Lesson 1: Mesopotamia - Ancient History PDF

# Lesson 1: Mesopotamia ## As Time Passed - Fertile river valleys attracted more tribes - Areas suitable for settlement and forming civilizations - Small tribes joined to form larger groups settling by the Nile River - **Agriculture and trade** were two important factors encouraging people to live...

# Lesson 1: Mesopotamia ## As Time Passed - Fertile river valleys attracted more tribes - Areas suitable for settlement and forming civilizations - Small tribes joined to form larger groups settling by the Nile River - **Agriculture and trade** were two important factors encouraging people to live in the area. - Mesopotamia was the main area where civilization began. ## Where Was Mesopotamia Located? - Ancient times, many referred to the area between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers as Mesopotamia - **"Area between the two rivers"** - Located at the Eastern end of the Fertile Crescent - Extended from Mediterranean River to the Arabian Gulf - The area had rich soil that helped in sustaining civilization ## Hints to Remember - Mesopotamia had little rain - Tigris and Euphrates Rivers often overflowed their banks at the end of spring. - **Irrigation:** Supplying water to land or crops through certain channels. ## City-States and Religion - Mesopotamia was made of city-states. - **City-state:** A large city with some surrounding area ruled by the basic units of Sumerian civilization. - Each city-state had its own **political and economic** control over the surrounding countryside. - Sumerian civilization included cities of Eridu, Ur, and Uruk - Each city was surrounded by walls with defense towers in different locations. - Mud was plentiful and used in building most houses for peasants, officials, or priests. - Sumerians were creative with mud bricks and invented the arch and the dome. - Famous for building massive stepped towers topped with temples. - **Ziggurats:** Pyramids were used as temples. - **Polytheistic:** Believed their religion was polytheistic and obeyed and served their religion. - Worshiped many gods ## Sumerians Believed - State is a **theocracy**. - Government established by **divine authority**. - People contributed by devoting a huge amount of wealth to buildings, temples, and houses for priests who served the religion. - Priests were the major source of authority with unlimited power beyond the kings who ruled the city-state. - Kings were also powerful. - Led strong armies and organized workers for irrigation projects. - Highly respected as a source of authority and resided in huge palaces. ## Social Groups of Sumerian Civilization - Included: - Nobles - Commoners - Slaves - Priests, officials, and families were amongst the nobles. - Merchants, farmers, and other craftspeople were amongst the commoners. - **Slaves were owned by palace officials**. ## Inventions - Sumerians were very innovative in terms of technology. - **Writing system:** Most famous invention. - Important because it allowed society to keep records and pass along knowledge from one generation to another. ## Sumerian Economy - Traditional economy depended on trade, farming, and industry. - People learned how to make their own: - Woolen textiles - Pottery - Metalwork - Sumerian traders traveled either to the eastern Mediterranean or to the east of India. - Exchanged: - Barley - Dried fish - Wheat - For imported copper and tin. ## Hints to Remember - Most of the lands tilled by Sumerian farmers were controlled by priests. - The temple of Sumeria was known as **nig-en-na**. - Many of the farmlands were rented out and called **apin-lal**. ## Their System Of Writing - Known as **cuneiform**. - Helped in keeping records on tablets, many of which were later discovered by scholars. - Helped train **scribes**. - Served as jurists, teachers, and copyists. - Later held important positions in their cities. - Writing became a major icon in inventing new ways of communication. ## Inventions Made the Life of Sumerians Easier - **Wagon wheel**, the sundial, and arch. - First to make bronze out of copper and tin. - Their achievements in math and astronomy were tremendous. - Responsible for the division of hours and minutes in our watches. ## Hints to Remember - **Cuneiform:** Wedge shaped writing using a reed stylus as a tool to create impressions on a clay tablet. - Sumerians measured fields and erected building by using **geometry**. - Invented the **wagon-wheel for transportation**. ## Think About It 1. Describe the city-states and society of Mesopotamia. 2. Why were the Sumerians' inventions significantly important? # Lesson 2: Egypt and the Mediterranean ## Nile River Played an Important Role - Provided food and riches to the people of Egypt. - Originates in the middle of Africa, spanning in a northerly direction for 4000 miles. - **Longest river in the world.** - Empties into the Mediterranean but splits into two major branches that form a **delta**. - **Lower Egypt:** Delta region. - **Upper Egypt:** Land upstream or to the south. ## The Nile's Yearly Flooding - Referred to as the "miracle" of the Nile. - Heavy rains in central Africa caused the river to rise in summer. - Left a deposit of mud that created an area of rich soil several miles wide on both sides of the river. - Helped farmers grow a surplus of crops, allowing Egypt to prosper. ## The Nile Was Also Used for Travel - Speedy way to travel through land, making communication faster and easier. - Egypt had its own natural barriers that served as protection from invasion and provided security from invaders. - Barriers included: - Deserts to the west and east - Red Sea to the east of the Nile - Rapids on the southern part of the Nile - Mediterranean Sea to the north ## Egyptian Kingdoms - Divided by scholars into three major periods: - **Old Kingdom** - **Middle Kingdom** - **New Kingdom** - Marked with long-term stability, strong leadership, great building projects, freedom from invasion, and a culture rich with activities. - **Intermediate Periods:** Periods with political disorder and invasions. ## Upon Uniting Upper and Lower Egypt - Formed the first royal dynasty in around 3100 B.C. - **King Menes:** Became known as the king of upper and lower Egypt. ## Hints to Remember - **Dynasty:** Family of rulers whose rights to rule are passed on within the family. ## The Old Kingdom - Period between 2700 B.C. and 2200 B.C. - Considered a period of prosperity and splendor for the Old Kingdom. - Egyptian monarchs were given the title of **pharaohs**. - **"Great house" or "palace"** - Ancient Egyptians considered kingship to be a divine institution. - Subjects were compelled to obey their pharaoh. - Pharaohs had complete and absolute power to rule their people. - Supported by the pharaoh's family. ## Later, Government Bureaucracy Developed - Egypt was divided into 42 provinces run by governors who were appointed by a pharaoh. - Old Kingdom was considered as a time of splendor and an example of its prosperity. - **Building of the pyramids for the dead.** - Egyptians practiced **mummification** to dry a dead body and prevent it from rotting. ## The Middle Kingdom - Duration of 2055 B.C. to 1650 B.C. - Old Kingdom lost its values and stability paving the way to the rise of the Middle Kingdom. - People of Egypt described this age as the **golden era**. - Witnessed great rapidity in expansion. - One of its major accomplishments was invading **Nubia to the south**. - Egyptians also built **fortresses** to protect the new advanced frontier. - Pharaohs sent traders to Syria, Kush, Mesopotamia, and Crete. ## One Great Difference Between Old and New Kingdoms - Old Kingdom: - Pharaohs were entitled to power. - Perceived as leaders with absolute power. - Middle Kingdom: - Pharaohs developed greater concern for their people. - Became very public with their actions and took public welfare as a priority. - Expected to build public works for their people as well. ## Hints to Remember - **Governmental bureaucracy:** Administrative organization that relies on nonelective officials and regular procedures.