WH_ Ancient Civilizations.txt

WORLD HISTORY What is history? “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderfu...

WORLD HISTORY What is history? “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Psalm 78:2-7 What is history? History: the study of the record of the past acts of God and man on earth from its creation to present, based on the best surviving evidence Why study world history? Worldview: perspective from which we examine and interpret the universe and everything in it What is God doing in this part of history? Why study world history? Three central truths: God made the world and everything in it This world has fallen into a broken state because of human sin God controls all of history and directs it for His glory For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 11:36 The Study of World History Primary sources: Artifacts Man-made objects Traditions Handing down information by word of mouth from generation to generation Written Records Recorded accounts of the past The Study of World History Primary sources: Artifacts give an incomplete testimony to the past and can be interpreted in different ways Telephone Pictionary Write a sentence about an event in history. Evolutionary Prehistory Evolutionary Prehistory Prehistory: the events that take place before humans developed writing Evolutionists use artifacts as pieces of evidence to describe these events Evolutionary Prehistory The Paleolithic Age (Early Stone Age) Humans used simple stone tools Lasted from 3 million years ago to 10,000 years ago Hominids were early human-like creatures that lived in East Africa Around 250,000 years ago, the Homo sapiens species arose Homo sapiens = wise human Evolutionary Prehistory Two types of Homosapiens Neanderthals Lived in Europe and Southwest Asia Made advancements to tools and weapons Cro-Magnons Lived in Europe Artwork found in caves in France and Spain Evolutionary Prehistory The Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) Lasted from 10,000 BC to 4,000 BC Time of agricultural revolution Humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to settling into permanent communities Human civilizations began around 4,000-3,000 BC Evolutionary Prehistory Problems with this evolutionary account: The Bible presents the human race as intelligent Adam and Eve were able to speak to each other and God in the Garden of Eden Genesis 4 describes the work of Jabal, Jubal, and Tubalcain And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. Genesis 4:20-22 Evolutionary Prehistory Problems with this evolutionary account: Attempt to show that humans came into being apart from God God made man intelligent and rational Without God in our history, our history has no meaning Homo sapiens Paleolithic Age Prehistory The Features of Civilization Cities Central locations for a particular group of people where government, religion, and culture are founded Social Classes Composed of people with specific functions Written language Form of communication in addition to spoken language Religion System of basic values, beliefs, and behaviors that are directed in worship The Themes of Civilization Four themes Justice Social condition in which people do right and respect the rights of others Power The ability to bring things under one’s control Citizenship Status within a community that gives rights, privileges, and duties Environment Physical geography in which civilizations are located Evolutionary Prehistory Review: When was the Paleolithic Age? When was the Neolithic Age? Who were the Cro-Magnon? When did human civilization begin? What are some problems with evolutionary prehistory? List the four features of civilization that we discussed The Beginnings of World History Evolutionary Prehistory Creation Approximately 4000 BC God created each day to last 24 hours by the power of His Word The evening and the morning were the first day God’s creation was very good (Gen 1:31) God issued the creation mandate to have dominion and stewardship over the earth Fall Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil Their disobedience resulted in death for all mankind Redemption Genesis 3:15 is the thesis of human history The enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent and the woman is seen throughout history During dark periods of history, the seed of the woman discern God’s working in the world through the eyes of faith The Flood The effects of sin manifested themselves soon after the Fall Seth’s descendents began mixing with the descendants of Cain until every imagination of man’s heart was only evil continually God sent the flood (c 2350 BC) to cover the face of the earth, preserving only Noah and his family The Tower of Babel Mankind continued to multiply and fill the earth The people gathered in the plain of Shinar to build Babel God confused the minds of those at Babel The human race organized itself into people groups that each had a common language Genesis 10 contains the Bible’s Table of Nations Early Civilizations The Fertile Crescent Geography Religion Achievements Politics Economics Social structure The Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia means “land between the rivers” The Fertile Crescent refers to the rich land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers This region was settled around 3000 BC by the Sumerians Sumerian Civilization Sumer was a civilization of nearly a dozen independent city-states Had similar culture Did not have political ties to each other Believed their cities belonged to the gods Ziggurats were Sumerian temples Ziggurats were place of education, trade, and government in addition to worship The Epic of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh is a well-known piece of literature from Sumerian culture Gilgamesh is a hero who searches for eternal life Gilgamesh learns that one of the gods is angry and wants to create a universal flood He warns Utnapishtim, an immortal man, about the oncoming flood Utnapishtim gathers his family and “the seed of all living things aboard his boat Cuneiform Cuneiform is the earliest known form of writing Sumerians used a wedge-shaped stylus to make impressions into tablets of wet clay Tablets were baked until hardened Sumerians also had a numerical system based on the number sixty Other Accomplishments The Sumerians are credited with inventing the wheel, dividing the circle into 360 degrees, and dividing hours and days into 60 units Also credited with using copper for their weapons and developing a system of laws Farming and Agriculture The economy of the Sumerians was based on farming Developed an irrigation system along the Tigris and Euphrates to water their fields Although many relied on agriculture, the Sumerians lived in fortified cities made of clay bricks Sargon, Ruler of Kish Aroung 2210 BC, Sargon came to power in the city-state of Kish Sargon conquered other city-states and established an empire Formed the Akkadian Empire The city of Akkad was the capital Encouraged the people to think of kings as their gods Biblical Connection: Abraham The city of Ur rose to prominence after the death of King Sargon Abraham was from Ur of the Chaldees Many historians believe Abraham was from Ur (Tell el-Muqayar) Abraham was called out of a land dominated by idolatry to serve God in the land of Canaan MESOPOTAMIA The Amorites The Rise of the Amorites The Sumerian empire fell to Amorite invaders The Amorites established the Old Babylonian empire Some scholars believe the tower of Babel was located near Babylon Hammurabi Hammurabi was a king of the Amorites from around 1810-1750 BC He united the land of Mesopotamia during his reign Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi create a code of laws by organizing and simplifying pre-existing laws Hammurabi’s code begame the standard of judgment in moral, social, and commercial matters across the empire The code consisted of 282 “if-then” statements Amorite Accomplishments The Amorites worked with algebra and geometry Made important contributions to astronomy, the study of the stars and planets Took up the practice of astrology to interpret events and destiny with the stars The Hittites The Hittites were the descendants of Heth, the grandson of Ham Uriah the Hittite was married to Bathsheba and was later killed by David Archeologists believe that the Hittites settled in Asia Minor (Turkey) about 2000 BC Military Success The Hittites controlled rich supplies of iron ore Could make iron weapons The Hittites extended their empire through the use of their iron weapons and horse-drawn chariots Raided the Babylon, the Amorite capital Took control of modern-day Syria The Decline of the Hittites The Hittites often fought with Egyptian empire Frequent fighting weakened both empires Phoenicians and Hebrews established independent kingdoms as the influence of the Hittites declined The Phoenicians The Phoenicians The Phoenicians appeared around 2000 BC Were known as being the greatest merchants of their day Traded spices, fine linen, wheat, livestock, and gold Used their merchant fleet to trade around the Mediterranean Traders of Purple The Phoenicians harvested mollusks off the Phoenecian coasts Phoenicians got purple dye from these mollusks to color clothing and linens Purple clothing was a luxury only the wealth could afford “Phoenicia” is the Greek word for “purple people” or “traders of purple” The Phoenician Alphabet Historians believe the Phoenicians created the first alphabet The Phoenicians developed uniform symbols to stand for distinct sounds Enabled people to rearrange letters to form words The Greeks and Romans adapted this alphabet for their own use The Egyptians The Egyptians The Old Kingdom First Intermediate Period The Middle Kingdom The New Kingdom Second Intermediate Period The Land of Egypt Ancient Egypt was a narrow strip of land along the banks of the Nile River Nearly 750 miles long but only 12 miles long in some areas The Nile River flows north towards the Mediterranean Sea Lower Egypt = northern Egypt Upper Egypt = southern Egypt The Land of Egypt Upper Egypt was geographically cut off from other regions Deserts to the east and west Cataracts (rapids) to the south Lower Egypt was spread out over the Nile Delta Contact to Mediterranean and Sinai Peninsula The “Gift of the River” The Nile River flooded its banks from June to August Deposited rich silt on Egypt Provided fertile soil for crops amid the desert wasteland The Nile was also a waterway for transportation Boats could easily sail up and down the river Important for transporting goods and communication along the length of the kingdom The History of Egypt The Egyptians were descendents of Mizraim, Ham’s son Around 3000 BC, Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt Ruled from the capital city of Memphis The Old Kingdom The Old Kingdom was the first phase of Egyptian civilization Lasted from about 2700 BC to 2200 BC Is known as “The Age of the Pharaohs” Pharaohs were considered gods in human forms The most famous pharaoh of this time was Khufu, who built the Great Pyramid at Giza Egyptology - Pyramid Construction The Middle Kingdom Following the Old Kingdom, Egypt descended into a period of social unrest and disruption known as the First Intermediate Period The Middle Kingdom followed the First Intermediate Period The Middle Kingdom The Middle Kingdom lasted from 2040 - 1650 BC The Middle Kingdom was known as “The Age of the People” Pharaohs incorporated projects that benefited the whole country Built irrigation canals and pond systems to store Nile waters during dry seasons Characterized by peace and construction The Middle Kingdom The Israelites moved to Egypt during this age Egypt provided protection from starvation Israel stayed in the land of Egypt for 430 years (1876 - 1446 BC) The Second Intermediate Period After the Middle Kingdom, a foreign people known as the Hyksos came into the land and began ruling Many scholars believe the Hyksos may have been responsible for enslaving the Hebrews and removing them from a position of favor in Egypt The Hyksos introduced horses, chariots, and bronze weapons to the Egyptians The New Kingdom Ahmose I expelled the Hyksos and took over the throne during the New Kingdom (c 1570 - 1075 BC) This period is also known as “The Age of the Empire” because Egypt became a great power in the Near East Upper Egypt became more important, and Thebes became the capital The New Kingdom Hatshepsut was an early ruler of the New Kingdom Her rule was very peaceful, and Egypt traded with nearby nations Thutmose III followed Hatshepsut as pharaoh Known as the greatest Egyptian warrior-king Extended Egyptian empire to the Euphrates River Biblical scholars believe Thutmose III refused to let the children of Pharaoh leave the land of Egypt Ramses II Became pharaoh nearly 150 year after Israel left Valley of the Kings The Valley of the Kings was a burial ground for pharaohs and other influential Egyptian leaders during the New Kingdom Located on the west bank of the Nile across from the capital of Thebes Egyptian Society Pharaohs were at the top of the social ladder, followed by priests and nobles, then merchants, commoners, and slaves Most Egyptians were poor, but those of lower classes could rise to power if they found favor with the pharaoh Women could own property and operate a business Egyptian Accomplishments Egyptians made advances in human anatomy and prescribed drugs to treat illnesses Developed a solar calendar and divided the year into 365 days Writing Used papyrus made from reeds as paper Created hieroglyphics to write in pictures Used knowledge of geometry to build the pyramids Egyptian Religion The Egyptians were polytheistic Thought pharaohs were gods Believed gods controlled nature Amun-Ra was the sun god and was one of the most important gods Osiris and Isis were also important and ruled the underworld Egyptians believed that they were judged on their works during the afterlife Heart was weighed against the feather of the goddess of justice and truth Heart was made heavy by doing wicked deeds Egyptian Religion The Egyptians were polytheistic Thought pharaohs were gods Believed gods controlled nature Amun-Ra was the sun god and was one of the most important gods Osiris and Isis were also important and ruled the underworld Egyptians believed that they were judged on their works during the afterlife Heart was weighed against the feather of the goddess of justice and truth Heart was made heavy by doing wicked deeds The Assyrians Assyrians The Assyrians created the largest ancient empire in the world Lived in Mesopotamia along the Tigris River but later expanded their empire to encompass the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, and Asia Minor Assyrian Culture The Assyrians borrowed their language, art, and architecture from previous Mesopotamian cultures Used military conquests to spread this culture to other ancient civilizations Used iron weapons, siege towers, and chariots Known for their cruelty (mass deportations, skinning enemies alive, etc) Assyrian Conquest In 722 BC, Sargon II destroyed Samaria and took the ten tribes of Israel into captivity The Assyrians later invaded Egypt and took over God sent Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh Assyrian Conquest In 722 BC, Sargon II destroyed Samaria and took the ten tribes of Israel into captivity The Assyrians later invaded Egypt and took over God sent Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh The Chaldeans The Chaldeans Babylon was one of the oldest cities in the ancient world Babylon reached the height of its influence in 612 BC when the Chaldeans allied with the Medes to destroy Assyria The Chaldeans Under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the New Babylonian Empire came into power Defeated Egypt and destroyed Jerusalem Diaspora = dispersion of Jewish people The Chaldeans The Chaldeans made additional contributions to the field of astronomy started by the Amorites Charted the position of the planets and stars and predicted eclipses The “wise men” in the book of Daniel were astronomers, magicians, and sorcerers Asian Civilizations: India Indian Civilization India gets its name from the Indus River Ancient India was established along the fertile banks of the Indus River around 2300 BC The ancient Indian civilizations traded with those in the Near East This civilization ended abruptly–some believe the Aryans migrated into the valley Indian Geography India has a very diverse terrain, from low coastal plains to the the highest mountain range in the world The earliest civilizations began along river banks Indian Civilization India gets its name from the Indus River Ancient India was established along the fertile banks of the Indus River around 2300 BC The ancient Indian civilizations traded with those in the Near East Indian Geography The Indus civilization had two major cities: Mohenjo-Daro Harappa Cities were well-planned and had wide streets with advanced drainage systems Historians believe these civilizations were very peaceful–have not uncovered weapons or signs of conflict between cities This civilization ended abruptly–some believe the Aryans migrated into the valley The Aryans The Aryans came from central Asia sometime after 1500 BC Their civilization lasted until about 500 BC The Aryans were herdsmen that kept cows and horses Established a new language called Sanskrit The Aryans Knowledge of the Aryans comes from religious texts called Vedas which mean “knowledge” The Vedas contain descriptions of early traditions and religious beliefs of the Indians passed down from one generation to the next Aryan way of life became basis of Indian culture Features of Society: Joint Family The family is one of the most important social units in Indian culture Joint family includes children, grandchildren, wives, and close blood relatives The oldest male was the dominant authority Married sons remained in their family’s household Parents chose the spouses for their children in order to maintain their position in society Features of Society: Village Life The Aryans settled in small rural villages Family groups were governed by a council of village elders Each village was self-governing Many people in India today still live in villages Features of Society: Caste India’s society was divided into rigid social classes called castes Caste members had specific rules: Where they lived What they did as a profession What they wore With whom they could eat Who they married Features of Society: Caste Four major classes: Brahmin (most important): priests Kshatriya: Rulers and warriors Vaishya: merchants and traders Sudras (lowest class): composed of servants and serfs Untouchables: at the bottom of the social ladder Members could not change castes but could move up within their caste Features of Society: Caste Four major classes: Brahmin (most important): priests Rulers and warriors Merchants and traders Sudras (lowest class): composed of servants and serfs Untouchables: at the bottom of the social ladder Members could not change castes but could move up within their caste Religion Religion has played a dominant role in shaping Indian culture Hinduism and Buddhism are major religions that arose from India Have had a major impact on Asian culture Religion: Hinduism Hinduism developed from India’s early social structure, arts, and customs Preserved the traditional elements of India’s past Has a unifying influence on India’s society (over 80% of all the people of India are Hindu) The basic beliefs are found in the Vedas Religion: Hinduism Hindus believe that Brahman is a great god that permeates everything in the universe Brahman is often called the “Old Soul” or “World Soul” There are many deities, but there are all manifestations of Brahman Purpose of every person is to reunite his soul with the world soul through reincarnation Religion: Hinduism Hindus believe that karma, or a person’s deeds in this life, determine his status in the next If good life: move to higher caste in next life If bad life: move to lower caste or become an animal By fulfilling the obligations of the caste, a Hindu can (through repeated births) gain release from the wheel of life and be united with world soul Veda Sanskrit Aryans Cuneiform Castes Joint Family Mesopotamia Sudras Prehistory Features of civilization Brahman Hammurabi Reincarnation Assyrians Religion: Buddhism India was also the birthplace of Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism and was later known as Buddha (“The Enlightened One”) Became troubled by the state of misery, poverty, and death and thought he should find deliverance from suffering Renounced his life of luxury to find peace and true happiness Religion: Buddhism Four Noble Truths: Suffering is part of all existence Suffering is caused by selfish desires Craving pleasure, possessions, and power will lead to sorrow and misery Suffering can be overcome by destroying selfish desires If a man follows the Eightfold Path, he will destroy selfish desires and end all suffering Religion: Buddhism The Eightfold Path Beliefs Intentions Speech Conduct Livelihood Effort Thoughts Meditations Religion: Buddhism Buddha taught that the belief in a soul led to suffering The effects of people’s deeds carried over from life to life Bad actions have bad effects and good deeds will have good consequences The goal of Buddhism is to achieve nirvana, which is a changeless reality with no suffering Reflection Hebrews 9: 27-28 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” How does this relate to the beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism? Asian Civilizations: China The Middle Kingdom In ancient times, China was known as the Middle Kingdom China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations Earliest Chinese lived on the fertile valleys of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers Remained free from outside influences due to isolation Modern culture is virtually the same as ancient culture Chinese Society Strong family ties The family was the center of life in Chinese society Chinese families were large and included grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins in addition to immediate relatives One of the worst offenses was to dishonor family name Ancestor worship was the leading religion on China Believed they received guidance and blessings in exchange for caring for graves and worshiping at their altars Language China’s spoken language uses varying pitches to convey more than one meaning per syllable or word China has a common written language made of characters Represent ideas, objects, and sounds The most literate Chinese know about 4,000 characters Learning China has been called a “scholar’s world” Scholars held the greatest social influence in ancient China Education began at an early age Goal was a position in government service Developed civil service examinations to choose the best and most qualified scholars for government Chinese Philosophy China was influenced by Confucianism and Taoism Became China’s main religions and practices Chinese Philosophy: Confucianism K’ung Futzu was the most honored teacher in Chinese history Called “the Teacher” or Confucius Grew up in poverty during period of unrest; believed that a moral government could produce a moral society Confucius trained disciples who would bring about a moral society through proper conduct in their government service Chinese Philosophy: Confucianism Confucius taught five basic relationships: Father and son Elder and younger brothers Husband and wife Friend and friend Ruler and subjects Maining proper relationships would bring harmony and order to society “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do unto others.” Chinese Philosophy: Taoism Laozi taught the meaning of tao, which means “the way” Encouraged men to find peace and happiness by living in harmony with nature Peace is found by giving up the pursuit of power, wealth, and instead living with the flow of natural order Chinese Dynasties Many Chinese have a passion for history Many historical accounts of China’s ruling dynasties Each dynasty began, matured, prospered, then declined Unrest that ended one dynasty prepared the way for a new one Chinese Dynasties The Shang Dynasty One of the earliest known civilizations Established along the Yellow River around 1500 BC Rulers united much of northern China Our knowledge of the Shang Dynasty comes from oracle bones Chinese wrote questions about the future on the bones Touched the bones with fire, causing them to crack Believed they could determine the will of their ancestors by interpreting the pattern of the cracks Chinese Dynasties The Zhou Dynasty Just before 1000 BC, the people living along the western border of the Shang dynasty overthrew the Shang rulers The Zhou established an empire that lasted over 800 years Often referred to as the “classical” or “formative” age of Chinese history The writing system, Confucianism and Taoism, and ancestor worship was established during this time Chinese Dynasties The Zhou Dynasty The Zhou had a decentralized government The Zhou rulers still had ultimate authority, but they allowed nobles to rule local territories Nobles eventually rebelled against the rulers, and fighting broke out between 500-300 BC