Early River Valley Civilizations

Mesopotamia & Nile River Valleys

Warm Up

• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?

•Agenda• Notes/PowerPoint• WebQuest (or Bookquest)• Exit Quiz

I. Geography• A. Rivers created the

availability of water and good soil for crops • 1. Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers - Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia)• 2. Nile River (Egypt)• 3. Indus River (India)•a. Monsoon-winds that bring rain and fertile soil

• 4. Huang He River (China)

II. Mesopotamia • A. People looked to

religion to answer their questions about life• 1. Polytheistic - Belief

in many gods• B. Patriarchal society-a society dominated by men

4 Corners Activity• The government should be

influenced by religious leaders• If you strongly agree with this

statement, stand by the back door• If you agree with this statement, stand

by the front door• If you disagree with this statement,

stand by the TV• If you strongly disagree with this

statement, stand behind my desk

4 Corners Activity• Once you get to your corners,

come up with three reasons why your group feels that way and be ready to share with the class

• GO!

II. Mesopotamia• C. Sumeria (3000 –

2340 BC)• 1. Organized into city –

states• a. City – states: Cities

that are like countries and rule over the surrounding area

II. Mesopotamia• 2. Theocracy - a

government ruled by divine authority• 3. Priests

worshipped in buildings called ziggurats• a. Ziggurat –

Sumerian stepped towers

Ziggurat

II. Mesopotamia• 3. Sumer was one

civilization to have an extensive writing system in which they used cuneiform• a. Cuneiform –

Mesopotamian form of writing

Cuneiform

II. Mesopotamia

• D. Akkadia (2340 – 2100 BC)• 1. The Akkadians

were the first empire in the world• a. Empire: A

government that rules over many different peoples or territories

II. Mesopotamia

• C. Babylon (1792 – 1750 BC)• 1. Babylon’s

leader was Hammurabi

Hammurabi

II. Mesopotamia• a. Hammurabi

created the first written code of law• This was a collection

of 282 laws• b. The principle

behind Hammurabi’s code was an eye for an eye • What do you think

this means?

Hammurabi’s Code

Hammurabi’s Code• “If any one steal cattle or sheep, or a

pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death.”• How did Hammurabi treat rich people

who committed crimes?

Hammurabi’s Code•  If any one find runaway male or

female slaves in the open country and bring them to their masters, the master of the slaves shall pay him two shekels of silver. • How does this show the idea of “an

eye for an eye”?

Hammurabi’s Code• If a man let in the water, and the

water overflow the plantation of his neighbor, he shall pay ten gur of corn for every ten gan of land. • Do you agree with this rule? Why or

why not?

II. Mesopotamia• F. Israel (1200 – 722 BC)• 1. Capital was Jerusalem• 2. From this nation,

Judaism was created• a. Judaism: One of the

first monotheistic religions that eventually would lead to Christianity and Islam

• b. Monotheistic - belief in only one God

Star of David (symbol of Judaism) – nothing

to do with Crips…

II. MesopotamiaG. Persia (559 – 330 BC)1. Created an extremely large empire that spread from Egypt to India2. Their empire was stopped from moving north by Greek city – states3. Government – Monarchya. Monarchy: Government headed by a king or queen

III. PhoeniciansA. Had a very powerful

sea trading civilization

B. Developed the first alphabet which used symbols to represent sounds, rather than pictures to represent words

C. This would inspire Greek and Roman languages

Warm Up

• Name two things you know about ancient Egypt• Don’t know anything? Ask one

question you might have about Egypt

• Agenda• Notes/PowerPoint• Finish Webquest (or Bookquest)

Ancient Egypt

• King Tut Film• http://www.history.com/videos/king-tut#ki

ng-tut• Questions:• Would the scientists studying King Tut’s

mummy be considered archeologists or anthropologists? Why?

IV. Egypt• A. Located in the

Nile River Valley• B. Government –

dynasty (Monarchy)• Rulers were known

as Pharaohs • 1. Dynasty-family

of rulers whose right to rule is passed throughout the family

King Tut – the Boy Pharaoh

IV. Egypt• 2. Bureaucracy-

government organization with officials and regular procedures• 3. System of

writing – Hieroglyphics • a. Hieroglyphics –

Egyptian form of writing meaning “picture writing”

Hieroglyphics