Early River Valley Civilizations History Notes PDF

       Chapter 2- Early River Valley Civilizations **Warm up- What was the code of Hammurabi?** - The law of the Babylonian Empire that holds people responsible for their actions. - Hammurabi recognized that a single, uniform code of laws would help to unify the diverse groups within...

       Chapter 2- Early River Valley Civilizations **Warm up- What was the code of Hammurabi?** - The law of the Babylonian Empire that holds people responsible for their actions. - Hammurabi recognized that a single, uniform code of laws would help to unify the diverse groups within his empire. - Hammurabi had the code engraved in stone and copies were placed all over the empire. **Fertile Crescent** **Setting the stage (page29)** - 2 rivers flow from the mountains of what is now turkey, down through Syria and Iraq and finally to the Persian Gulf. - Over 6,000 years ago, these rivers provided the lifeblood that allowed the formation of farming settlements. **Fertile Crescent/ Mesopotamia** - The 2 rivers framing Mesopotamia are the Tigris and the Euphrates. The 2 rivers flow southeastward towards the Persian Gulf - The word Mesopotamia means "land between the rivers" in Greek - The region has curved shape and richness of its land led scholars to call it the "fertile crescent" **Mesopotamia** - People first began to settle and farm the flat, swampy lands in southern Mesopotamia before 4500 B.C - Around 3300 B.C., the Sumerians arrived - To provide water, they dug irrigation ditches that carried river water to their fields and allowed them to produce a surplus of crops. - For defense, they built city walls with mud bricks. - Sumerians traded their grains, cloth, and crafted tools with the peoples of the mountains and the desert. In exchange, they received raw materials such as stone, wood, and metal. - Specialized workers - Complex Institutions - Record keeping - Improved technology - By 3000 B.C. the Sumerians had built a number of cities, each surrounded by fields of barley and wheat. - These cities functioned as "city-states." A Sumerian city-state functioned very similar to the countries today. - Sumerian city-states: Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, and Ur. - The Sumerians worshipped many gods known as Polytheism. - Enil- God of storms and air. Most powerful. - Humans were the servants of the Gods and often sacrificed animals, food, and wine to the Gods. **Sumerian Culture and Life** - Sumer had a class system. Kings, Landlords, and Priests were at the top, followed by the Wealthy merchants. However vast majority of Sumerians were farmers and worked the fields and workshops. - Slaves did exist from foreign lands (war) or Sumer (children could be sold to pay a debt owed by their parents.) - Historians believe that Sumerians invented the wheel, the sail, and the plow. - Sumerians were also known for their Arithmetic, Geometry, Architecture, and Cuneiform (system of writing.) On test\***Describe aspects of the burial process for Egyptian royals and elites:** - Egyptian Royal Family and Elite citizens were buried using mummification - Mummification involves embalming and drying corpses to prevent it from decaying - Mummies were places inside a coffin in a tomb - Attendants filled the tomb with items the dead person could use in the afterlife **Geography of Egypt** - The Nile river flows northward across Africa for 4,100 miles. Longest river in the world. - Egypt's settlements arose along the Nile in a very fertile area - Yearly flooding brought the water and rich soil that allowed settlements to grow - Every year in July, rain and melting snow caused the Nile to rise and spill over the banks - When the River recedes in October, it left behind a rich soil deposit of fertile black mud called silt, which the wheat and barley was planted in. - Herodotus (famous Greek historian) called Egypt "the gift of the Nile" **Nile was "clockwork"** - The Nile River was easy to predict. Much different than the Tigris and Euphrates - The Nile was so important that the Egyptians worshipped the river **Upper Egypt Vs. Lower Egypt** **UPPER:** - Higher elevation - River area in south - Skinny strip of land from the first cataract to point where the river starts to fan out **LOWER:** - NILE delta region - The delta begins about 100 mikes before the river enters the Mediterranean Sea. **\*WU- Who was King Narmer?** - First Pharaoh - King who united Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt around 3000 B.C. **Narmer Palette** - A carved piece of Slate that shows Narmer wear crown of LE on one side and crown of UE on other side. - some scholars believe it celebrates unification of Egypt **Warm up** **Why were Pharaohs considered GODS in Egypt?** - It means God King - They were as powerful and great as the gods - Egypt functioned as a theocracy. - Theocracy is the type of government in which rule is based on religious authority - The pharaoh stood at the center of Egypt's religion as well as its government and army **The role of the pharaoh** - full responsibility for the kindoms wellbeing - Pharaoh caused sun to rise - Nile to flood - Crops to grow - It was the pharaohs duty to promote the truth and justice **Ancient pyramids** - Egyptians believed that their kings ruled after death - KA- eternal life form for the pharaoh - Tombs were more important that palaces - Pyramid was eternal resting place for pharaoh