You are going to work in groups of 3-4 to create your own civilization.

Describe the place that you would want to settle

What would you need? How would you get it?

What are the most important things?How would you develop rules for your

civilization?What would your social structure be like?Would you have a common religion? What?Draw a picture to show your civilization

Create your own Civilization

Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israelites, Assyrians, Persians, Aryans, Mauryans, Chinese

First Civilizations

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia literally means “between the rivers”

This was the land located between the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers in present day Iraq.Located in the eastern end of what is called

the Fertile Crescent.land between the Mediterranean and the

Persian Gulf known for rich soil and abundant

crops.City-states of Ur, Eridu, and Uruk

Temples, priests, eventually kings

Mesopotamia

Akkadians- set up the first empire around 2340 BC.

Empire- large political unit or state, usually under single leader that controls much landHammurabi

To our knowledge, he set up the first set of rules or

laws to govern an empire.

Built temples, encouraged trade, broughteconomics to his land.

Mesopotamia

A collection of 282 laws etched into a stone that still exists today. Located in the Louvre Museum

“eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” comes from the code

Consumer protection. Held craftsman accountable

Marriage contractsPatriarchal society- Men had the powerThis code was used to govern business as

well as the everyday lives of men, women, and children

Code of Hammurabi

Cuneiform- writing with wedge shaped tools on clay

tablets and dried“The Epic of Gilgamesh” was a Sumerian

story

Tools & TechnologyThe wagon wheel, the sundial, arch,

bronze, potters wheel, charting constellations,

math system based on the number 60

Mesopotamian advancements

Egypt

The Old Kingdom 2700 BC -2200 BCKings or Pharaohs were divinely placed

The egyptians of the old kingdom looked at their

monarchs as gods. Pyramids

Burial chambers for the family of the monarchGreat pyramids of Giza

Constructed around 2540 BC, still stands today

Egypt’s Kingdoms

Middle Kingdom 2050 BC-1652 BCThis period is known for the Pharaoh doing

things to help the people, like draining swampland to make farms for the people

New Kingdom 1567 BC-1085 BCThe warrior kingdom of Egypt. Using new

technology, they were able to drive out the Hyksos and create a large empire.

Hatshepsut- female Pharaoh

Egypt’s Kingdoms

Hieroglyphics- “sacred writings”used both pictures and abstract writing-

complex

ArchitecturePyramids, temples, sphinx, obelisk

Developed a 365 day calendar.Medical expertise. Treated wounds and

disease

Egyptian contributions

Left Mesopotamia for the land known as Canaan.

During drought, left Canaan for Egypt, where they were captured and kept as slaves.

Moses led them out of Egypt and wandered through the desert for many years before they were returned to Canaan.

King Solomon built Temple in Jerusalem between 970-930 BC

Kingdom broke apart after Solomon’s death. Northern became Israel, Southern became Judah

Israelites

One God, Yahweh, who created the world and everything in it.

Different than other religions of the time, because they were monotheistic, meaning believing in only 1 God.

Moses delivered the 10 commandments from God while the Israelites were in Exodus between Egypt and Canaan.

Prophets- Messengers sent by God.

Israelite religion

Assyria was established around 700 BCLocated in the upper part of the Tigris riverFell in 612 BC due to internal strife and

attackVery aggressive people who destroyed what

they conquered

Persia thrived in the mid 500’s BC under the leadership of Cyrus.

Lasted until 330 BC when Alexander the Great conquered them

Assyrians & Persians

Indus River ValleyMany small civilizations flourished in the Indus River Valley. Much like as in Mesopotamia, the land was very fertile due to the river that flowed through it out of the Himalaya Mountains. Civilizations date in this area to 3000-1500 BC.

The Aryans arrived in the Indus Valley sometime around 1500 BC.

They came from Europe, and were mostly nomadic until they came upon this valley.

Eventually they would have control throughout all of India

They introduced the Caste System to Indiaset of rigid social categories that

determined a person’s place in society

Aryans

Origins come from the Aryan people.Beliefs

a single force in the universe, a god, called Brahman.reincarnation- soul is reborn after death of physical body into another form.After many cycles, the soul would eventuallyunite with Brahman.

Idea of Karma comes from the Hindu religionClass system based from reincarnationYoga “union” comes from Hindu practices.

Hinduism

The hindu’s believe that their god can adapt to 3 forms

Brahma- CreatorVishnu- PreserverSiva- Destroyer

Hinduism is still the largest religion in the Indian sub –continent today.

Hinduism

600’s b.c.Siddhartha Gautama achieved “Nirvana” and

was able to leave his physical body behind becoming “enlightened”

Teaches that pain and sorrow occur because people are attached to physical things. Once people can forget about their worldly possessions, then pain and sorrow will also leave.

Goal is to achieve Nirvana, “ultimate reality”

Buddhism

Gautama taught a message that most Buddhists follow

called the 4 noble truths1. Ordinary life is full of suffering2. Suffering is caused by our desire to satisfy

ourselves3. The way to end suffering is to end desire for

selfish goals and to see others as extensions of ourselves

4. The way to end desire is to follow the “middle path”

right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfullness, and right concentration.

4 Noble Truths

China’s Dynasties

Mauryan Emperor Asoka built a network of trade routes that connected all parts of the known world: Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China,

The Silk Road was a major route connecting the Eastern part of China over 4,000 miles to Mesopotamia.

Silk Road

Shang Dynasty 1750-1045 BCFirst chinese civilization. Developed writing system, government, bronze vessels

Zhou Dynasty 1045-256 BCMandate of Heaven- order was kept on Earth by the Zhou king so he ruled over humanity.

Ruled by the DAO, “the way”. Had to rule with compassion to keep the gods happy.

Qin Dynasty growth of chinese empire. Building of the “Great Wall” to keep out the Xiongnu

China

Han DynastyGreat increase in population. Extending

China’s boundaries into what is now Vietnam

Chinese family Filial Piety- duty of family members to

subordinate their needs to the male head of the family

Male supremacy occurred in China. Men worked, governed, were warriors, scholars and ministers.

Women raised the children and kept the home in order

China

Philosopher who lived in the 600’s BCBest known for his short sayings that helped

people deal with life.Believed there were 5 relationships. Parent-

child,husband-wife, sibling-sibling, older friend-

young friend, and ruler-subject.

Duty and Humanity were 2 key subjects he taught of.

“measure the feelings of others by one’s own”

Confucius