DO NOW
WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP
AMONG ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES,
RELIGION, AND GOVERNMENT
DURING THE RISE OF
CIVILIZATION??????? HOW ARE
THEY ALL CONNECTED? (LOOK IN
YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES 30 &
31)
DO NOW


LIST THE SIX BASIC CHARACTERISTICS
OF A CIVILIZATION AND GIVE AN
EXAMPLE OF EACH CHARACTERISTIC!!!!!
LOOK IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
27-31 IN CHAPTER 1 SECTION 2!
DO NOW

Compare and contrast the
Sumerian government to the
Egyptian government. How do
the people from each civilization
view their leader?
DO NOW
Create a diagram like the one below to
show how changes during the
Neolithic Revolution led to the
emergence of civilization. Look in
Chapter 1 Section 2 of your textbooks
on pages 27-31.
Civilization
Chapter 2
Western Asia and Egypt
The Impact of Geography

The ancient Greeks spoke of
a valley between the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers as
Mesopotamia, the land
“between the rivers.”
Mesopotamia was at the
eastern end of an area known
as the Fertile Crescent, an arc
of land from the
Mediterranean Sea to the
Persian Gulf. Because this
land had rich soil and
abundant crops, it was able
to sustain an early civilization.
DO NOW

READ THE POEM ON PAGE 42 AND
REWRITE THE POEM IN YOUR OWN
WORDS. TRY TO CAPTURE THE
EMOTIONS EXPRESSED BY THE
MESOPOTAMIAN WRITER.
DO NOW
 Explain
how the Paleolithic people
acquired their food. How did the
Neolithic people acquire their
food? How does the Neolithic
people’s way of acquiring food
lead to the rise of a civilization?
Section 1: Civilization Begins in
Mesopotamia
Key Terms:

 1. Mesopotamia
 (location: Eastern end
of the Fertile
Crescent)

2. Fertile Crescent

3. silt


1. “The land between rivers”
Mesopotamia was a valley
between the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers.
2. An arc of land from the
Mediterranean Sea to the
Persian Gulf.
3. material deposited by the
two rivers
Map of Mesopotamia to the left and
modern day countries to the right.
Sumerians:
Mesopotamia was a land with little rain, but its soil had
been enriched over the years by layers of silt. In the late spring, the Tigris
and the Euphrates often overflowed their banks and deposited their fertile silt.
Flooding, however, depended on the melting of snows in the upland mountains
where the rivers began. People could not tell exactly when the floods would
come or how large they would be.
4. irrigation &
drainage
ditches
 5. Sumerians
(3000 B.C.E.)




4. large-scale system of water control
(flow to crops)
5. The Sumerians were the creators
of the first Mesopotamian civilization.
Ancient Mesopotamia includes three general
areas: Assyria, Akkad, and Sumer. The
Sumerians established a number of
independent cities in southern
Mesopotamia, including Eridu, Ur, and Uruk.

6. City-states


6. As the cities
expanded they came
to have political and
economic control over
the surrounding
countryside.
They formed citystates, the basic units
of Sumerian
Civilization.

Sumerian cities were surrounded by walls. City dwellings, built of
sun-dried bricks, included both the small houses of peasants and the
larger buildings of the city officials, priests and priestesses. Although
Mesopotamia had little stone or wood for building purposes, it did
have plenty of mud. Mud bricks, easily shaped by hand, were left to
bake in the hot sun until they were hard enough to use for building.
7. Sumerian Cities


7. Sumerian Cities were surrounded
by walls made of sun-dried bricks.
Sumerian homes were also made
with mud-bricks; invented the arch
and the dome.
The most prominent building in a Sumerian city was the temple
dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city. This temple
was often built atop a massive stepped tower called a ziggurat.
Sumerians believed that gods and goddesses owned the cities.
The people devoted much of their wealth to building temples, as
well as elaborate houses for the priests and priestesses who
served the gods.

8. Ziggurat



8. Temple dedicated to
the chief god or
goddess of the city.
This temple was often
built atop a massive
stepped tower.
Served as the center of
the city physically,
economically, and
politically.
Ziggurat
Priests and priestesses, who supervised the temples and their
property, had a great deal of power. In fact, historians believe
that in the early stages of the city-states, priests and priestesses
played an important role in ruling. The Sumerians believed that
the gods ruled the cities, making the state a theocracy—a
government by divine authority. Eventually, however, ruling
power passed into the hands of worldly figures, or kings.


9. theocracy

10. priests and
priestesses

9. Sumerians believed that
the gods ruled the cities,
making the state a
theocracy- a government
by divine authority.
10. played a role in ruling
DO NOW


WHAT ROLE DID GEOGRAPHY PLAY IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MESOPOTAMIAN
CIVILIZATION?
LOOK IN YOUR NOTES OR READ
PAGES 37-38 IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS
UNDER THE SECTION TITLED “THE
IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHY.
Economy and Society

Although the economy of the Sumerian city-states was
based chiefly on farming, trade and industry became
important as well. The peoples of Mesopotamia were
well known for their metalwork, but they also made
woolen textiles and pottery. The Sumerians imported
copper, tin, and timber in exchange for dried fish, wool,
barely, wheat, and metal goods. Traders traveled by
land to the eastern Mediterranean in the west and by
sea to India in the east. The invention of the wheel,
around 3,000 B.C.E. led to wheeled carts which made
the transport of goods easier.
Economy: Sumerians imported copper, tin, and timber in exchange for
dried fish, wool, barely, wheat, and metal goods. Traders traveled by land to
the eastern Mediterranean in the west and by sea to India in the. The
invention of the wheel, around 3000 B.C., led to wheeled carts, which made
the transport of goods easier.

11. Economy



12. imports

11. Basic form of economy
was farming, however,
trade and industry
became important as well.
Sumerians were well
known for their
metalwork.
12. copper, tin, and
timber
Sumerian Society
Social Stratification
Nobles
Royal and priestly officials
Commoners
Farmers, merchants, fishers
Slaves
DO NOW


EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
CITY-STATE AND AN EMPIRE?
WHICH DO YOU THINK WOULD BE MORE
ADVANTAGEOUS TO OUR COUNTRY
TODAY????
DO NOW
 Explain
how rivers affected
the growth of ancient
civilizations.
DO NOW

WHAT ROLE DID GEOGRAPHY PLAY IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF
MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION?
As the number of Sumerian city-states grew and the city-states
expanded, new conflicts arose. City-state fought city-state for
control of land and water. Located on the flat land of
Mesopotamia, the Sumerian city-states were also open to invasion
by other groups.

13. Akkadians
(2340 B.C.E.)

14. empire

15. city-states



13. an area in Mesopotamia had a
leader named Sargon, who overran
the Sumerian city-states and set
up the first empire in history.
14. A large political state, usually
under a single leader, that controls
many peoples and territories.
15. small separate political states
each having their own
leader/government
DO NOW



EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
CITY-STATE AND AN EMPIRE?
WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF
HAVING A CIVILIZATION DIVIDED UP
INTO CITY-STATES? AN EMPIRE?
LOOK IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
37-41
Hammurabi

Attacks from neighboring hill peoples eventually
caused the Akkadian Empire to fall. Its end y
2100 B.C.E. brought a return to the system of
warring states. It was not until 1792 B.C.E. that
a new empire came to control much of
Mesopotamia. Leadership came from Babylon, a
city-state south of Akkad, where Hammurabi
came to power. He gained control of Sumer and
Akkad, thus creating a new Mesopotamian
kingdom.
Attacks from neighboring hill peoples eventually caused the Akkadian Empire to
fall. It end by 2100 B.C. brought a return to the system of warring city-states.
It was not until 1792 B.C. that a new empire came to control much of
Mesopotamia.


16. Hammurabi
 16. leader of Babylon who
(1792--1750 B.C.E.) gained control of a new
Mesopotamian kingdom after
the fall of the Akkadian
Empire.
17. Code of
Hammurabi

17. A collection of 282 laws.
Based on a system of strict
justice. “An eye for an eye,
tooth for a tooth”
The Code of Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi was based on a system
of strict justice. Penalties for criminal offenses
were severe, and they varied according to the
social class of the victim. A crime against a
member of the upper class (a noble) by a
member of the lower class (a commoner was
punished more severely than the same offense
against a member of the lower class. Moreover,
the principle of retaliation (an eye for an eye, a
tooth for a tooth”) was a fundamental part of
this system of justice.
A woman’s place was definitely in the home. If she failed to fulfill her duties,
her husband had legal grounds for divorce. In addition, if a wife was not able
to bear children or tried to leave home to engage in business, her husband
could divorce her. Even more harsh, a wife who neglected her home or
husband could be drowned.

18. Patriarch



18. Society dominated
by men.
Mesopotamia was a
society dominated by
men.
Hammurabi’s code
made it clear that
women had far fewer
privileges than men.
The physical environment strongly affected the way Mesopotamians viewed the
world. Ferocious floods, heavy downpours, scorching winds, and oppressive
humidity were all part of the Mesopotamian climate. These conditions as well
as famines, convinced Mesopotamians that this world was controlled by
supernatural forces, which often were not kind or reliable.

19. polytheistic



20. relationship b/t
humans and
gods/goddesses

19. Belief in many
gods and goddesses.
The Mesopotamians
identified almost
three thousand gods
and goddesses.
20. humans were
supposed to obey and
serve the gods
The Sumerians are credited with the invention of the oldest writing
system, cuneiform, which dates from about 3,000 B.C.E. Mesopotamian
peoples used writing primarily for record keeping. Cuneiform texts,
however, were also used in schools to train scribes, members of the
learned class who served as copyists, teachers and jurists.

21. cuneiform (3000
B.C.E.)


21. “wedge-shaped”
system of writing.
Using a reed stylus (a
tool for writing) they
made wedge shaped
impressions on clay
tablets.
Sumerian Literature:
Gilgamesh is a
Mesopotamian epic poem that records the exploits of a legendary
king named Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is wise, strong, and perfect in
body. He is part man and part god. Gilgamesh befriends a hairy
best named Enkidu. Together, they set off to do great deeds.
When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh feels the pain of death and begins a
search for the secret of immortality. His efforts fail, and
Gilgamesh remains mortal. This Mesopotamian epic makes clear
that “everlasting life” is only for the gods and goddesses.

22. The Epic of
Gilgamesh

22. A Mesopotamian
epic poem that
records the exploits of
a legendary king
named Gilgamesh.
Sumerian Technology






Sumerians invented the wagon.
Sundial
First to make bronze
They developed a number system based on 60.
They used Geometry to measure fields and erect
buildings.
They used astronomy to chart heavenly
constellations.
DO NOW

WHY WAS HAMMURABI’S CODE A
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT? ARE
THERE ANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN
HAMMURABI’S CODE OF LAWS AND OUR
CODE OF LAWS TODAY? DIFFERENCES?
DO NOW


WHAT ROLE DID THE PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT PLAY IN THE WAY
MESOPOTAMIANS VIEWED THE WORLD?
READ IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
42-43
DO NOW


EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
EGYPTIAN RULER’S TITLE “SON OF RE.”
READ IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
46-47
DO NOW


IDENTIFY AT LEAST FIVE ASPECTS OF
MESOPOTAMIAN SOCIETY AS REVEALED BY
THE CODE OF HAMMURABI. (IN OTHER
WORDS, HOW DID THE CODE OF HAMMURABI
EXPLAIN THE WAY PEOPLE HAD TO LIVE
THEIR LIVES? WHAT WERE THE
RULES/CONSEQUENCES?)
LOOK IN YOUR NOTES OR READ PAGE 41
UNDER THE SECTION TITLED “THE CODE OF
HAMMURABI”

The Impact of Geography
The Nile is a unique river,
beginning in the heart of Africa
and coursing northward for
more than 4,000 miles. It is
the longest river in the world.
Before it empties in to the
Mediterranean, the Nile splits
into two major branches. This
split forms a triangular
territory, the delta. The Nile
Delta is called Lower Egypt; the
land upstream, the to south, is
called Upper Egypt. Egypt’s
important cities developed at
the tip of the delta, the point at
which the Nile divides.
Section 2: Egyptian Civilization:
“The Gift of the Nile”


Key Terms:
1. Nile


1. Is a unique river,
beginning in the heart
of Africa. It is the
longest river in the
world.
It stretches 4,000
miles splitting into
two major branches
before it empties into
the Mediterranean
Geography:
Egypt’s important cities developed
at the tip of the delta, the point at which the Nile
divides.
 2. the split forms a
 2. The Nile splits up
triangular territory
into two major
called the Nile Delta.
branches:
 Lower Egypt
 Upper Egypt
Unlike Mesopotamia, which was subject to constant invasion,
Egypt was blessed by natural barriers that gave it protection from
invasion and a sense of security. These barriers included deserts
to the west and east; the Red Sea to the east; the cataracts on
the southern part of the Nile, which made defense relatively easy;
and the Mediterranean Sea to the North


3. Nile’s
advantages
4. Egypt’s
geographical
barriers


3. served as a unifying factor,
travel and communication; cataract
(rapids) provided protection
4. deserts to the west and east;
the Red Sea to the east; the
cataracts on the southern part of
the Nile Mediterranean Sea to the
North
Religion: Provided a sense of security and timelessness.
They had no word for religion. For them, religious ideas were an
inseparable part of the entire world order. The sun god took on
different forms and names, depending on his specific role. He
was worshiped as Atum in human form and also as Re who had a
human body and the head of a falcon. The Egyptian ruler took
the title Son of Re, because he was seen as an earthly form of Re.

5. Polytheistic



6. Atum Re

5. Belief in many gods.
Two groups of gods: sun gods
and land gods.
6. Sun god (Son of Re was
earthly form of Re)
Egypt’s Creation Myth

River gods and land gods included Osiris
and Isis. A famous Egyptian myth told of
the struggle between Osiris, who brought
civilization to Egypt, and his evil brother
Seth, who killed him, cut his body into 14
parts, and tossed the parts into the Nile.
The pieces were found by Osiris’s wife,
Isis. With help from other gods, Isis
brought Osiris back to life.

7. King Menes


8. dynasty

7. King who united the
villages of Upper
(southern) and Lower
(northern) Egypt into a
single kingdom and
created the first
Egyptian royal dynasty
3100 B.C.
8. A dynasty is a family
of rulers whose right to
rule is passed on within
the family.
The Old Kingdom
2700-2200 B.C. The Old Kingdom, which lasted from
around 2700 B.C.E. to 2200 B.C.E. was an age of prosperity and
splendor. Like the kings of the Sumerian city-states, the monarchs of
the Old Kingdom were powerful rulers over a unified state. Among the
various titles of Egyptian monarchs, that of pharaoh (originally meaning
“great house” or “palace”) eventually became the most common. In
obeying their pharaoh, subjects believed that they were helping to
maintain a stable world order. A breakdown in royal power could only
mean that citizens were offending the gods and weakening that order.

9. pharaoh


9. originally meaning “great
house” or “palace” became the
most common title of Egyptian
monarchs.
Egyptian pharaohs possessed
absolute power (unlimited).
DO NOW

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE TIGRIS AND THE EUPHRATES RIVER
IN COMPARISON TO THE NILE RIVER
WHEN DISCUSSING ITS IMPACT ON
SYSTEMATIC AGRICULTURE???
Government: At first members of the pharaoh’s family aided in
running the country. During the Old Kingdom, however, a
government bureaucracy developed. Especially important was the
office of vizier. Directly responsible to the pharaoh, the vizier was
in charge of the government bureaucracy. In time Egypt was
divided into 42 provinces, which were run by governors appointed
by the pharaoh. Each governor was responsible to the pharaoh
and the vizier.

10. Bureaucracy


11. Vizier

10. During the old kingdom a
government (bureaucracy-an
administrative organization with
officials and regular procedures)
developed.
11. The “steward of the whole
land.
Pyramids and the Afterlife: Mummification took place in workshops run by
priests, primarily for the wealthy families who could afford it. Workers first
removed the liver, lungs, stomach, intestines and placed them in four special
jars that were put in the tomb with the mummy. The priests also removed
the brain by extracting it through the nose. They then covered the corpse
with a natural salt that absorbed the bodies water. Later they filled the body
with spices and wrapped it with layers of linen soaked in resin.



12. Pyramids
13. Ka
14. mummification



12. Building of pyramids
occurred during the time
of the Old Kingdom
dedicated to the dead.
13. Spiritual body
14. A process of slowly
drying a dead body to
prevent it from rotting.
DESCRIPTIVE
WRITING/BROCHURE ACTIVITY

Descriptive writing: Assume you
are a tour guide leading a tour of the
Great Pyramid. Explain to your tour
group why the pyramids were built
and what historians believe is their
significance. Create an advertising
brochure to promote and sell your
tour. Once finished students will
present their brochure to the class.

15. Process of
Mummification


15. The process
would take about 70
days to complete.
Removed liver, lungs,
stomach, and
intestines and placed
them in four special
jars.
DO NOW


LOOK AT YOUR BOOKS ON PAGE 52 AND READ
“DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT” DESCRIBE
WHAT DAILY LIFE WAS LIKE FOR ANCIENT
EGYPTIANS. COMPARE THEIR CUSTOMS TO
THE CUSTOMS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED UNDER
THE CODE OF HAMMURABI. WHAT ARE THEIR
SIMILIARITIES/ WHAT ARE THEIR
DIFFERENCES?
LOOK ON PAGE 41 TO READ ABOUT
HAMMURABI
DO NOW


LOOK AT YOUR BOOKS ON PAGE 22 AND READ
“DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT” DESCRIBE
WHAT DAILY LIFE WAS LIKE FOR ANCIENT
EGYPTIANS. COMPARE THEIR CUSTOMS TO
THE CUSTOMS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED UNDER
THE CODE OF HAMMURABI. WHAT ARE THERE
SIMILIARITIES/ WHAT ARE THEIR
DIFFERENCES?
LOOK ON PAGE 12 & 13 TO READ ABOUT
HAMMURABI AND SOCIETY IN MESOPOTAMIA
DO NOW

EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
EGYPTIAN RULER’S TITLE “SON OF RE.”
DO NOW


EXPLAIN HOW FLOODING PATTERNS OF
RIVERS IN EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA
CAUSED THE TWO CIVILIZATIONS TO
DEVELOP DIFFERENTLY.
LOOK IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
37-39 AND PAGES 45-46 in the sections
both titled “The Impact of Geography”
DO NOW


IN WHAT WAYS ARE THE CUSTOMS OF
ANCIENT EGYPT SIMILAR TO THE
CUSTOMS IN YOUR SOCIETY TODAY
WHEN DEALING WITH DEATH?
READ IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON
PAGES 48-49 UNDER THE SECTION
TITLED “THE PYRAMIDS” TO GET A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
THE EGYPTIANS DEAL WITH DEATH.
Pyramids were tombs for the mummified bodies of pharaohs. The largest and
most magnificent of all pyramids was built under King Khufu. Constructed at
Giza around 2540 B.C., the famous Great Pyramid of King Khufu covers 13
acres measure 756 ft at each side of its base and stands 481 ft high. Guarding
the Great Pyramid at Giza is a huge statue carved from rock, known as the
Great Sphinx. This colossal statue is 240 feet long and 66 feet high. It has the
body of a lion and a human head. The head is believed by many to be a
likeness of Khufu’s son Khafre, who ordered the statue’s construction.
Historians do no agree on the purpose of the Great Sphinx. Many Egyptians,
however, believed that they mythical sphinx was an important guardian of
sacred sites.


16. Pyramid of Giza
2520 B.C.E.

17. Great Sphinx


16. The largest and most
magnificent of pyramids built under
King Khufu.
17. believed was an important
guardian of the Great Pyramid
Khufu’s son Khafre ordered the
statues construction
Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx
The Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid still stands as a visible symbol of
the power of the Egyptian pharaohs of the Old
Kingdom. No pyramid later matched its size or
splendor. The pyramid was not only the pharaoh’s
tomb but also an important symbol of royal power. It
could be seen for miles and served to remind people
of the glory, might, and wealth of the ruler who has a
living god on Earth.
The Middle Kingdom 2050-1652 B.C.: The
Old Kingdom eventually collapsed, followed by a period of chaos
that lasted about 150 yrs. Finally, a new royal dynasty gained
control of all Egypt and began the Middle Kingdom, a period of
stability lasting from about 2050-1652. Egyptians later portrayed
this age as a golden age—an age of stability.


18. Middle Kingdom
(2050-1652 B.C.E.)

18. a golden age—an age of
stability
19. Leadership (view  19. Pharaoh is now seen as the
of pharaoh changes) shepherd of his people;
provide for the public welfare
unlike the Old Kingdom when
the pharaoh was seen as a
god-king.
The New Kingdom 1567-1085 B.C.: The Middle Kingdom came to
an end around 1652 B.C.E. with the invasion of Egypt by a group
of people from western Asia known to the Egyptians as the
Hyksos. The Hyksos used horse-drawn chariots and overwhelmed
the Egyptian soldiers, who fought from donkey carts. For almost
a hundred years, the Hyksos ruled much of Egypt. The
conquered Egyptians learned a great deal however, from their
conquerors. From the Hyksos, the Egyptians learned to use
bronze in the making of their farming tools and their weapons.
The Egyptians also mastered many of the military skills of the
Hyksos, especially the use of horse-drawn chariots.

20. Hyksos
(1652-1752
B.C.E)


20. Group of people from Western Asia
who overthrew Middle Kingdom rule
using bronze weapons and horsedrawn chariots.
Hyksos used horse-drawn war chariots and
bronze weapsons which overwhelmed the
Egyptian soldiers who fought from donkey carts.
The New Kingdom (1567-1085
B.C.E.)

Eventually, a new dynasty of pharaohs
used the new weapons to drive out the
Hyksos and reunite Egypt. The New
Kingdom was established and lasted
approximately from 1567-1085 B.C.E.
This reunification launched the Egyptians
along a new militaristic path. During the
period of the New Kingdom, Egypt created
an empire and became the most powerful
state in Southwest Asia.
The New Kingdom:
Eventually the Egyptians
use new improved weapons to drive out the Hyksos and
reunite Egypt and create the New Kingdom

21. New Kingdom


22. Hatshepsut

.
21. Egypt will use the Hyksos
own weapons against them
and drive them out
(introduced to bronze
weapons and horse drawn
chariots)
22. The first woman to
become pharaoh. (not
accepted in Egyptian society)
Hatshepsut’s great temple at
Deir el Bahri near Thebes.
The New Kingdom was not without its troubles, however. The pharaoh
Amenhotep IV introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk and closed
the temples of other gods. In a society that had always been tolerant of
many gods, Akenaton’s actions in destroying the old gods meant to many the
destruction of Egypt itself.

23. Akhenaton
(declared himself the
sun god)


23. Known as Amenhotep
IV introduced the worship
of Aton, god of the sun
disk, sole god. Created a
monotheistic religion.
Didn’t last long and the
monotheistic religion was
overturned.
DO NOW


WHAT WERE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES
AMONG THE OLD KINGDOM, THE MIDDLE
KINGDOM, AND THE NEW KINGDOM?
READ IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
47-50 IN THE SECTION TITLED “THE
COURSE OF EGYPTIAN HISTORY”
DO NOW


WHAT WERE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES
AMONG THE OLD KINGDOM, THE MIDDLE
KINGDOM, AND THE NEW KINGDOM?
READ IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES
18-21 IN THE SECTION TITLED “THE OLD
AND MIDDLE KINGDOM” AND IN THE
SECTION TITLED “CHAOS AND NEW
ORDER THE NEW KINGDOM”
DO NOW

Compare and contrast the Sumerian
government to the Egyptian government.
How do the people from each civilization
view their leader?
DO NOW


USE A DIAGRAM LIKE THE ONE BELOW TO
DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THE NILE HAD ON
LIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT.
LOOK IN YOUR NOTES AND IN YOUR
TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES 45-46 UNDER
THE SECTION TITLED “THE IMPACT OF
GEOGRAPHY”
Nile River
Monotheism in Egypt

The New Kingdom was not without troubles. The
pharaoh Amenhotep IV introduced the worship of
Aton, god of the sun disk, as the sole god
(monotheism). Amenhotep changed his own name to
Akhenaton (It is well with Aton”) and closed the
temples of other gods. In a society that had always
been tolerant of many gods, Akhenaton’s action in
destroying the old gods meant to many the
destruction of Egypt itself. Akhenaton’s changes were
soon underdone after his death by the boy-pharaoh
Tutankhamen, who restored the old gods.
The upheavals associated with Amenhotep’s religious revolution
led to a loss of Egypt’s empire. Under Ramses II, who reigned
from 1279 to 1213 B.C.E., the Egyptians went back on the
offensive. They regained control of Palestine but were unable to
reestablish the borders of their earlier empire. New invasions in
the 13th century B.C.E. by the “Sea Peoples,” as Egyptians called
them, drove the Egyptians back within their old frontiers and
ended the Egyptian Empire. The New Kingdom itself collapsed in
1085 B.C.E.


24. Tutankhamen
25. consequences of
Amenhotep’s religion
revolution


24. Boy pharaoh who restored
the old gods
25. led to a loss of Egypt’s
Empire; was dominated by
Libyans, Nubians, Persians,
and finally Macedonians
For the next thousand years, Egypt was dominated by Libyans,
Nubians, Persians, and finally Macedonians after the conquest of
Alexander the Great. In the 1st century B.C.E. the pharaoh
Cleopatra VII tried to reestablish Egypt’s independence.
However, her involvement with Rome led to her suicide and
defeat, and Egypt became a province in Rome’s mighty empire.

26. Cleopatra VII
(1 B.C.E.)

26. tried to reestablish Egypt’s
independence. However her
involvement with Rome
(romantically Antony (who was
Julius Caesar’s ally and general
at one time)) led her to suicide
and defeat and Egypt became a
province in Rome’s mighty
empire.
Society in Ancient Egypt

Over a period of thousands of years, Egyptian society
maintained a simple structure. It was organized like a
pyramid, with the god-king at the top. The pharaoh was
surrounded by an upper class of nobles and priests,
who joined the elaborate rituals of the pharaoh’s life.
The members of this ruling class ran the government
and managed their own landed estates, which provided
much of their wealth.
Egyptian Society: Below the upper class were merchants, artisans,
scribes, and tax collectors. Middle-class homes, mostly in the city
were comfortable but not elegant. Merchants carried on an active
trade up and down the Nile, as well as in town and village markets.
Some merchants also engaged in international trade. By far, the
largest number of people in Egypt simply worked the land. In theory,
the pharaoh owned all the land but granted portions of it to the
subjects. Most of the lower classes were peasants who farmed the
land of these estates. They paid taxes in the form of crops to the
pharaoh, nobles, and priests; lived in small villages or towns; and
provided military service and forced labor for building projects.
god-king
Nobles and Priests
Merchants, Artisans, scribes, and tax collectors
Peasants
Peasants
Daily life in ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians had a very positive
attitude toward daily life on earth. They
married young (girls at 12 and boys at 14)
and established homes and families.
Monogamy (marriage to one person) was
the general rule, although a husband was
allowed to keep additional wives if his first
wife was childless.
The husband was master in the house, but wives were very well
respected. Wives were in charge of the household and the education
of the children. Women’s property and inheritance stayed in their
hands, even in marriage. Although most careers and public offices
were closed to women, some women did operate in businesses.
Peasant women, of course, worked long hours in the fields and at
numerous tasks in the home. Upper-class women could become
priestesses, and four queens became pharaohs. Parents arranged
marriages for their children. Their chief concerns were family and
property. The chief purpose of marriage was to produce children,
especially sons. Egyptian marriages could and did end in divorce. It
included compensation for the wife.



27. Egypt’s
society

28. monogamy

29. marriages

27. patriarchal (ruled by men);
monogamous marriage
28. married to one person
29. were arranged; divorces were
allowed; wives were compensated
DO NOW


WHAT WERE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES
AMONG THE OLD KINGDOM, THE MIDDLE
KINGDOM, AND THE NEW KINGDOM?
LOOK IN YOUR NOTES AND IN YOUR
TEXTBOOKS ON PAGES 47-51 UNDER THE
SECTIONS TITLED “THE OLD KINGDOM”
“THE MIDDLE KINGDOM” AND “THE NEW
KINGDOM”
DO NOW


LIST THE SOCIAL CLASSES OF ANCIENT
EGYPT AND IDENTIFY THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF EACH TO EGYPTIAN
SOCIETY.
LOOK IN YOUR NOTES AND IN YOUR
TEXTBOOKS ON PAGE 51 UNDER THE
SECTION TITLED “SOCIETY IN
ANCIENT EGYPT”
Writing and Education

Writing in Egypt emerged around 3000 B.C.E. The Greeks later
called this earliest Egyptian writing hieroglyphics, meaning “priestcarvings” or “sacred writings.” The hieroglyphic system of writing,
which used both pictures and more abstract forms, was complex.
Learning and practicing it took much time and skill. Hieroglyphic
script was used for writing on temple walls and tombs. A highly
simplified version of hieroglyphics, known as hieratic script, came into
being. It used the same principles as hieroglyphic writing, but the
drawings were simplified by using dashes, strokes, and curves to
represent them. Hieratic script was used for business transactions.
Writing and Education

30. hieroglyphics
(3000 B.C.E.)



31. hieratic script

30. “priest carvings” or
“sacred writings”
This hieroglyphic system of
writing used both pictures
and more abstract forms,
was complex.
31. Simplified version of
hieroglyphics (used for
business transactions) using
dashes, strokes, and curves
to represent them.
Difference b/t Hieroglyphs and
Hieratic Script
Egyptian hieroglyphs were at first carved in stone. Later, hieratic
script was written on papyrus, a paper made from the papyrus
reed that grew along the Nile. Most of the ancient Egyptian
literature that has come down to use was written on rolls of
papyrus.

32. papyrus

32. Hieratic script was
written on papyrus, a
paper made from the
papyrus reed that grew
along the Nile.
The Egyptian scribes were masters of the art of writing and also
its teachers. At the age of 10, boys of the upper classes went to
schools run by scribes. Training to be a scribe took many years.
Students learned to read and write by copying texts. Discipline
was strict as is evident from the following Egyptian saying: “A
boy’s ears are on his back. He listens only when he is beaten.”
Girls remained at home and learned housekeeping skills from their
mothers.


33. upper class boys

34. upper class girls

33. were trained to write
by scribes; discipline was
strict
34. remained at home and
learned housekeeping skills
Achievements in Art and Science

Pyramids, temples, and other monuments bear
witness to the architectural and artistic
achievements of the Egyptians. Artists and
sculptors were expected to follow particular
formulas in style. This gave Egyptian art a
distinctive look for thousands of years. For
example, the human boy was often portrayed as
a combination of profile, semiprofile, and frontal
view to accurately represent each part.
Advancements in Science





Calculate area and volume
Used geometry to survey flooded land
Developed an accurate 365 day calendar
(basing their year not only on the movement
of the moon, but also the bright star Sirius)
Practice of embalming led to medical expertise
in human anatomy.
Archaeologists have recovered directions from
doctors using splints, bandages and
compresses for treating fractures wounds, and
disease.
Comparing Life in Mesopotamia and Egypt
FEATURES
MESOPOTAMIA
EGYPT
GEOGRAPY
Fertile Crescent (Southwest
Asia)
Africa
RIVERS
Tigris and Euphrates
Nile
NATURAL BARRIERS
Flat Plains
Deserts, seas,
cataracts
RELIGION
Polytheistic
Polytheistic
GOVERNMENT
City-states; theocracy; large
bureaucracy; kings ruled
(monarchy)
Rural villages,
dynasties, diving
kings ruled
(theocracy)
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Nobles, commoners, slaves
Upper classes,
nobles,
merchants,
artisans,
peasants
ECONOMY
Farming and trade
Farming and
trade
DO NOW


DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN HIEROGLYPHICS AND
HIERATIC SCRIPT?
LOOK IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON PAGE 52
IN THE SECTION TITLED “WRITING AND
EDUCATION”
DO NOW


OLD: DIVINE RULERS, BUILT PYRAMIDS;
MIDDLE: PHARAOHS CONERNCED WITH
ABOUT PEOPLE, EGYPT EXPANDED
NEW: MILITARISTIC, CREATED AN
EMPIRE, RELIGIOUS UPHEAVALS
DO NOW


All civilizations settle near rivers. Compare
and contrast the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers to the Nile River. Why is settling
near rivers so important?
Compare and contrast the Sumerian
government to the Egyptian government.
How do the people from each civilization
view their leader?





DO NOW
“The Egyptian Nile,” wrote one Arab traveler, “surpasses all the
rivers of the world in sweetness of taste, in length of course and
usefulness. No other river in the world can show such a
continuous series of towns and villages along its banks.” In their
“Hymn to the Nile,” Egyptians wrote of their reliance on the river:
“The bringer of food, rich in provisions, creator of all good, lord
of majesty, sweet of fragrance . . . . [The Nile] makes the
granaries wide, and gives things to the poor. He who makes
every beloved tree to grow.”
From James B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, 1969.
According to the “Hymn to the Nile,” how do Egyptians feel about
the Nile?
A. sorrowful
C. fearful
B. unappreciative
D. grateful
DO NOW

a.
b.
Around 2340 B.C., Sargon, the leader of the
Akkadians,
Overran Paris, the largest city in the world at the
time
Established the world’s first city-states and led by
divine authority
c.
Overran the Sumerian city-states and set up the
first empire in world history
d.
Choked to death on a piece of beef
DO NOW
 Imagine
you are a samurai living
in Japan during the fourteenth
century. Explain why you became
a samurai and describe your
duties. (3-4 minutes)
DO NOW
 IF
YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, WHICH
ANCIENT CIVILIZATION WOULD
YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE IN:
MESOPOTAMIA, EGYPT, INDIA,
CHINA, JAPAN, OR THE SOUTH
EAST ASIA STATES? EXPLAIN
YOUR ANSWER.
Section 3: New Centers of
Civilization


Key Terms:
1. Pastoral Nomads


1. Civilization which
flourished in Asia.
Domesticated animals for
both food and clothing.
These nomads moved
along regular migratory
routes to provide steady
sources of nourishment
for their animals.

2. Indo-Europeans


2. Nomadic group of
people who used a
language derived
from a single parent
tongue.
Out of the IndoEuropean groups
were the Hittites who
created their own
empire in western
Asia.
After the fall of the Hittite Empire
and the weakening of Egypt a
number of small kingdoms and
city-states emerged.

3. Phoenicians


3. Lived in Palestine
along the
Mediterranean coast
Phoenician culture is
best known for their
alphabet. 22
Characters or letters.

4. Israelites

5. King Solomon



4. Semitic-speaking
people who
established a united
kingdom known as
Israel
5. King of Israel, he
established control
over all of Palestine
and made Jerusalem
into the Capital of
Israel
Known for his great
wisdom
The Spiritual Dimensions of Israel


The Jews were
monotheistic.
6. Monotheistic


6. Belief in one god.
The covenant, law,
and prophets were
three aspects of the
Jewish religious
tradition.

7. Yahweh


8. prophets


7. the God of Israel
8. religious teachers
who were sent by
God to serve as a
voice for his people
Example: Isaiah
Religious Differences between
Mesopotamia and Egypt VS. Israel

Mesopotamia/
Egypt
 Polytheistic
 gods were in nature


gods only spoke
through the king
gods were merciless
and cruel

Israel




Monotheistic
God not in nature, God
created nature
God spoke through the
prophet and
communication was
written down
God was just and good
DO NOW

WHAT WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
CULTURAL INVENTION OF THE
PHOENICIANS?
WRITING PROMPT

IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE A RELIGION
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND
MESOPOTAMIA/EGYPT WHICH WOULD
YOU CHOOSE? EXPLAIN THE RELIGION
AND EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER. BELOW
YOUR ANSWER CREATE A SYMBOL THAT
REPRESENTS THE RELIGION OF YOUR
CHOICE.
DO NOW

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN
RELIGION WHEN SPEAKING OF
MESOPOTAMIA/EGYPT AND ISRAEL?
WHAT IS SO SIGNIFICANT ABOUT
ISRAEL’S RELIGION OF JUDAISM?
Section 4: The Rise of New Empires

1. Assyrians


1. Semitic-speaking
people who exploited
the use of iron
weapons
Assyrians had first
large armies equipped
with iron weapons.
Assyrian Empire eventually
collapses.

2. Nebuchadnezzar II

2. King of Chaldeans,
he made Babylon the
leading state in
western Asia
The rise of the Persian Empire

3. Persians

4. Cyrus “the Great”



3. Indo-European
people who lived in
what is today
southwestern Iran.
4. Persian king who
unified Persian state
Persian State
becomes a Persian
Empire
Persian Empire

5. satrapies

6. satrap


5. Persian empire was
divided up into 20
provinces or
“satrapies”
6. were governors
“protector of the
kingdom”
An efficient system of
communication was crucial to
sustaining the Persian Empire

7. Royal Road

7. Stretched from
Lydia to Susa, the
chief capital of the
empire


Persian Empires
depended upon the
military.
8. Immortals


8. a Persian cavalry
force of ten thousand
Were never allowed
to fall below ten
thousand

9. monarchy


10. zoroastrianism



11. Ahuramazda

9. Ruled by a king or
queen
10. Persian religion
similar to the Jews.
Monotheistic religion
(the “Wise Lord”)
supreme god
JIGSAW

TAKE YOUR VOCABULARY WORDS AND
FIND THE DEFINITION FOR THEM.
AFTERWARDS MEET WITH YOUR GROUP
AND TEACH THEM YOUR VOCABULARY
WORD.
QUIZ, QUIZ, TRADE





STAND UP, HAND UP, PAIR UP
YOU WILL PAIR UP WITH SOMEONE, AND
ASK YOUR VOCABULARY WORD.
AFTER EACH PERSON HAS ANSWERED
GIVE EACH OTHER A HIGH FIVE AND
EXCHANGE CARDS
FIND A NEW PARTNER
CONTINUE UNTIL THE TEACHER SAYS
STOP!!!!