1. First Age of Empires, 1570 B.C.–200 B.C.
The first large empires develop in Africa and Asia between 1570 B.C. and 200 B.C.
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2. First Age of Empires, 1570 B.C.–200 B.C. SECTION 1
The Egyptians and Nubian Empires
The Assyrian Empires
The Persian Empire
The Unification of China
These are my notes for slide 2
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3. The Egyptian and Nubian Empires
Section 1
The Egyptian and Nubian Empires
Two empires along the Nile, Egypt and Nubia,
forge commercial, cultural, and political connections.
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4. The new pharaoh established their capital at the strategic site of Memphis, just south of the delta, and over the next several centuries consolidated their rule. Probably no other dynasty in history has been so successful in creating an effective yet apparently timeless form of government. For thousands of years Egyptian pharaohs were able to convey to their subjects a sense of permanence and eternity while constantly adjusting the system to meet new needs. (Nagle, 23)

5. The Egyptian and Nubian Empires
SECTION 1
The Egyptian and Nubian Empires
Nomadic Invaders Rule Egypt
Invaders
• About 1640 B.C., Asian warriors, the Hyksos, use
chariots to conquer Egypt
Hebrews Migrate to Egypt
• Hebrews move to Egypt from Canaan around 1650 B.C.
• Egyptians resent the presence of Hebrews and Hyksos
in Egypt
Expulsion and Slavery
• Egyptians drive out the hated Hyksos
• Hebrews lose protection of Hyksos; are enslaved
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6. The Hyksos were the source of the new horse-drawn war-chariots introduced to Egypt in the second half of the Hyksos rule. This invention, never seen before in Egypt, was instrumental in the continued power of the Hyksos in this region. The Hyksos utilized superior bronze weapons, chariots, and composite bows to help them take control of Egypt, and by about 1720 BC they had grown strong enough, at the expense of the Middle Kingdom kings, to gain control of Avaris in the north eastern Delta. This site eventually became the capital of the Hyksos kings, yet within 50 years they had also managed to take control of the important Egyptian city of Memphis.

7. Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos.
Starting in 1567 B.C., the pharaoh Ahmose I eventually managed to defeat and expel the Hyksos from Egypt, reuniting Egypt and establishing the New Kingdom (c B.C.). The New Kingdom was characterized by a new militaristic and imperialistic path. A more professional army was developed.
Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos.

8. The New Kingdom of Egypt
SECTION 1
The New Kingdom of Egypt
Technological Changes
• About 1570 to 1075 B.C. pharaohs create New
Kingdom, a powerful empire
• Army uses bronze weapons and chariots to
conquer other lands
Hatshepsut’s Prosperous Rule
• Hatshepsut—pharaoh whose reign most noted
for her trade expeditions, not war
Continued . . .
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9. Thutmose the Empire Builder
SECTION 1
continued The New Kingdom of Egypt
Thutmose the Empire Builder
• Thutmose III, Hatshepsut’s stepson, expands Egypt’s
empire
• Invades Palestine, Syria, and Nubia—region around
the upper Nile River
• Egypt most powerful and wealthy during reign of New
Kingdom pharaohs
Continued . . .
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10. Tutankhamun (King Tut)
Pharaohs
Tutankhamun (King Tut)
1334 and 1325 BC
Ramesses II BC

11. The Egyptians and the Hittites
SECTION 1
continued The New Kingdom of Egypt
The Egyptians and the Hittites
• Around 1285 B.C. Egyptians battle the Hittites
in Palestine
• Egypt’s pharaoh, Ramses II, and the Hittite king
sign a peace treaty
An Age of Builders
• New Kingdom pharaohs built great palaces,
magnificent temples
• Valley of the Kings near Thebes is home to royal
tombs
• Ramses II builds impressive temples with
enormous statues of himself
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12. Art and Writing

13. The Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza.
Art and Writing
Pyramids
Symbols of the pharaoh’s authority and divine stature; royal tombs
Pyramid of Khufu involved the precise cutting and fitting of 2,300,000 limestone blocks with an average weight of 2.5 tons
Estimated construction of the Khufu pyramid required 84,000 laborers working 80 days per year for 20 years
The Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza. 

14. Art and Writing Hieroglyphs
Pictures that were used to write the ancient Egyptian language
Originally used to keep records of the king’s possessions. Scribes could easily make these records by drawing a picture of a cow or a boat followed by a number.
As the language became more complex, more pictures were needed. Eventually the language consisted of more than 750 individual signs.

15. The Empire Declines Invasion by Land and Sea Egypt’s Empire Fades
SECTION 1
The Empire Declines
Invasion by Land and Sea
• “Sea Peoples” (possibly Philistines) cause great
destruction in Egypt
• Libyan raids on villages and Palestine rebellions
weaken empire
Egypt’s Empire Fades
• Weakened empire breaks into smaller kingdoms
• From around 950 to 730 B.C. Libyan pharaohs rule Egypt, erect cities
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16. Invasion of the “Sea Peoples” around 1200 B.C.
The days of Egyptian empire were ended, and the New Kingdom expired with the end of the twentieth dynasty in 1085 B.C. For the next thousand years, despite periodic revivals of strength, Egypt was dominated by Libyans, Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians.
Egyptian Drawings of Two Different Tribes of Sea People

17. The Kushites Conquer the Nile Region
SECTION 1
The Kushites Conquer the Nile Region
Egypt and Kush
• From 2000 to 1000 B.C., Egypt dominates
kingdom of Kush in Nubia
The People of Nubia
• Live south of Egypt near division of Blue Nile and
White Nile
• Nile River is a great trade route for goods and
ideas
• Nubians link Egypt and Mediterranean to African
interior through trade
Continued . . .
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18. The Interaction of Egypt and Nubia
SECTION 1
continued The Kushites Conquer the Nile Region
The Interaction of Egypt and Nubia
• Egyptian culture influences Nubia and beyond to
southern Africa
• About 1200 B.C., Nubia gains independence but
keeps Egyptian culture
Piankhi Captures the Egyptian Throne
• In 751 B.C., Kushite king Piankhi conquers
Egypt, ousts Libyans
• Assyrians overcome Kushites and take Egypt
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19. The Golden Age of Meroë Meroë The Wealth of Kush The Decline of Meroë
SECTION 1
The Golden Age of Meroë
Meroë
• Kushites settle Meroë; join in trade with Africa,
Arabia, India
The Wealth of Kush
• Meroë becomes important center for iron
weapons and tools
• Iron products transported to Red Sea, exchanged
for luxury goods
The Decline of Meroë
• Meroë thrives from about 250 B.C. to A.D. 150,
then declines
• Aksum, 400 miles southeast, dominates North
African trade
• Has port on Red Sea, defeats Meroë in A.D. 350
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20. The Assyrian Empire Section 2
Assyria develops a military machine and establishes a well-organized administration.
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21. The Assyrian Empire A Mighty Military Machine Assyria
SECTION 2
The Assyrian Empire
A Mighty Military Machine
Assyria
• Assyria uses military might to acquire empire across
Southwest Asia
The Rise of a Warrior People
• After invasions in Mesopotamia, Assyrians develop
warlike behavior
• Assyrian king Sennacherib brutally destroys enemies
Military Organization and Conquest
• Glorified armies wear metal armor, copper helmets,
leather protection
• Use iron weapons, engineering skill, and brute force
to conquer cities
• Kill, enslave, or banish captive peoples to distant lands
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22. The Empire Expands Kings of Assyria Assyrian Rule Assyrian Culture
SECTION 2
The Empire Expands
Kings of Assyria
• Defeat Syria, Palestine, Babylonia between 850
and 650 B.C.
Assyrian Rule
• Creates central authority over local governors of
dependent regions
• Collects taxes and tribute from conquered lands
Assyrian Culture
• Rulers build great cities, including capital at Nineveh
• Carved sculptures of military campaigns and the
lion hunt
• King Ashurbanipal builds library of 20,000
tablets; Epic of Gilgamesh
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23. Rebirth of Babylon Under the Chaldeans
SECTION 2
Rebirth of Babylon Under the Chaldeans
Early Warnings
• Empire spread thin, cruelty earns many enemies,
Ashurbanipal dies
Decline and Fall
• Army of Medes and Chaldeans destroys
Nineveh (612 B.C.); library survives
Rebirth of Babylon Under the Chaldeans
• Chaldeans make Babylon capital of own empire
• King Nebuchadnezzar builds legendary hanging
gardens of Babylon
• Builds tall ziggurats; astronomers make discoveries about solar system
• Chaldean Empire falls to Persians; they adopt
Assyrian inventions
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24. The Persian Empire Section 3
By governing with tolerance and wisdom, the Persians establish a well-ordered empire that lasts for 200 years.
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25. The Persian Empire The Rise of Persia The Persian Homeland
SECTION 3
The Persian Empire
The Rise of Persia
The Persian Homeland
• Persia (ancient Iran) has fertile land and minerals
• Medes and Persians rose to power there
Cyrus the Great Founds an Empire
• Starting in 550 B.C., Persian king Cyrus conquers
neighboring lands
• Governs with tolerance toward conquered peoples
• Honors local customs, including religious ones
• Allows Jews to return to Israel to rebuild temple of
Jerusalem
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26. Persian Rule Cambyses and Darius Provinces and Satraps
SECTION 3
Persian Rule
Cambyses and Darius
• Cyrus’s son, Cambyses, conquers Egypt but
rules unwisely
• Darius seizes control, establishes stability;
expands empire to India
Provinces and Satraps
• Darius divides empire into 20 areas of local
administration
• Appoints satraps—governors—to rule each area
• Build Royal Road to make communication within
empire easier
• Issues coins that can be used throughout the empire
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27. The Persian Legacy Zoroaster Zoroaster’s Teachings Political Order
SECTION 3
The Persian Legacy
Zoroaster
• Persian thinker called Zoroaster develops new
religion
Zoroaster’s Teachings
• Life is a battleground between good and evil
• One god will judge us by how well we fight for good
• Zoroastrianism influenced Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam
Political Order
• Through tolerance and good government, Persians
bring political order
• Preserve earlier cultures, find new ways to live and
rule
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28. The Unification of China
Section 4
The Unification of China
The social disorder of the warring states contributes to the development of three Chinese ethical systems.
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29. The Unification of China
SECTION 4
The Unification of China
Confucius and the Social Order
Zhou Dynasty
• Lasted 1027 to 256 B.C.; ancient values decline near
end of dynasty
Confucius Urges Harmony
• End of Zhou Dynasty is time of disorder
• Scholar Confucius wants to restore order,
harmony, good government
• Stresses developing good relationships, including
family
• Promotes filial piety—respect for parents and
ancestors
• Hopes to reform society by promoting good
government
Continued . . .
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30. Confucian Ideas About Government
SECTION 4
continued Confucius and the Social Order
Confucian Ideas About Government
• Thinks education can transform people
• Teachings become foundation for bureaucracy,
a trained civil service
• Confucianism is an ethical system of right and
wrong, not a religion
• Chinese government and social order is based on
Confucianism
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31. Other Ethical Systems Daoists Seek Harmony Legalists Urge Harsh Rule
SECTION 4
Other Ethical Systems
Daoists Seek Harmony
• Laozi teaches that people should follow the
natural order of life
• Believes that universal force called Dao guides
all things
• Daoism philosophy is to understand nature and
be free of desire
• Daoists influence sciences, alchemy, astronomy,
medicine
Legalists Urge Harsh Rule
• Legalism emphasizes the use of law to restore order; stifles criticism
• Teaches that obedience should be rewarded,
disobedience punished
Continued . . .
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32. SECTION 4
continued Other Ethical Systems
I Ching and Yin and Yang
• I Ching (The Book of Changes) offers good advice,
common sense
• Concept of yin and yang—two powers represent
rhythm of universe
• Yin: cold, dark, soft, mysterious; yang: warm, bright,
hard, clear
• I Ching and yin and yang explain how people fit into
the world
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33. The Qin Dynasty Unifies China
SECTION 4
The Qin Dynasty Unifies China
The Qin Dynasty
• Qin Dynasty replaces Zhou Dynasty in third
century B.C.
A New Emperor Takes Control
• Emperor Shi Huangdi unifies China, ends fighting,
conquers new lands
• Creates 36 administrative districts controlled by Qin
officials
• With legalist prime minister, murders Confucian scholars, burns books
• Establishes an autocracy, a government with
unlimited power
Continued . . .
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34. A Program of Centralization
SECTION 4
continued The Qin Dynasty Unifies China
A Program of Centralization
• Shi Huangdi builds highways, irrigation projects;
increases trade
• Sets standards for writing, law, currency, weights and
measures
• Harsh rule includes high taxes and repressive
government
Great Wall of China
• Emperor forces peasants to build Great Wall to keep
out invaders
The Fall of the Qin
• Shi Huangdi’s son loses the throne to rebel leader;
Han Dynasty begins
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