2. City-States of Mesopotamia

3. Geography of the Fertile Crescent Fertile Crescent – land between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Mesopotamia – fertile “land between the rivers” Tigris and Euphrates rivers flood once a year Sumerians began farming area around 3300 B.C. Challenges included: unpredictable floods, no natural barriers, few natural resources Solutions included: irrigation, walled cities, trading

4. Fertile Crescent

5. Characteristics of Civilization Advanced cities Specialized workers Complex institutions Record keeping Improved technology

6. Sumerians Create City-States City-state – an independent, political unit City-states had temple, ziggurat, priests Priests controlled government Some military rulers created dynasties Many city-states led to cultural diffusion Religion was polytheistic and bleak Social classes had kings, landowners, priests at top Slaves were at the bottom Women had many rights

7. Sumerian Culture

8. Advancements and Empire Building Inventions included wheel, sail, plow, use of bronze Advances in math, science, medicine, engineering Cuneiform – complex writing system using wedge- shaped characters Sargon of Akkad created first empire c. 2350 B.C. Amorite warriors built Babylonian Empire c. 2000 B.C. Empire at it’s peak under rule of Hammurabi

9. Hammurabi’s Code Law code for the Babylonian Empire 282 laws on all aspects of life Engraved in stone and made public Not equal, but based on social class and gender Also known as “an eye for an eye”

10. The Nile River Valley

11. The Geography of Egypt Arose along the 4,100 mile Nile River Called “The Gift of the Nile” Predictable, yearly floods leave fertile soil - silt Challenges included light or heavy floods, desert isolation Solutions included irrigation, unification under King Narmer in 3000 B.C., Egypt’s first dynasty Upper and lower Egypt united from first cataract to delta

12. The Nile River Valley

13. Pharaohs Egyptian god-kings called pharaohs Controlled all aspects of society Government based on religious authority – theocracy Believed to rule after death(ka) Built elaborate tombs – pyramids Kingdoms strong in leadership, government, economy

14. Egyptian Religion and Life Polytheistic with Re (sun god), Osiris (god of dead), and Isis (ideal woman) Life after death, people judged by deeds Mummification – process or preserving the body Book of the Dead – prayers, spells guide the soul after death Social classes with elite, lower, slaves Women have many rights Picture writing system on papyrus called hieroglyphics Accurate calendar, geometry, engineering, medicine

15. Egyptian Culture

16. The Indus River Valley

17. Geography of India Subcontinent – landmass that includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh Tallest mountain ranges separate it from rest of Asia Indus and Ganges rivers form fertile plain Monsoons – seasonal winds – dominate climate Challenges include unpredictable floods and rainfall

18. The Subcontinent

19. Civilization Emerges People farming on Indus River by 3200 B.C. People building brick cities on grids by 2500 B.C. Engineers create plumbing and sewage systems Numerous cities in Harappan civilization – most important were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro Began to decline about 1750 B.C. Earthquakes, floods, soil depletion About 1500 B.C., Aryans (Indo-Europeans) crossed passes, became dominant

20. Culture and Religion Language had 400 symbols but not deciphered Priests closely linked to rulers Aryans brought what will be Hindu culture and religion Thriving trade with others, including Mesopotamia

21. Harappan Culture

27. River Dynasties in China

28. The Geography of China Oceans, mountains, deserts were barriers that isolated China Huang He (“Yellow River”) in north Yangtze River in south Loess – fertile silt from river flooding Challenges include deadly floods, lack of trade due to isolation

29. River Systems in China

30. Early Civilization Organized and built flood control systems Shang Dynasty was first to leave written records Massive walls for military defense Zhou Dynasty ruled through feudalism – system where kings give land to nobles in exchange for services Over time, nobles became powerful and fought each other

31. Chinese Culture Believed China was the center of the world Family is central social institution (respect and honor) Patriarchal – elder males control family and property Women expected to obey men – even sons Religious beliefs based on ancestor veneration Oracle bones used to consult gods

32. Chinese Culture

33. The Dynastic Cycle Mandate of Heaven – the belief that a just ruler had divine approval Developed as justification for rise of Zhou to power Dynastic Cycle – pattern of the rise and decline of dynasties Zhou brings improvements – roads, canals, iron tools and weapons, use of coins in trade Qin Shihuangdi unified China after years of warfare Oppressive rule, Great Wall and terra cotta army