crescent.
Mesopotamia was divided into two regions in ancient times: northern and southern Mesopotamia.
continued…
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4. Main Idea 1 Rise of Civilizations
Lesson 1
Main Idea 1
(continued)
Rise of Civilizations
Annual floods on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers brought silt that made the land ideal for farming.
– Silt is a mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks.
Plentiful food led to population growth and the formation of villages.
Villages later developed into the world’s first civilizations.
A civilization is an organized society within a specific area.
Features of civilizations include writing, formal education, art, architecture, and government.
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5. Farming and Cities Main Idea 2 Controlling Water
Lesson 1
Farming and Cities
Main Idea 2
New farming techniques led to the growth of cities.
The water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates would rise or fall, depending on the amount of rainfall.
Controlling Water
Farmers used irrigation and canals as a way to control river flow.
Irrigation supplied water to farmland from the rivers by taking water through canals and ditches to fields.
Irrigation increased the amount of food farmers produced.
Increased amounts of food led to surpluses, or having more than was needed.
continued…
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6. A More Productive Society
Lesson 1
Main Idea 2
(continued)
A More Productive Society
Surpluses meant that fewer people needed to farm, new occupations developed.
Fewer people needed to farm, so they took on other roles and jobs.
When workers specialize in a particular task, a division of labor is created.
Large projects were undertaken, which led to the need for structure and rules.
The Appearance of Cities
Settlements grew in size, creating cities between 4000 and 3000 BC.
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7. The Sumerians LESSON 2 The Big Idea Main Ideas
The Sumerians developed the first civilization in Mesopotamia.
Main Ideas
The Sumerians created the world’s first advanced society.
Religion played a major role in Sumerian society.
The Sumerians invented the world’s first writing system.
Technical advances and inventions changed Sumerian lives.
Many types of art developed in Sumer.
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8. An Advanced Society Main Idea 1 The City-States of Sumer
Lesson 2
An Advanced Society
Main Idea 1
The Sumerians created the world’s first advanced society.
The City-States of Sumer
Most people lived in the rural areas and were farmers.
Cities were the urban centers of Sumerian society.
A city-state consisted of a city and all of the surrounding countryside.
The amount of countryside in each city-state depended on its military strength.
City-states fought each other to gain more farmland.
City-states, like Ur and Uruk, gained and lost power over time.
A king of Uruk named Gilgamesh became a legendary figure.
continued…
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9. Rise of the Akkadian Empire
Lesson 2
Main Idea 1
(continued)
Rise of the Akkadian Empire
Akkadians built a society north of Sumer.
The Akkadian ruler Sargon had the first permanent army.
He defeated all of the city-states of Sumer.
When his army conquered northern Mesopotamia, he established the world’s first empire. Empire: land with different territories and peoples under a single rule
Sargon ruled for 50 years. After his death, his empire lasted only a century longer.
Sumerians conquered the area once again.
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10. Religion Shapes Society
Lesson 2
Religion Shapes Society
Main Idea 2
Religion played a major role in Sumerian society.
Sumerian Religion
Sumerian polytheism was the basis for all Sumerian society.
– Polytheism is the worship of many gods.
Gods had enormous powers.
In Sumer, priests had great statues built.
– Priests were people who performed religious ceremonies.
continued…
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11. Main Idea 2 Sumerian Social Order
Lesson 2
Main Idea 2
(continued)
Sumerian Social Order
The division of society by rank or class is the social hierarchy.
Kings were at the top of the order because they claimed to be chosen to rule by the gods.
Social order
Kings
Priests
Skilled craftspeople, merchants, and traders
Large working class of farmers and laborers
Slaves
continued…
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12. Main Idea 2 Men and Women in Sumer
Lesson 2
Main Idea 2
(continued)
Men and Women in Sumer
Men generally held the political power and made laws.
Women generally took care of the home and children.
Education was generally reserved for men, but some upper class women were educated.
Some women were priestesses in Sumerian temples.
Enheduanna, a priestess who wrote hymns, is the first known female writer in history.
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13. The Invention of Writing
Lesson 2
The Invention of Writing
Main Idea 3
The Sumerians invented the world’s first writing system.
The cuneiform system involved the use of sharp tools called styluses.
The Sumerians first used cuneiform to keep business records.
The Sumerians also used their writing skills to write books about history, poems, and math.
continued…
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14. The Invention of Writing
Lesson 2
Main Idea 3
(continued)
The Invention of Writing
Cuneiform
World’s first system of writing
Cuneiform symbols could represent syllables. Earlier pictographs had represented only objects.
The Sumerians wrote on clay tablets with a stylus.
Scribes
Writers
Kept track of items people traded and wrote down government records
Becoming a scribe was a way to move up in social class.
Other Uses
Wrote works of literature, stories, proverbs, and songs
Wrote poems about the gods and military victories.
Created epics, long poems that tell the stories of heroes.
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15. Advances and Inventions
Lesson 2
Advances and Inventions
Main Idea 4
Technical advances and inventions changed Sumerian lives.
Technical Advances
Development of the wheel
– Used for carts and wagons
– Potter’s wheel
The plow increased farm production.
Sewers under city streets
Created tools out of bronze
Math and Sciences
Number system based on 60
Calculated areas of rectangles and triangles
Listed names of animals, plants, and minerals
Used medicines for healing and catalogued medical knowledge
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16. The Arts of Sumer Main Idea 5 Architecture The Arts
Lesson 2
The Arts of Sumer
Main Idea 5
Many types of art developed in Sumer.
Architecture
Sumerians were skilled in architecture.
Rulers lived in large palaces.
Most Sumerians lived in houses with many rooms around a small courtyard.
A ziggurat, or pyramid-shaped temple tower, rose above each city.
The Arts
Sculptors produced many statues of the gods for their temples.
Jewelry was a popular item made from imported gold, silver, and gems.
Engraved cylinder seals are one of Sumer’s most famous types of art.
Music was played for entertainment and worship.
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17. Military Empires LESSON 3 The Big Idea Main Ideas
After the Sumerians, many cultures ruled parts of the Fertile Crescent.
Main Ideas
The Babylonians conquered Mesopotamia and created a code of law.
Invasions of Mesopotamia changed the region’s culture.
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18. The Babylonians Conquer Mesopotamia
Lesson 3
The Babylonians Conquer Mesopotamia
Main Idea 1
The Babylonians conquered Mesopotamia and created a code of law.
The Rise of Babylon
After Ur lost power, other groups fought to control the region
Babylon was home to a powerful government
A man named Hammurabi became Babylon’s king and the city’s greatest monarch, or ruler of a kingdom or empire
continued…
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19. Main Idea 1 Hammurabi’s Code
Lesson 2
Main Idea 1
(continued)
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi was a brilliant war leader who brought all of Mesopotamia into his Babylonian Empire
Oversaw building and irrigation projects and improved the tax system
Developed a set of 282 laws that was written down for all to see
The set of laws, Hammurabi’s Code, contained some ideas still found in laws today.
Specific crimes brought specific penalties.
Social class was taken into account. It was a greater crime to injure a rich man than a poor one.
It was unique not only because of how thorough it was, but also because he wrote it down for all to see.
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20. Invasions of Mesopotamia
Lesson 3
Invasions of Mesopotamia
Main Idea 2
Invasions of Mesopotamia changed the region’s culture.
The Hittites and Kassites
The Hittites were the first to master ironworking, so they made the strongest weapons of the time.
They used the chariot, a wheeled, horse-drawn cart, which allowed them to move quickly around the battlefield.
They were taken over by the Kassites after their king was assassinated.
The Kassites ruled for almost 400 years.
continued…
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21. Main Idea 2 The Assyrians The Chaldeans
Lesson 3
Main Idea 2
(continued)
The Assyrians
The Assyrians had a strong army that used chariots and iron weapons.
They spread terror before battles by looting villages and burning crops.
The government demanded heavy taxes.
Assyrian kings ruled their empire through local leaders who each governed a small area.
The Chaldeans
The Chaldeans attacked the Assyrians when they were weak and destroyed their empire.
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon into a beautiful city that had the famous Hanging Gardens.
They admired the Sumerian culture, studied their language, and built temples to Sumerian gods.
Babylon became a center for astronomy.
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22. The Phoenicians LESSON 4 The Big Idea Main Ideas
The Phoenicians created a wealthy trading society along Mediterranean Sea.
Main Ideas
The Phoenicians built a trading society in the eastern Mediterranean region.
The Phoenicians developed one of the world’s first alphabets.
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23. Lesson 4
Phoenicia
Main Idea 1
The Phoenicians built a trading society in the eastern Mediterranean region.
Phoenician City-States
Not a great military power
Phoenician city-states includes Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre.
Ruled by kings or a council of elders
Government influenced by merchants
Lost independence when conquered by Persia
The Geography of Phoenicia
Mountains to the north and east
Access to the Mediterranean Sea for Trade
Cedar trees for timber
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24. Phoenician Trade and Culture
Lesson 4
Phoenician Trade and Culture
Main Idea 2
The Phoenicians developed one of the world’s first alphabets.
The Expansion of Trade
Phoenicians became expert sailors.
Ships used sails and oars
Traded all around the Mediterranean Sea
Founded several new colonies, including Carthage
Traded timber, glass, purple fabric
continued…
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25. Phoenician Culture and Achievements
Lesson 4
Main Idea 2
(continued)
Phoenician Culture and Achievements
Trading led to cultural exchange.
Phoenician religion shared elements with the religions of surrounding civilizations
Developed new navigation techniques
Most important achievement was the alphabet
A set of letters that can be used to form words
The English alphabet is based on the Phoenician one.
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26. The Persian Empire LESSON 5 The Big Idea Main Ideas
Over time the Persians came to rule a great empire, which eventually brought them into conflict with the Greeks.
Main Ideas
Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great.
The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I.
The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars.
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27. Persia Becomes an Empire
Lesson 5
Persia Becomes an Empire
Main Idea 1
Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great.
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great won independence for Persia from the Medes, marking the beginning of the Persian Empire.
Cyrus conquered many people but let them keep their own customs.
This kept people from rebelling against his strong empire.
He was so successful that he became known as Cyrus the Great.
continued…
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28. Main Idea 1 The Persian Army
Lesson 5
Main Idea 1
(continued)
The Persian Army
Cyrus was successful because he had a strong powerful army.
This army was strong because it was well organized and loyal.
The army was composed of Immortals, which were 10,000 soldiers chosen for their bravery and skill.
The army also had a cavalry, a unit of soldiers who ride horses. Cyrus used the cavalry to charge at and shoot enemies with arrows.
Together the components of the army could defeat almost any enemy.
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29. The Persian Empire Grows Stronger
Lesson 5
The Persian Empire Grows Stronger
Main Idea 2
The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I.
Within four years of Cambyses’ death, a young prince named Darius I claimed the throne.
He killed all his rivals for power and then worked to restore order in Persia.
Political Organization
Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces.
Governors called satraps ruled the provinces.
– Collected taxes
– Were judges
– Put down rebellions
continued…
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30. Persian Art, Architecture, and Literature
Lesson 5
Main Idea 2
(continued)
Persian Art, Architecture, and Literature
Darius built an impressive new capital, called Persepolis.
Persian artists made beautiful works of art for the royal family
During his rule a new religion arose, called Zoroastrianism.
–This religion taught that two forces were fighting in the universe: a good force and an evil force.
–The Avesta is the holy book of Zoroastrianism and an example of early Persian literature.
continued…
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31. Main Idea 2 Persian Society Persian Expansion
Lesson 5
Main Idea 2
(continued)
Persian Society
Darius created a standardized currency.
He encouraged trade.
He built many roads that connected various parts of the empire.
The roads connected the empire and allowed messengers to travel quickly.
Persian Expansion
Darius expanded the empire by conquering the entire Indus Valley.
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32. The Persians Fight Greece
Lesson 5
The Persians Fight Greece
Main Idea 3
The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars.
Darius was angry that the Greeks had aided a revolt against the Persians, so he invaded Greece in a series of battles known as the Persian Wars.
The Battle of Marathon
Darius invaded Greece at the plains of Marathon, near Athens.
The invasion began the Persian Wars, a series of wars between Persia and Greece
While Persians soldiers outnumbered Greek soldiers, the Greeks won the battle because the had better weapons and tactics.
According to legend a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens to bring news of the victory. He died after sharing the news.
continued…
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33. The Second Invasion of Greece
Lesson 5
Main Idea 3
(continued)
The Second Invasion of Greece
Years later, Xerxes I tried to conquer Greece again, this time joined by the Persian navy.
The Spartans slowed the Persian army at Thermopylae, giving Greece enough time to gain the upper hand and eventually beat the Persians at Plataea, ending the Persian Wars.
While the defeat was embarrassing for the Persians, they empire remained strong for more than a century after the war.
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