River Valley Civilizations

1. River Valley Civilizations Chapter 2

2. I. The Fertile Crescent • Geography • Dominated by desert • Locates between the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea • Most important are called Mesopotamia (“Land between the Rivers”) – located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Rivers flood once a year – between April and June • Leave rich soil called silt • Provides water for irrigation~

3. I. The Fertile Crescent • People Move In • First People start to settle around 7000 BC • They were farmers • Advantages of Mesopotamia • the rich soil • Flat land • Abundance of water • Warm temperatures • Disadvantages • Unpredictable flooding • Land dried quickly • Small land area • No natural protection • Few natural resources~

4. I. The Fertile Crescent c. Solutions to disadvantages 1. irrigation system – used to bring water to crops and collect water to hold for watering 2. trade with the people that lived in the Mountain to the north for natural resources – trades cloth, grain, and crafted tools for stone, metal and wood • The Sumerians • Mysterious people - no one knows their origin (maybe from the Caspian Sea region) • Moved to Mesopotamia around 4000 BC • By 3800 BC their advanced irrigation technology allowed them to dominate the people already living in the area • They improved farming techniques, built better roads, and used boat technology~

5. I. The Fertile Crescent C. The Sumerians (cont.) • City-States • City-states created around 3000 BC • 4 biggest were Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagash • Ur (at its height) contained about 30,000 people • All city-states built with a ziggurat (walled temple) at its center • Around the cities • Large farms for growing food • Hearding lands for animals • Large orchards~

6. I. The Fertile Crescent • Government • When the city-states first started forming (3000 BC), priests (called A) controlled the government • controlled the military • administered trade • Ran the court system • During a time of war, a general took control of the government • Eventually the city-states will always be at war and the priests lost their power • Later city-states controlled by a monarch (king)~

7. I. The Fertile Crescent • Religion • Basic beliefs • Polytheistic • Important to the city-states • Contained hundreds of gods based in nature • Each city-state worshiped unique gods • All city-states worshipped four main gods • Nammu – Creator of all • An – male god of the heavens • Ki – female god of the earth • Enlil – son of the above, controlled night and day~

8. I. The Fertile Crescent • Religion (cont.) • Religious officials • Each city-state had priests • Duties • Mediator between the people and gods • Performed sacrifices and religious rituals • Controlled and maintained the irrigation systems • For their efforts priests received a portion of the crop grown each year as payment~

9. I. The Fertile Crescent • Religion (cont.) • Doctrine • Importance of the gods • Crops grew in the wet months because the An and Ki mated (married) • During the dry months the crops died because An and Ki died • Blooming signified the resurrection of the gods • Over all belief – humanity was put on earth to serve the gods • When people died they returned to the heavens to serve the gods • Believed in sin – explained people’s hardships and blessings • Education was unimportant, because the gods would put knowledge in the people’s brains so they could overcome a hardship • Religion was harsh and unsupportive~

10. I. The Fertile Crescent • Culture • 80% of the people were farmers • They had the concept of land ownership • After 2300 BC had established money • Polished pieces of metal • Value based on weight • Caused • Banks to be created – for borrowing money • People sought wealth – wanted to make money~

11. I. The Fertile Crescent • Culture (cont.) • Had 5 social classes • Kings and Nobles – wealthy, literate, most powerful • Priests – wealthy, literate, powerful • Wealthy Merchants – wealthy, illiterate, little power • Framers – poor, illiterate, powerless • Slaves – poor, uneducated, powerless • Society • Male dominated • Women • Little protection under law • Main role domestication (child bearers, house work, ect.) • Harsh life for women~

12. I. The Fertile Crescent • Education • Priests were educators • Education took place in the temples • Only upper class families were educated in the temples – had to pay • All other education was done in the home • Law • Created by the central government • Originally laws not written down • Victim had to bring the suspect to court • Presided over by the king • Hammurabi's Code – created 1792 BC • Babylonian king • First written law code • Eye for and Eye~

13. I. The Fertile Crescent • Science and Technology • Invented the plow, sail, wheel, bronze technology, and the pyramid • First to use arches, columns, and ramps • Had a calendar – based on moon cycles • Writing • Started as pictures • Evolved into symbols • Cuneiform oldest writing system – developed in Sumar • Used to keep religious records, historical info, and trade records~

14. I. The Fertile Crescent • Empires Appear • City-states will weaken because of constant warfare • Invaders will also cause problems • Sargon of Akkad 9city-state north of Sumar) • 2350 BC he has taken over most of the Mesopotamian city-states • Created the first empire • Control lasted 200 years (2150 BC) – fell due to famine, civil war and invasions • Babylonian Empire • Invade in 2000 BC – took over after the Akkadians • Peak of the empire is during King Hammurabi’s reign • By 1550 BC empire falls~

15. I. The Fertile Crescent • The Assyrian Empire • After the fall of the Babylonians, the Fertile Crescent will be open to many other invaders – the Assyrians, Phoenicians, and Hebrews • Military Might • 850 BC the Assyrians were the most dominate empire – controlled through SW Asia, the Middle East, and Egypt • Able to accomplish dominance by creating a highly advanced and organized military~

16. I. The Fertile Crescent • Beginnings • Came from the northern part of Mesopotamia • Their flat homeland made Assyria open to invaders • Forced to develop a strong military and warlike behavior to combat invaders • Military Organization • Weapons and Equipment • Used iron works to make weapons • Wore armor made of iron and stiff leather • Wore iron helmets and leather shirts fashioned with iron scales • Fought with iron swords and iron pointed spears~

17. I. The Fertile Crescent • Tactics • They built bridges to cross bodies of water • Before attacking a city they dug out around the city walls to weaken them • Foot soldiers would then attack, marching shoulder to shoulder and shoot wave after wave of arrows • Battering rams would than knock down the city gates • Once inside the Assyrian Army would kill or enslave all inside~

18. I. The Fertile Crescent • Empire Expansion • Between 850-650 BC they defeated Syria, Palestine, and Babylonia – also made their way into Egypt • Peak of power came around 650 BC • Rule • The central government controlled the lands closest to the Assyrian heartland • Outlying lands were controlled with puppet governments • System • Local governments – controlled by governors – reported back to the king – responsible for collecting taxes • Central government – controlled by the king – also contained the Assyrian nobles~

19. Mesopotamia

20. Hammurabi

21. Chart