Early Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Olmec, and Caral-Supe

• Study Notes

Section 1

• The Tigris-Euphrates Valley was home to ancient Mesopotamian civilization.
• The Olmec civilization developed in North and Central America.
• The Caral-Supe civilization was located in South America.
• Ancient Egyptian civilization developed in the Nile River Valley.
• Trade and agriculture were key developments common among early civilizations.

Section 2

• The primary form of government in ancient Sumer was city-states with individual kings.
• Ancient Sumer was located in the Fertile Crescent.
• Sumerians constructed religious buildings called ziggurats with stepped designs.
• Sumerians used sun-baked mud bricks to construct their temples.
• The Sumerians developed cuneiform writing for communication.

Section 3

• The most impressive architectural feature of the Caral civilization was six rectangular pyramids.
• The Caral civilization kept track of their trading activities with quipu (knotted threads).
• The estimated population range of Mohenjo-daro was 41,200 to 50,000 people.
• The unique characteristic that distinguished the Caral civilization from others was their lack of pottery.
• Indus Valley cities had complex water drainage systems, indicating advanced engineering.

Section 4

• The most famous type of sculpture created by the Olmec civilization was colossal stone heads.
• Olmec rulers led their cities as both political and religious leaders.
• The Olmec traded with other cultures, evidenced by pottery found in El Salvador.
• The Shang Dynasty introduced an early form of writing using carved characters.
• Bronze became so important during the Shang Dynasty that it named a historical period.

Section 5

• Ma'at was the universal law that ancient Egyptians followed to keep life in balance and harmony.
• The beginning of ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom was marked in 2575 BCE.
• Deben was used as a measurement of worth in ancient Egypt.
• The Pharaoh was considered the chief guardian of ma'at in ancient Egypt.
• The ancient Egyptian tax system collected crops and cattle from farmers.
• Women in ancient Egypt had nearly equal rights to men, unlike other ancient civilizations.
• Senet was the name of the board game mentioned.
• Ancient Egyptians used a barter system to conduct trade.
• Sons typically learned their profession from their fathers.
• Agricultural taxes were collected to fund wars.
• Cyprus and the Levant also played the game Mehen.
• Ancient Egyptians believed happiness came from religious devotion.
• Artisans were workers made things by hand in ancient Egypt.
• The Egyptian government prepared for poor harvests by storing extra grains.
• Peasants and laborers had to work set days annually.
• The Nile River was crucial to ancient Egyptian civilization.
• Ancient Egyptian history is divided into three major kingdoms.
• Merchants had to pay a trade route tax.
• Written records and artifacts helped historians learn about ancient Egyptian daily life.
• The primary goal of ma'at in Egyptian society was to keep balance and harmony.

Section 6

• King Sargon's strategy for maintaining control of the Akkadian Empire was conquering neighboring territories.
• The Code of Hammurabi was significant because it made laws accessible to all.
• The Phoenicians were known for their exceptional trading abilities.
• King Ashurbanipal's most important cultural contribution was preserving written texts.
• The Phoenicians location was strategically important because it was close to trade routes.
• Assyrian scholars copied 30,000 clay tablets from across their empire.
• Religious differences was the primary reason for conflicts between city-states in the Fertile Crescent.
• The Latin alphabet used today was influenced by the Phoenicians.
• The Akkadian Empire fell due to foreign invasion.
• The Code of Hammurabi was displayed in all city squares.
• The Phoenician civilization was different because they remained independent.
• Reliefs artwork was used commonly show military achievements.
• The Levant region included parts of modern-day Syria and Lebanon.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh was preserved on the Assyrian clay tablets.
• Infrastructure in the Akkadian Empire included roads and mail systems.
• The Assyrians protected culture by collecting artifacts.
• Phoenician city-states were primarily located in the Levant region.
• After King Sargon's death, the empire struggled because there was no effective leadership.
• The city of Utica was established around 1100 BCE.
• The main purpose of displaying the Code of Hammurabi publicly was to make laws accessible to all.

Section 7

• Copper was the main resource that the civilization of Magan was known for trading.
• The capital of the Dilmun civilization was located in Bahrain.
• The Nabataeans carved buildings and temples out of sandstone rock.
• The trade routes used to move luxury goods across the Arabian Peninsula were called Incense Routes.
• The Constitution of Medina was written in 622 CE.
• The Dilmun civilization borrowed a system of measuring weights from the Indus Valley.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh text mentions ships from Magan.
• The Eastern Mediterranean region is referred to by the old term "the Levant".
• Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
• Trade was one of the most important ways people made cultural connections in ancient times.
• The Nabataeans maintained their civilization in a harsh climate by creating a human-made oasis.
• Greek culture influenced the architecture of the Nabataeans.
• The primary purpose of the Constitution of Medina was to unite Arab tribes.
• The Sumerians viewed Magan civilization as as paradise.
• Magan sent shipbuilders and blacksmiths to other city-states.
• Islam primarily spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula through trade routes.
• The Constitution of Medina was unique because it allowed people of different faiths to join.
• The Nabataeans civilization was originally nomadic before settling in modern-day Jordan.
• The spread of Islam helped create the cultural identity of the MENA region in the seventh century CE.
• The Dilmun civilization connected the Indus Valley civilization with the Arabian Peninsula?

Definitions

• Indigenous: the people who first lived in an area
• Griots: Storytellers, poets, and musicians who played a vital role in preserving these traditions
• Immaterial: Something that cannot be touched, like beliefs, traditions, customs, or language
• Material: Something physical, like an ancient waepon, artifact or building
• Cultural Heritage: What is passed down in a group or society from its past and be material or immaterial
• Caliphates: The territories run by the caliphs, grew over a vast area.
• Provinces: Territories governed as part of the empire
• Administration: The way the government works as the Assyrian took over local governments and reported directly to the king.
• Empire: A group of city-states or territories under a single authority
• Sundial: An instrument that shows the time of the day using the shadow cast by the sun
• Papyrus: a paper like material produced for writing, was used to record and share medical knowledge.

Notes on early civilizations including Mesopotamia in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley, the Olmec civilization in North and Central America, and the Caral-Supe civilization in South America. Discusses trade, agriculture, government, architecture, and writing systems.