1. Ancient Civilizations:
Mesopotamia and Egypt

2. Neolithic Revolution Also called the agricultural revolution
Was a major change in human life caused by the beginnings of farming.
People shifted from food gathering to food producing.
Food surplus due to agriculture is the most important factor in the development of civilization.
Artifacts-human-made objects such as tools and jewelry

3. Mesopotamia
The “land between the rivers”
Also known as the Fertile Crescent because the resource- rich land made agriculture and growth possible
Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

4. People of Mesopotamia Sumerians Sumerian Culture Organization
Independent city-states around 3500 BC
ruled by a king
often warred with each other
Sumerian Culture
Polytheism-belief in more than one god
Believed that many different gods controlled the various forces in nature

5. People of Mesopotamia Sumerians cont. Contributions Cuneiform writing
Used a reed stylus on clay to make wedge shaped symbols
System of numbers based on 60
We use this today with telling time
Architecture
Sumerians built pyramid like temples called Ziggurats

6. Babylonians
King Hammurabi Took over Sumer around 1900 BC became Babylonian Empire
Contributions:
Code of Hammurabi
One of the earliest written law codes
“Eye for an eye” punishment
Lower class/women punished more severely than upper class/ men (unequal)
Astronomy
Believed stars affected their lives BUT learned to predict eclipses and recognize planets
Religious literature
Epic of Gilgamesh: one of the earliest creation stories
Describes creation of man and woman and building an ark before a great flood

7. Assyrians 800 BC, Semitic Speaking People from Northern Mesopotamia
First to have iron weapons
siege towers, and battering rams
Used terror and cruelty
Took over from Tigris to Egypt
Contributions
Library at Nineveh
Remains of documents have given us much information about ancient Middle East
Military roads to move troops quickly

8. Egypt Geography Early Government
550 miles long, 15 miles on both sides of Nile
Nile floods once a year leaving rich soil
Early Government
Needed to control flooding and for irrigation
Build dams, reservoirs, and canals
Eventually formed two kingdoms
Upper and Lower Egypt
3100 BC Menes united the two
He was first Pharaoh

9. Egyptian Life Absolute Monarchy/ Theocracy Class System Lower classes
Pharaoh was a living god
Made laws, built canals and public buildings, set taxes,
Assisted by nobles and priests in a bureaucracy
Class System
Nobles, Priests
Lower classes
Peasants and slaves
Could not participate in government
Religion
Polytheistic
Preserved bodies with mummification
Pharaohs in Pyramids

10. Contributions of Egypt
Architecture and Engineering
Pyramids, temples with columns
Art
Cheerful and colorful frescoes, huge statues, gold jewelry, pottery
Hieroglyphic writing
Began as pictographs
First “paper” called papyrus
Translated with Rosetta stone which has Hieroglyphic and Greek writing on it
Science
365 day year
Set bones, prescribed drugs, understood much about the body because of mummification

11. Hebrews History Contributions 1400 BC – Settled in Palestine
Exiled to Babylon (later allowed back to Palestine)
Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt (10 Commandments)
Contributions
Monotheism
Old Testament
High moral principles
Ten Commandments
Covenant of Abraham
“father” of Judaism
Made a covenant (agreement) with God
Worship no other God
They were the chosen people

12. Phoenicians 1200 BC – Centered north of Palestine
Skilled shipbuilders and navigators
Traded throughout Mediterranean and to Europe and Africa
Contributions
“Missionaries of Civilization”
Brought Mediterranean culture and products to less advanced regions
Traded Purple Dye made from crushed snail shells
Alphabet
Based on sound with 22 letters; Phonetic Alphabet
Eventually becomes the alphabet we use

13. Polytheism v. Monotheism
What is the difference between monotheism and polytheism?
Use evidence from your notes