Ancient Civilizations: Module Overview

• Module explores basic concepts, theories, and historical developments.
• It covers the emergence of societies and civilization, the rise of kingdoms and empires, state formation, exploration, expedition, colonization, and commercialization from pre-history to the 8th century CE.
• Students will develop skills in analyzing historical readings, learn effective teaching methods, and explore Northern Luzon to understand Western and Asian influences
• Submission of a historical journal to showcase learning is required.
• Learning outcomes include:
• Developing a broad understanding of early world history concepts
• Understanding the development of ancient civilizations into empires and kingdoms
• Comprehending the effects of early world history on the present
• Developing evaluative skills concerning the importance of world history
• Experiencing a hands-on approach to ancient contributions

Ancient Civilizations

• Historians consider Sumer to be one of the first civilizations, located in Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq.
• A civilization has five characteristics: advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology.
• Four River Valley Civilizations:
• Mesopotamia (35000-1600 BC)
• Egyptian (3000-2000 BC)
• Indus Valley (2500-1700 BC)
• Ancient China (3950-1000 BC)

Mesopotamia

• Considered the "cradle of civilization" where history and civilization began
• "Land between the rivers," referring to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers' fertile valley.
• Dikes and canals transformed Mesopotamia into the "Fertile Crescent," enabling early farming and city development with mud brick city walls.
• Corresponds to modern Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers still flow.
• Ancient Mesopotamia consisted of Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, and Chaldea
• Mesopotamia Contributions to World Civilization:
• First plow and wheel
• First written language and record
• First known literature including the Epic of Gilgamesh
• Earliest written laws like the Ur-Nammu Code (~2050 BC) and Hammurabi Code (~1750 BC)
• First number system for measuring distance, area, space, and time
• Astrology and the zodiac chart

Sumer

• Situated on fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Sumerians developed the world's first civilization.
• They invented the wooden plow and stone wheel. Constructed dikes, dams, and canals to manage river flooding and irrigate farms, creating the "Fertile Crescent."
• Ur or Uruq contained the first organized city government with a god-king and priest rulers.
• Ziggurats were pyramid temples of several stories on a large platform.
• Sumerians kept records on baked clay tablets dating back to 3500 BC, with wedge-shaped writing called Cuneiform, adapted by other empires for 3,000 years.
• Only priest-scribes could read and write Cuneiform.
• Henry Rawlinson deciphered Sumerian writing in 1847 via the Behistun Rock.
• They invented the wooden plow and the stone wheel; kept bookkeeping records; built the first cities, schools, and temples; and their King wrote the world's first written law, the code of Ur-Nammu, King of Uruq.
• They also knew cartography and created the oldest map (Nippur, ca.1500 BC), mixed bronze, and composed The Epic of Gilgamesh.

Akkad

• Sargon (2334-2279 BC) from Akkad invaded and absorbed Sumer.
• Akkad became the world's first great empire lasting nearly two centuries (2334-2154 BC) but is not well-remembered due to a lack of archeological sources.

Babylonia

• Babylonians, initially Amorites, were the first outsiders to rule Mesopotamia with their capital named after war god Babel. -Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) was a warrior and statesman who implemented societal reforms, including the Hammurabi Code.
• Hammurabi's Code contained 285 laws about family, property, marriage, labor, commerce, and crimes.
• Babylonian religion was polytheistic with 65,000 gods, involving black magic, superstition, and sacrifices.
• Science: Babylonians invented the first number system, contributing to the 60-minute hour, 24-hour day circumference of degree circle, seven-day week and 12-month lunar calendars.
• Medicine: Introduced physical examinations, diagnosis, prescriptions, and medications.

Assyria

• Around 2900 BC, the Assyrians settled north of Babylonia, naming their capital Assyr after their war god Ashur
• The empire was most feared and brutal due to their iron weapons, chariots, and battering rams
• Assyrians became the best army in the region due to superior weapons and military tactics
• In 1115 BC, King Tiglath-Pileser I established the Assyrian Empire when he conquered Babylonia, Phoenicia, and Syria.
• The height of the empire’s power was reached during the reign of Tiglath-Pileser III, who was a great military general.
• Sennacherib, Tiglath-Pileser III successor transferred the capital to Nineveh.

Chaldea

• The Chaldean empire, also known as the Second or Neo-Babylonian Empire (612-539 BC), emerged from the ruins of the Assyrian Empire.
• The Chaldeans conquered Babylonia with Nebuchadnezzar as the greatest ruler
• Nebuchadnezzar restored Babylon's glory.
• King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem in 536 BC, exiling the Jews during their 70-year Babylonian captivity, building the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
• The New Babylonian Empire collapsed after Nebuchadnezzar's death.
• The last Babylonians surrendered to the Persian invaders around 539 BC.

Egypt-Geography settings

• Egypt is an important sea and land bridge between Africa and Asia with the Suez Canal being its most important passage.
• Egypt has the largest population in Africa.
• Egypt (Hikuptah) meant "home of the gods."
• Egyptian civilization developed 1,000 years after Mesopotamia.
• Nile gave Egypt all essential life items.
• The Nile River is the longest river, totalling 6,670 kilometers.
• The annual floods would leave thick, black mud for good farming and fishing.
• Egyptians controlled trade and travel along the river and charged toll fees.

Egyptian History

• The original settlers were nomadic Asians established two kingdoms

• Upper Egypt in the South

• Lower Egypt in the North

• The Pharaoh was the great king.

• Menes conquered Lower Egypt.

• The Old Kingdom was formed.

• Menes wore a red and white crown

• He ordered the construction of Memphis

• He initiated the construction of pyramids for the pharaohs

• The Middle Kingdom broke into small Kingdoms and moved capitals from Memphis to Thebes.

• Hitties dominated the region until the Egyptian army began using iron technologies.

• The New Kingdom (1558-1100 BC) was known as the Golden Age of Egypt. Powerful Pharaohs made pyramids, temples, and obelisks.

• Thutmose III was the greatest.

• Queen Hatshepsut was Thutmose III co-ruler.

• Akhenaton was Thutmose II successor.

• Akhenaton's original name was Amenhotep IV.

• Akhenaton made a new religion worshipping the sun.

• Ramses II became Pharaoh from 1291 to 1225.

• The Egyptians lost to Sudan by 1200 BC, then to the Persians in 525BC.

• Alexander the Great conquered the Empire in 332BC.

• Ptolemy seized Egypt and was ruled until 283 Bc.

• Cleopatra was the last Pharoah.

• Mark Anthony and Cleopatra married.

• Cleopatra lost to the Romans and died eating a snake.

• The Egyptians made the country a provence for 700 days.

Egyptian Society

• Egyptian Religion;
• Polytheistic with 700 gods
• Amon Ra, the sun god
• Worship to Osiris
• The souls of the good had eternal afterlife.
• They embalm corps and mummify them.
• Government: A pharaoh has total power and is the chief priest, executibe, legislator, judge and more.
• Society and Social Classes: Divided into royalty, soldiers, commoners, and slaves.
• Education: Only sons of the rich families can go to school to learn religion, writing, reading, and math
• Literature: prayers, writing, and hymns can be founded in the prmiad texts
• Economic LIfe: Farming and craft were the main livelihood
• Egyptian Writing was called hieroglyphics
• Jean Champollion translated hieroplyphics due to understanding of the Rosette stone.

Egyptian Legacy

• Massive stone pyramid, the oldest stone monument in the world.
• Magnificent palaces, obelisks and temples of granite and stone.
• The first 365-day calendar which divided the year into 12 months
• The sundial and water clock.
• The first seagoing sailboats.
• Ancient geometry
• inclined plane and pulley.
• Surgery, embalming, cosmetics and pharmacies.
• Arts and Architecture – First to build in stone and granite with bigger pyramids and temples
• Painted wall paintings (murals) on walls and were abstract in form and bright in color.
• The Obelisk – tall granite monolith monuments.
• Beauty Treatments – Invented cosmetics, perfumes and other beauty secrets.
• Sciences – Egyptians Knew arithmetic, geometry, medicine.
• The Pyramids gave the civilization immortality.

Indus Valley Civilization

• Began in modern Pakistan and Northern India around 3,000 BC.
• The migration of the Aryans into the Indian subcontinent began.
• The Himalayas fertilized the land.
• The Aryans ousted dark-skinned people.
• The conquerors owned the land, ruling under "maharajahs".

Hinduism Development

• Religious aristocratic civilization

• Rigid class system for society known as Caste, believing if destined in life.

• RIch rulers and holy met we're known as the Brahmins

• Hinduism roots are a long tine before Christian era

• Believers consist of over 1 billion people today.

• Customs incldue folding hands together and bowing, which says Namasteh.

• The chief God of Hinduism is named Brahma

• They believe they can attain happiness if they are in the reincarnation stage.

• They have beliefs that coesxists with other religions.

• Even non-Indians find interests into its ways such as meditation and Yoga.

Buddhism

• Buddhism does not claim as a religion but more of a way of life.
• Buddhism was foundered by Siddharta Gautama.
• Buddhia's Four Noble Truths:
• life is full of suffering;
• suffering is caused by selfish desire; -we can end it
• We can reach the highest with perfection.
• Nirvana can be reached by following the Eight-fold-path:
• Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Remembrance and Right Meditation. Buddhism split into two paths: - Mahayana had priests while Hinayana had less.

Indian contributions

• Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism are major religions
• Many Indian contributed philosophically
• Literature and Mathematics were made, along with the first numerals.

China

• Has over 5,000 years of history.

• It was a highly structured civitisation with structure economic beliefs etc/

• Strict class society

• Women had no egaltiy at all during this time as well.

• Emporers were always tyrants.

• Chinese Philosphy were about the human system rather than religious ones.

• Confucious was a scholar who taught the vitures of lives such as benelovence.

• Lao Tzu also goes by "old scholar".

• Mencius considered people as more important than the government.

Chinese Contributions

• the first paper, brush pen; compass; printer; first water
• silk, revolutionized clothing
• Fireworks, andcannons military
• paper money; Diurnal Sutra and Gazette
• adopted examination to qualify.
• Chopsticks; calligraphy, the of fine writing; kite for outdoor sports.