First Civilizations: Africa and Asia

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Chapter 2

• First Civilizations Africa and Asia
• (3200 B.C.-5000 B.C.)

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Section 1

• Ancient Kingdoms of the Nile

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Nile River

• The Nile had the greatest influence on ancient
  Egypt
• Rulers used the Nile to link Upper Egypt to lower
  Egypt
• Annual floods deposited a layer of silt or rich
  soil
• Served as a trade route

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Three Kingdoms of Egypt

• 1. Old Kingdom (Pyramid Age)-
• Pharaohs organized strong central governments and
  were considered gods
• 2. Middle Kingdom
• Hyksos occupied the Delta Area- triangular area
  of marshland formed by deposits of silt
• 3. New Kingdom
• Pharaohs created a large empire that reached the
  Euphrates River

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Extra notes

• Hatshepsut Egyptian queen who encouraged trade
  with lands along the eastern Mediterranean
• Ramses II expanded Egyptian rule to Syria and
  conquered Nubia
• For centuries, Egyptians traded or fought with
  Nubia, so the Nubians were a part of Egyptian
  culture (cultural diffusion)

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Section 2

• Egyptian Civilization

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Religions beliefs

• Believed that many gods and goddesses ruled the
  world and after life
• Amon-Re Sun God
• Osiris God of underworld and Nile
• Pharaoh was believed to be a god
• Eternal life after death (Book of the Dead
  mummification)
• Mummification the preservation of the body for
  use in the next life

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Learning

• Hieroglyphics form of picture writing developed
  in order to keep records
• Doctors performed surgeries and developed
  medications
• Developed 12-month calendar

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Arts

• Built pyramids and other great buildings

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Class systems in Ancient Egypt

• 1. Pharaoh
• 2. High priest and priestesses served gods and
  goddesses
• 3. Nobles- fought pharaohs wars
• 4. Merchants, scribes, and artisans
• Peasant farmers and slaves- most of Egyptians
  were members of this group

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Section 3

• City-states of Ancient Sumer

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Fertile Crescent

• Fertile Crescent fertile land between the Tigris
  and Euphrates Rivers
• Movement of people across the fertile crescent
  resulted in the exchange of ideas
• First Sumerian cities emerged in southern Meso.
  Around 3200 B.C.

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Sumerian Civilization

• Made up of individual city-states
• Most people were peasant farmers
• Worshiped many Gods
• To keep the gods happy, each city built Ziggurat,
  or pyramid temples
• They saw their rulers as gods chief servants
• Developed cuneiform, believed to be the earliest
  form of writing
• Made first wheeled vehicles

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Section 4

• Invaders, traders, and Empire builders

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Fertile Crescent

• A series of strong rulers united the lands of the
  Fertile Crescent into well organized empires
• 2300 B.C.- Sargon, the ruler of Akkad, conquered
  Sumer and built first known empire
• 1790 B.C.- Hammurabi, king of Babylon, united the
  Babylonian empire

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Code of Hammurabi

• Hammurabis code was the first attempt by a ruler
  to codify, or arrange and set down in writing,
  all of the laws that would govern a state

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Laws

• Criminal Law deals with offenses against others
  (Ex. Robbery)
• Civil Law deals with private matters (Ex.
  Business contracts)

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Persian Empires

• Emperor Darius unified the Persian Empire
• Each province headed by a governor, called a
  satrap
• Set up a common set of weights and measures to
  improve trade

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The Phoenicians

• Spread Middle Eastern civilization throughout the
  Mediterranean

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Section 5

• The Roots of Judaism

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Judaism

• Abraham migrates from Meso. To Cahaan, where he
  founded the Israelite nation
• Forced to Egypt became enslaved Moses leads out
  of Egypt
• 1000 B.C.- David unites Israelites into Kingdom
  of Israel

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Judaism continued

• Israelites were monotheistic, believing in one
  true god
• Believed that they were gods chosen people
• Torah addresses all aspects of life. According
  to Torah, David united the Hebrew tribes into a
  single nation
• Jews believed that God gave them a set of laws
  called the Ten Commandments