The Nile River Valley The Egyptians

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The Nile River ValleyThe Egyptians

• settled 5000 BC E. African hunter/gatherers
• Developed elaborate farming system
• ( wheat barley)
• Papyrus-used for writing
• Basic features during Old Kingdom
• (2700-2200BC)
• theocracy King as god/political leader
• Bureaucracy- delegated powers to dif. branches of
  govt.
• Pyramids-the step pyramids-first large all stone
  bldg.

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Egyptians, continued

• 3 great pyramids of Giza
• Ramses II, the great monument builder
• Achievements and contributions
• Mathematics/geometry
• Medicine/ anatomy
• Papyrus/hieroglyphics
• type solar calendar

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The Indus River Valley/ Harappa

• Located in ancient India/modern Pakistan
• People were the Harappans
• At their height around 2500BC
• Not much is known about them by 2000BC they
  were in decline
• They left no detailed records and what has been
  found has not yet been deciphered (seals, stamps)
• Built great cities w/highly organized plan laid
  out in a grid system

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Indus River Valley, continued

• Mohenjo Daro and Harappa were the major cities
  each had pop. Of about 40,000.
• Advanced technology engineering
• Indoor plumbing, bathrooms, underground sewage
• As outsiders move into the area their religious
  beliefs blend with the Indus cities to form the
  basis for the Hindu religion, still practiced in
  India today and one of the worlds oldest
  religions.

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The Huang He /China

• Civilizations developed along 3 rivers in China
• By about 2205BC, The Huang He civilization
  dominated
• Located on the North China plain along the Huang
  He , it gets its name from the yellow soil of
  the region loess
• Yearly flooding can be very destructive Chinas
  sorrow
• Most of Chinas pop. is in this area

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China, continued

• China was ruled by a series of
• dynasties (ruling families)
• During the Zhou Dynasty-1027-256 BC war among
  rivals but also economic growth -(traded with
  silk, jade and porcelain)
• Eventually China is united under the warlike Qin
  (or Chin) Dynasty 221BC
• This empire gives China its name

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China, continued

• First Emperor Shi Huangdi (a.k.a. Shih Huang-ti)
• reorganized the govt.
• Standardized money, weights measures
• Burnt books containing different ideas
• Began The Great Wall of China to keep out
  hostile neighbors to the north (214-208 BC)
• Built extensive roads and canals

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Shi Huangdi First Emperor of China
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China, continued

• The Huang He was the most isolated of the early
  civilizations
• China has the longest continuous civilization in
  the world
• Major achievements
• Gunpowder
• Moveable type and paper