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Chapter Introduction
Section 1 Civilization Begins in
Mesopotamia
Section 2 Egyptian Civilization:
“The Gift of the Nile”
Section 3 New Centers of Civilization
Section 4 The Rise of New Empires
Chapter Summary
Chapter Assessment
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Key Events
As you read, look for the key events in the
history of Southwest Asia and Egypt. 
• The Sumerians in Mesopotamia were
among the first groups to build a
civilization, and they were the first to
develop a system of writing. 
• Due in large part to the Nile, early
Egyptian civilization was stable and
prosperous. Massive monuments, the
pyramids, were built to honor the deaths
of the pharaohs.
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Key Events
As you read, look for the key events in the
history of Southwest Asia and Egypt.
• The Israelites emerged as a distinct
people. 
• Of the other empires that came into being
in Southwest Asia, the longest lasting and
most powerful were the Assyrian and
Persian Empires.
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The Impact Today
The events that occurred during this time
period still impact our lives today. 
• The peoples of Mesopotamia and Egypt
built cities and struggled with the
problems of organized government. 
• The Israelites developed a major world
religion, which influenced the
development of Christianity and Islam and
has a continuing effect on Western
civilization.
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Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should
be able to: 
• explain the impact of geography. 
• describe the significance of religion. 
• list major sets of laws. 
• name the first empires and explain their
transitory natures. 
• list characteristics of life in these
societies. 
• describe the effects of wars and
conquests.
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Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should
be able to:
• identify the importance of early inventions
on ancient civilizations.
Civilization in Mesopotamia Begins
Main Ideas
• Mesopotamia, one of the first civilizations,
began between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers. 
• The Sumerians formed city-states and created
forms of communication that affect our lives
today. 
Key Terms
• city-state 
• patriarchal 
• ziggurat 
• polytheistic 
• theocracy 
• cuneiform
• empire 
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Civilization in Mesopotamia Begins
People to Identify
• Sumerians 
• Sargon 
• Akkadians 
• Hammurabi 
Places to Locate
• Tigris River 
• Fertile Crescent 
• Euphrates River 
• Uruk 
• Mesopotamia 
• Babylon
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Civilization in Mesopotamia Begins
Preview Questions
• How did geography affect the civilizations
in Mesopotamia? 
• How did the Akkadian Empire begin?
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Civilization in Mesopotamia Begins
Preview of Events
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One of the most interesting objects
discovered by archaeologists in the
Mesopotamian city of Ur was the socalled “Standard of Ur,” a wooden box
decorated with images of peace on one
side and images of war on the other. The
box’s beauty testifies to the artistic talent
of the Sumerians.
The Impact of Geography
• Mesopotamia is at the eastern end of the
Fertile Crescent, an arc of land from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. 
• Mesopotamia (“between the rivers”) is the
valley between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers. 
• These rivers often overflow and leave silt,
which makes the soil rich for a flourishing
agricultural economy. 
• Mesopotamian civilization was one of
history’s important early civilizations to
grow in a river valley.
(pages 37–38)
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The Impact of Geography (cont.)
• Developing consistent agriculture required
controlling the water supply. 
• People in Mesopotamia, therefore,
developed a system of drainage ditches
and irrigation works. 
• The resulting large food supply made
possible significant population growth
and the emergence of civilization in
Mesopotamia.
(pages 37–38)
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The Impact of Geography (cont.)
• Ancient Mesopotamia covered three
general areas: Assyria, Akkad, and Sumer.
Several peoples lived in these areas. 
• Mesopotamian civilization involved many
peoples. 
• The Sumerians developed the first
Mesopotamian civilization.
(pages 37–38)
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The Impact of Geography (cont.)
Consider the area where you live. What
roles has geography played in how your
area has developed physically,
commercially, and culturally?
(pages 37–38)
The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia
• By 3000 B.C. the Sumerians had formed
a number of city-states centered around
cities such as Ur and Uruk. 
• These states controlled the surrounding
countryside politically and economically. 
• City-states were the basic political unit
of the Sumerian civilization.
(pages 38–40)
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The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia (cont.)
• The Sumerians built largely with mud
bricks. 
• Using them they invented the arch and
the dome and built some of the largest
brick buildings in the world. 
• The most important building in each city
was the temple. 
• Often it was built on top of a massive
stepped tower called a ziggurat.
(pages 38–40)
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The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia (cont.)
• Sumerians believed gods and goddesses
owned and ruled the cities. 
• The Sumerian state was a theocracy,
then–a government by divine authority. 
• Priests and priestesses were important
figures politically as well as religiously. 
• Eventually, ruling power passed more into
the hands of kings, who traced their
authority back to the divine.
(pages 38–40)
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The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia (cont.)
• The Sumerian economy was principally
agricultural, but industry (metalwork and
woolen textiles, for example) and trade
were important. 
• The invention of the wheel around 3000
B.C. facilitated trade.
(pages 38–40)
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The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia (cont.)
• The Sumerian city-states had three
classes: nobles, commoners, and slaves. 
• Nobles included the royal family, royal
officials, priests, and their families. 
• Commoners worked for large estates as
farmers, merchants, fishers, and
craftspeople. Around 90 percent of the
people were farmers. 
• Slaves principally worked on large
building projects, wove cloth, and worked
the farms of the nobles.
(pages 38–40)
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The City-States of Ancient
Mesopotamia (cont.)
The Sumerian city-states were theocracies
(theo meaning “god” and cracy meaning
“rule”). In a theocracy, government
authority is founded upon divine authority.
The United States is a democracy. On
what authority is its governmental power
based?
Governmental authority in a democracy
[demo meaning “the people”] is based
on the consent of the people governed.
(pages 38–40)
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Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia
• The Akkadians lived north of the
Sumerian city-states. 
• The Akkadians are called a Semitic
people because they spoke a Semitic
language. 
• Around 2340 B.C., the leader of the
Akkadians, Sargon, conquered the
Sumerian city-states and set up the
world’s first empire.
(pages 40–41)
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Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia
(cont.)
• An empire is a large political unit that
controls many peoples and territories. 
• In 1792 B.C., Hammurabi of Babylon, a
city-state south of Akkad, established a
new empire over much of both Akkad
and Sumer.
(pages 40–41)
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Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia
(cont.)
Building empires is a constant feature
of history. What might have motivated
Sargon to create the first empire?
Compare and contrast that with the
motivations for the British Empire and the
attempt by the Nazis to build an empire.
(pages 40–41)
The Code of Hammurabi
• The Code of Hammurabi is one of the
world’s most important early systems of
law. 
• It calls for harsh punishments against
criminals. 
• The principle of retaliation (“an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth”) is fundamental
in Hammurabi’s code.
(pages 41–42)
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The Code of Hammurabi (cont.)
• Punishments varied according to social
status. 
• A crime committed against a noble
brought a harsher punishment than the
same crime committed against a
commoner. 
• Hammurabi’s code punished public
officials who failed in their duties or were
corrupt. 
• It also had what we would call consumer
protection provisions, for example, holding
builders responsible for the quality of their
(pages 41–42)
work.
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The Code of Hammurabi (cont.)
• If a building collapsed and killed someone,
the builder was executed. Damages had
to be paid to people injured. 
• The largest group of laws in the code
covered marriage and the family. 
• Parents arranged marriages, and the
bride and groom had to sign a marriage
contract to be officially married.
(pages 41–42)
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The Code of Hammurabi (cont.)
• Hammurabi’s code expresses the
patriarchal nature of Mesopotamian
society. 
• Women had fewer privileges and rights
than men. 
• The code also enforced obedience of
children to parents. 
• A father could cut off the hand of a son
who had hit him, for example.
(pages 41–42)
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The Code of Hammurabi (cont.)
Hammurabi’s code was applied differently to
different classes of people. Where in the U.S.
Constitution is this practice forbidden? Give
reasons for why the unequal application of the
law is unjust. If you think it is just, explain why.
The U.S. Constitution forbids applying law
differently to different classes of people in the
Fourteenth Amendment, where it calls for the
“equal protection of the laws.” Answers will vary
on the justice question. Try to get students to
consider the question of what is relevant to justly
applying the law and what is not. Presumably,
social and economic standing are not.
(pages 41–42)
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The Importance of Religion
• Due to the harsh physical environment
and famines, Mesopotamians believed
that the world was controlled by often
destructive supernatural forces and
deities. 
• The Mesopotamians were polytheistic
because they believed in many gods and
goddesses. 
• They identified three thousand of them.
(page 42)
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The Importance of Religion (cont.)
• Human beings were to serve and obey the
gods and goddesses. 
• Sumerians believed that human beings
were created to do the manual labor the
gods and goddesses were not willing to
do. 
• As inferior beings, people could never be
sure what the deities might do to help or
hurt them.
(page 42)
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The Importance of Religion (cont.)
How did Sumerians view their place in
the world?
They were at the mercy of unpredictable
forces.
(page 42)
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The Creativity of the Sumerians
• The Sumerians were important inventors. 
• They created a system of writing called
cuneiform (“wedge-shaped”). 
• They used a reed stylus to make wedgeshaped markings on clay tablets, which
were then baked in the sun.
(pages 42–43)
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The Creativity of the Sumerians (cont.)
• Writing was used for record keeping,
teaching, and law. 
• A new class of scribes (writers and
copyists) arose. 
• Being a scribe was the key to a
successful career for an upper-class
Mesopotamian boy. 
• Writing also passed on cultural knowledge
from generation to generation, sometimes
in new ways.
(pages 42–43)
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The Creativity of the Sumerians (cont.)
• The Epic of Gilgamesh, the most
important piece of Mesopotamian
literature, teaches the lesson that only
the gods are immortal. 
• Gilgamesh is wise and strong, a being
who is part human and part god. 
• Gilgamesh befriends a hairy beast named
Enkidu. 
• When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh feels the
pain of his friend’s death, and he
searches for the secret of immortality. 
• He fails.
(pages 42–43)
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The Creativity of the Sumerians (cont.)
• The Sumerians invented important
technologies, such as the wagon wheel.

• In mathematics they invented a number
system based on 60, and they made
advances in applying geometry to
engineering. 
• In astronomy, the Sumerians charted the
constellations using their number system
of 60.
(pages 42–43)
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The Creativity of the Sumerians (cont.)
What tool of measurement based on 60
do we use today?
Watches and clocks measure time using
a system of 60.
(pages 42–43)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
C 1. having many gods
A. city-state
__
B 2. dominated by men
B. patriarchal
__
E 3. a massive stepped tower
on which was built a temple
dedicated to the chief god or
goddess of a Sumerian city
C. polytheistic
D. theocracy
E. ziggurat
__
D 4. government by divine authority
__
A 5. a city with political and economic control over
the surrounding countryside
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Checking for Understanding
Explain what the Mesopotamians
believed was the relationship between
gods and mortals.
Gods were all-powerful, while humans
were created to serve the gods.
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Checking for Understanding
List the three areas of ancient
Mesopotamia.
Assyria, Akkad, and Sumeria are the
three areas of ancient Mesopotamia.
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Critical Thinking
Explain Which type of government–
separate city-states or an empire–
would have been most advantageous
to the people living in Mesopotamia?
City-states are easier to govern but
are relatively defenseless against
invaders. Empires have size, diversity,
and power, but they tend to be
unstable.
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Analyzing Visuals
Examine the photograph of t Royal
Standard of Ur on page 40 of your
textbook. What facts about
Mesopotamian life can you identify by
studying the picture? How does this
box reflect the values of the Sumerian
civilization?
The photograph shows the king and
his nobles. It reflects the importance
of military victories to society.
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Close
Write a paragraph about each of the
three civilizations in this section–
Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian.
The paragraph should begin with this
sentence: We influenced the course
of human history.
Summarize the contributions of each
of these civilizations in your
paragraphs. Volunteer to read your
paragraph aloud in class.
Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of
the Nile
Main Ideas
• The Nile was crucial to the development of
Egyptian civilization. 
• Egyptian history is divided into three major
periods. 
Key Terms
• dynasty 
• mummification 
• pharaoh 
• hieroglyphics
• bureaucracy 
• hieratic script
• vizier 
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
Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of
the Nile
People to Identify
• Menes 
• Tutankhamen 
• Hyksos 
• Ramses II 
• Hatshepsut 
• Cleopatra VII 
• Akhenaton 
Places to Locate
• Nile River 
• Upper Egypt 
• Lower Egypt 
• Giza
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Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of
the Nile
Preview Questions
• What was the “Black Land”? 
• Why were the pyramids built and how were
they used?
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Egyptian Civilization: “The Gift of
the Nile
Preview of Events
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The funeral boat used to transport the
body of King Khufu from Memphis to Giza
was 141 feet long. Archaeologists have
reassembled the craft according to the
shipwright’s original instructions, which
were discovered with the craft’s pieces
next to Khufu’s tomb.
The Impact of Geography
• Running over 4,000 miles, the Nile is the
longest river in the world. 
• It begins in the heart of Africa and runs
north to the Mediterranean. 
• The northern part is called Lower Egypt
and the southern part is called Upper
Egypt. 
• The most important fact about the Nile is
that it floods each year, enriching the soil
around it. 
• The surplus of food Egyptian farmers
could grow in this fertile soil made Egypt
prosperous.
(pages 45–46)
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The Impact of Geography (cont.)
• The Nile also served as a great highway
that enhanced transportation and
communication. 
• In these ways the Nile was a unifying
influence on Egypt. 
• Unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt had
geographical barriers that protected it
from invasion: the deserts to the west and
east, the Red Sea to the east, the
Mediterranean Sea to the north, and
rapids in the southern Nile.
(pages 45–46)
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The Impact of Geography (cont.)
• Geography gave the Egyptians a sense of
confidence and added to the noteworthy
continuity of Egyptian civilization for
thousands of years.
(pages 45–46)
The Impact of Geography (cont.)
Consider important geographical influences on
the United States, like rivers, mountain ranges,
and deserts. For two of them, explain how they
affected the development of the United States.
Possible answers: Cities began along major
rivers, like the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Agriculture developed around such rivers and
the rivers served as a highway for trade,
transportation, and communication. The cities
of the Southwest have needed extensive
irrigation systems and water works to grow.
(pages 45–46)
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The Importance of Religion
• Religion gave the Egyptians a sense of
security and timelessness. 
• The Egyptians were also polytheistic. 
• Two groups of gods–the land gods and
sun gods–were especially important. 
• The sun was worshipped as the source
of life. 
• The sun god was named Atum or Re. 
• The Egyptian ruler was called Son of Re,
the sun god in earthly form.
(pages 46–47)
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The Importance of Religion (cont.)
• Two important river and land gods were
Osiris and Isis. They were husband and
wife. 
• Isis brought Osiris back to life after his
brother, Seth, had cut up his body into
14 pieces. 
• Osiris had an important role as a symbol
of rebirth, whether after physical death or
through the rebirth of the land when
flooded by the Nile. 
• Isis’s bringing together the parts of
Osiris’s body each spring symbolized the
new life that the floods brought.
(pages 46–47)
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The Importance of Religion (cont.)
Why were the Mesopotamian and
ancient Egyptian religions polytheistic?
Possible answer: Polytheism reflects the
idea that the divine is in or controls
different forces of nature. Different
deities are identified with the different
forces. Later, contrast this view with the
Hebrew God, who creates nature but is
not in it.
(pages 46–47)
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The Course of Egyptian
History
• Historians divide Egyptian history into
three major periods of stability, peace, and
cultural flourishing: the Old Kingdom, the
Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom.
Periods of upheaval fell between them. 
• Egyptian history began around 3100
when Menes created the first royal
dynasty in Egypt. 
B.C.
• A dynasty is a family of rulers. Their right
to rule is passed on through the family.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The Old Kingdom lasted from 2700 to
2200 B.C. 
• Egyptian rulers became known as
pharaohs. Pharaoh means “great house”
or “palace.” 
• Egyptian pharaohs had absolute power. 
• However, they were aided first by their
families and then by a large bureaucracy–
an administrative organization of officials
and regular procedures–that developed
during the Old Kingdom.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The vizier (“steward of the whole land”)
held the most important position next to
the pharaoh. 
• The vizier headed the bureaucracy and
reported directly to the pharaoh. 
• Egypt was divided into 42 provinces, each
with its own governor.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The pyramids were built during the Old
Kingdom. 
• They served as tombs for the pharaohs
and their families. 
• They contained food, weapons, artwork,
and household goods for the person in
the afterlife. 
• Egyptians believed that a person’s
spiritual body (ka) could survive the death
of the physical body if the physical body
were properly preserved through
(pages 47–51)
mummification.
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• In mummification a body was slowly dried
to keep it from rotting. It was done in
workshops that priests ran for wealthy
families. 
• Workers would first remove certain
internal organs, placing them in four
special jars put in the tomb with the
mummy. 
• They also removed the brain through the
nose. 
• Then the body was covered with salt to
(pages 47–51)
absorb moisture.
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• Later, workers filled the body with spices
and wrapped it in resin-soaked linen. 
• This process took about 70 days. 
• Then a lifelike mask of the deceased was
placed over the head and shoulders of the
mummy. 
• Finally, the mummy was sealed in a case
and placed in its tomb.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The mummy of Ramses the Great has
remained intact for 3,000 years. 
• Symbols of Osiris decorate his coffin. 
• The largest pyramid was for King Khufu,
built around 2540 B.C. in Giza. It covers
13 acres. 
• Historians are still amazed at the builders’
precision. 
• Huge stones are fitted so closely that a
hair cannot be pushed between them.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The Great Sphinx is also at Giza. 
• It has the body of a lion and head of a
man; some historians believe it is there
to guard the sacred site. 
• The Middle Kingdom was between 2050
and 1652 B.C. Egyptians later portrayed
this time as a golden age. 
• Egypt expanded into Nubia, and trade
reached into Mesopotamia and Crete.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The pharaohs had a new concern for the
people during the Middle Kingdom. 
• The pharaoh was now portrayed as a
shepherd of the people. 
• He was expected to build public works
and provide for the people’s welfare. 
• Swampland was drained and a new canal
connected the Nile River and the Red
Sea.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• Invasion by the Hyksos people of Western
Asia ended the Middle Kingdom. 
• Egyptians learned to use bronze and
horse-drawn war chariots from the
Hyksos. 
• The New Kingdom lasted from 1567 to
1085 B.C. 
• During this period Egypt created an
empire.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• The New Kingdom pharaohs were
tremendously wealthy. 
• The first female pharaoh, Hatshepsut,
and others built fabulous temples. Hers
is at Deir el Bahri, near Thebes. 
• Akhenaton tried to make Egyptians
monotheistic and worship only the sun
god. 
• Many believed this change would upset
the cosmic order and destroy Egypt.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• After Akhenaton’s death, the boy-pharaoh
Tutankhamen restored the old gods and
polytheism. 
• Akhenaton’s religious reforms caused
upheavals that led the Egyptians to lose
their empire. 
• Ramses II, who reigned from 1279 to
1213 B.C., regained some of the empire. 
• New invasions by the “Sea Peoples”
then ended the Egyptian Empire once
and for all. The New Kingdom collapsed
in 1085 B.C.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
• For the next thousand years, Libyans,
Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians
dominated Egypt. 
• The pharaoh Cleopatra VII unsuccessfully
tried to reassert Egypt’s independence. 
• Her alliance with Rome brought defeat,
her suicide, and Roman rule over Egypt.
(pages 47–51)
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The Course of Egyptian
History (cont.)
Page 51 of your textbook has a brief
profile of Hatshepsut. Read the inscription
she left at Deir el Bahri, expressing her
anxiety about what people in the future will
think of her. From what you know of
Hatshepsut, what do you think of her?
(pages 47–51)
Society in Ancient Egypt and
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
• Egyptian society was organized like a
pyramid. 
• The pharaoh was at the top. 
• He was surrounded by a ruling class of
nobles and priests. 
• They ran the government and managed
their extensive land and wealth.
(pages 51–52)
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Society in Ancient Egypt and
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (cont.)
• The next class was made up of merchants
and artisans. 
• Below them was a class of peasants, who
usually worked land held by the upper
class, and provided revenues, military
service, and forced labor for the state.
(pages 51–52)
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Society in Ancient Egypt and
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (cont.)
• Egyptians married young. 
• The husband was the master, but the wife
ran the household and educated the
children. 
• Women kept their property, even in
marriage. 
• Marriages could end in divorce, which
included compensation for the women.

• Some women were merchants,
priestesses, and even pharaohs.
(pages 51–52)
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Society in Ancient Egypt and
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (cont.)
• Parents arranged marriages. 
• Their chief concerns were family and
property. 
• However, remaining Egyptian poetry and
advice books suggest that romance and
caring were important parts of Egyptian
marriages.
(pages 51–52)
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Society in Ancient Egypt and
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (cont.)
Most societies have given more power,
rights, and privileges to men than to
women. Why do you think that is?
Possible answer: Biological differences
between men and women, the social
effects of bearing and nursing children,
and a need to control might be reasons
that societies have given more power,
rights, and privileges to men.
(pages 51–52)
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Writing and Education and
Achievements in Art and Science
• Writing emerged in Egypt around 3000 B.C.
Egyptians used a system called
hieroglyphics (“priest-carvings”), which
used pictures and abstract forms. 
• Later, Egyptians used a simplified version
called hieratic script. Hieratic script was
written on papyrus. 
• Hieratic script was used for record
keeping, business transactions, and the
general needs of daily life. 
• Because of these tasks, the class of
scribes was very important in Egypt. (pages 52–53)
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Writing and Education and
Achievements in Art and Science (cont.)
• Upper-class boys trained to be scribes
from age 10. The training took many
years. 
• Pyramids, temples, and other monuments
show the architectural and artistic
achievements of the Egyptians. 
• Artists followed a distinctive style. 
• For example, human bodies were shown
as a combination of profile, semiprofile,
and frontal views to get an accurate
picture.
(pages 52–53)
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Writing and Education and
Achievements in Art and Science (cont.)
• For their monumental building projects
and their vital surveys of flooded land,
Egyptians made important advances in
geometry. They calculated area and
volume.
(pages 52–53)
Writing and Education and
Achievements in Art and Science (cont.)
• Because of mummification, Egyptians
became experts in human anatomy. 
• Archaeologists have discovered directions
from Egyptian doctors about using splints,
bandages, and compresses for treating
fractures and wounds. 
• Other ancient civilizations acquired
medical knowledge from the Egyptians.
(pages 52–53)
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Writing and Education and
Achievements in Art and Science (cont.)
The word geometry means “land measuring.”
This etymology refers to the Egyptian practice
of surveying lands around the Nile. Why was
land surveying so important to the Egyptians?
All classes of Egyptian society depended on
the success of Egypt’s abundant agriculture,
which depended on knowing the flood
patterns of the Nile. The Egyptians would
plan their fields geometrically according to
these patterns.
(pages 52–53)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
B 1. a family of rulers whose right
to rule is passed on within
the family
A. pharaoh
B. dynasty
C. mummification
__
D 2. simplified version of
D. hieratic script
hieroglyphics used in
ancient Egypt for business
E. vizier
transactions, record keeping,
and the general needs of daily life
__
A 3. the most common of the various titles for ancient
Egyptian monarchs; the term originally meant “great
house” or “palace”
__
E 4. a high government official in ancient Egypt or in
Muslim countries
__
C 5. a process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it
from decaying
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Checking for Understanding
Explain the significance of the
Egyptian ruler’s title “Son of Re.”
The ruler was seen as an earthly form
of Re. This gave him divinity, so he
ruled by divine right.
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Checking for Understanding
List the various peoples who
dominated Egypt after the collapse
of the New Kingdom.
Libyans, Nubians, Persians,
Macedonians, and Romans all
dominated Egypt after the collapse
of the New Kingdom.
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Critical Thinking
Describe In what ways are the
customs of ancient Egypt similar to
the customs in your society today?
Possible answer: Today’s rituals
associated with death are similar to
those of ancient Egypt.
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Analyzing Visuals
Describe what the artifacts pictured
on page 52 of your textbook tell you
about royal Egyptian life. How do the
Egyptian tools compare to the
Paleolithic tools shown on page 23 of
your textbook?
Egyptian royalty could afford items that
were beautiful and useful. They are
much more sophisticated than the
crude Paleolithic tools.
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Close
List factors that account for the growth
and longevity of civilization along the
Nile River. Discuss which of these
factors can be found in any river valley
and which are unique to Egypt’s
location or unrelated to geography.
New Centers of Civilization
Main Ideas
• The decline of the Hittites and Egyptians allowed
a number of small kingdoms and city-states to
emerge. 
• The Israelites did not create an empire, but they
left a world religion, Judaism, that influenced the
later religions of Christianity and Islam. 
Key Terms
• pastoral nomad 
• monotheistic
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New Centers of Civilization
People to Identify
• Indo-Europeans 
• Israelites 
• Hittites 
• King Solomon 
• Phoenicians 
• Isaiah 
Places to Locate
• Palestine 
• Jerusalem
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New Centers of Civilization
Preview Questions
• How did nomadic peoples affect the centers of
civilization? 
• What factors caused the decline of the Hittite
kingdom?
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New Centers of Civilization
Preview of Events
Click the Speaker button to
listen to the audio again.
To this day, more than 2,400 years after
it was written, strict rules govern the
production and treatment of the Torah.
Every copy of the Torah is written in
Hebrew by a calligrapher on vellum or
parchment. When reading from the Torah,
Jews use a pointer called a yad; no one is
allowed to touch the scrolls.
The Role of Nomadic Peoples
• Another ancient civilization flourished in
central Asia around 4,000 years ago in
what are now Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan. 
• These people built mud-brick buildings,
used bronze tools, built irrigation works,
and probably had writing.
(pages 54–55)
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The Role of Nomadic Peoples (cont.)
• Pastoral nomads lived on the fringes of
these civilizations. 
• These groups hunted and gathered, did
small farming, and domesticated animals.

• They moved along regular routes to
pasture their animals. 
• Sometimes they overran settled
communities and established states.
(pages 54–55)
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The Role of Nomadic Peoples (cont.)
• One of the most important groups of
pastoral nomads was the IndoEuropeans. 
• The term Indo-European refers to peoples
who spoke languages derived from the
same parent language. 
• Indo-European languages include Greek,
Latin, Sanskrit, and the Germanic
languages. 
• One Indo-European group melded with
natives in Anatolia–modern-day Turkey–to
form the Hittite kingdom.
(pages 54–55)
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The Role of Nomadic Peoples (cont.)
• Between 1600 and 1200 B.C., the Hittites
created an empire in western Asia. 
• Its capital was Hattusha, in modern
Turkey. 
• They were the first Indo-Europeans to
use iron. 
• When the Hittite Empire was destroyed,
smaller city-states and kingdoms emerged
in the area of Syria and Palestine.
(pages 54–55)
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The Role of Nomadic Peoples (cont.)
The Hittites were the first Indo-European
people to use iron. What are the advantages
of using iron over bronze or stone for tools
and weapons? What metal has been so
important in modern production?
The chief advantage of iron is that it is
stronger. Iron tools and weapons, therefore,
are more effective and last longer than bronze
or stone tools and weapons. Steel is the most
important modern metal.
(pages 54–55)
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The Phoenicians
• The Phoenicians were an important new
group in the area of Palestine. 
• The Phoenicians lived on a narrow band
of the Mediterranean coast only 120 miles
long. 
• After the downfall of the Hittites and the
Egyptians, the Phoenicians began to
assert their power. 
• That power was based on trade. 
• The Phoenicians were such prominent
traders because of their ships and
seafaring skills.
(pages 55–56)
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The Phoenicians (cont.)
• Trading took the Phoenicians as far as
Britain and Africa’s west coast. 
• The Phoenicians set up colonies. 
• Carthage in North Africa is the most
famous Phoenician colony.
(pages 55–56)
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The Phoenicians (cont.)
• The Phoenicians are most known for their
alphabet of 22 characters, or letters. 
• They could spell out all the words in the
Phoenician language. 
• This alphabet was passed on to the
Greeks. 
• The Roman alphabet we use is based on
Greek.
(pages 55–56)
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The Phoenicians (cont.)
The Phoenician alphabet was phonetic.
What are advantages and disadvantages
of a phonetic writing system?
Possible answer: If each letter has a
corresponding sound, any word can be
written by combining the letters.
Disadvantages might include that the
visual representation of an idea [a written
word] has no relationship to its meaning.
(pages 55–56)
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The “Children of Israel”
• The Israelites were a Semitic people
living in Palestine along the eastern
Mediterranean Sea. 
• Some interpretations of archaeological
evidence indicate they emerged as a
distinct group between 1200 and
1000 B.C. 
• The Israelites soon established a
kingdom known as Israel.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• The Israelites were not particularly
important politically. 
• The Israelites’ main contribution to history
was their religion, Judaism. 
• Judaism still flourishes as a major religion,
and it influenced both Christianity and
Islam.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• The Israelites ruled Palestine. Their
capital was Jerusalem. 
• King Solomon, who ruled from 970 to
930 B.C., was Israel’s first great king. 
• Solomon was known for his wisdom. 
• Most importantly, he built the temple in
Jerusalem. 
• The Israelites viewed this temple as the
symbolic center of Israel and Judaism.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• After Solomon, the kingdom divided into
two parts. 
• The Kingdom of Israel was made up of ten
tribes. 
• The Kingdom of Judah to the south was
made up of two tribes. 
• In 772 B.C., the Assyrians conquered and
scattered the ten northern tribes of Israel. 
• These “ten lost tribes” lost their Hebrew
identity.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• The Chaldeans conquered Assyria and
the Kingdom of Judah, destroying
Jerusalem in 586 B.C. 
• Many upper-class captives were sent to
Babylonia. 
• After the Persians conquered the
Chaldeans, the people of Judah were
permitted to return to Jerusalem. 
• The Kingdom of Judah was reborn and
the temple rebuilt.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• The people of Judah survived even
conquest by Alexander the Great,
eventually becoming known as the Jews
and giving their name to Judaism. 
• Jewish belief says there is one God,
Yahweh. 
• The belief in only one God is called
monotheism. 
• Yahweh created and ruled the world. 
• God, however, was not in nature; natural
phenomena were not divine.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• All people were Yahweh’s servants, not
just a certain tribe or nation. 
• Three important aspects of the Jewish
religion were the covenant, the law, and
the prophets. 
• The covenant was the agreement
between God and his people. 
• The Jews could fulfill the covenant by
obeying the law of God, stated in the Ten
Commandments.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• The Jews believed that religious teachers,
called prophets, were sent by God. 
• The prophets believed that unjust actions
would bring God’s punishment. 
• The prophets also added a new element to
the Jewish tradition. 
• Prophets like Isaiah expressed concern for
all humanity and the hope that someday all
people would follow the law of the God of
Israel in a time of peace.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• People would show compassion to one
another. 
• They also would care for social justice
and the condition of the poor and
unfortunate. 
• The religion of Israel was unique among
the religions of western Asia and Egypt. 
• Its most distinctive feature was its
monotheism.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
• Further, the ideas of Judaism were written
down, so people besides priests and
rulers could have religious knowledge and
know God’s will. 
• The Jews also would not accept the gods
or goddesses of their neighbors.
(pages 56–60)
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The “Children of Israel” (cont.)
Much of the history in this section is
based on the Bible. How is the Bible
similar to and different from other
historical sources?
Possible answer: Many people consider
the Bible to be divinely inspired, unlike
most histories. For example, Jewish
belief says Yahweh revealed the Ten
Commandments, recorded in the Old
Testament, directly to Moses.
(pages 56–60)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
B 1. a person who domesticates
animals for food and
clothing and moves along
regular migratory routes to
provide a steady source of
nourishment for those
animals
__
A 2. having one god
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A. monotheistic
B. pastoral
nomad
Checking for Understanding
Explain why some Israelites came to be
known as the “ten lost tribes.” How did
the fate of the “ten lost tribes” compare
to that of the other Israelite kingdom,
Judah, at the time?
Assyrians forced many Israelites to
merge with neighboring peoples.
People of Judah were enslaved but
then allowed to rebuild Jerusalem.
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Checking for Understanding
List the areas reached by Phoenician
traders. Also list the areas that were
colonized by the Phoenicians.
The Phoenicians reached Britain and
the west coast of Africa. They colonized
areas in the western Mediterranean and
Carthage.
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Critical Thinking
Evaluate How did nomadic peoples
both contribute to and slow down the
development of civilization?
Nomadic peoples contributed to the
development of civilization because
they spread their languages and were
the first people to use iron. However,
they slowed down the development of
civilization because they overran settled
communities.
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Analyzing Visuals
Examine the Torah shown on page 59
of your textbook. Why is the Torah so
important to the Jewish religion? What
does the book’s appearance tell you
about how the book was read?
The Torah is the record of Jewish
history, God’s word, and the basis of
male education. The pages were
unrolled as it was read.
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Close
Name three ways in which the history
or religion of the ancient Israelites still
affects life today.
The Rise of New Empires
Main Ideas
• The Hittites and Egyptians were eventually
overshadowed by the rise of the Assyrian and
Persian Empires. 
• The Persian Empire brought many years of
peace to Southwest Asia, increasing trade and
the general well being of its peoples. 
Key Terms
• satrapy 
• satrap 
• monarchy
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The Rise of New Empires
People to Identify
• Assyrians 
• Nebuchadnezzar
• Darius 

• Persians 
• Immortals 
• Zoroaster 
• Cyrus 
Places to Locate
• Assyrian Empire 
• Persian Empire 
• Royal Road
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The Rise of New Empires
Preview Questions
• What caused the downfall of the Assyrian
Empire? 
• Why did the people of his time call Cyrus “the
Great”?
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The Rise of New Empires
Preview of Events
Click the Speaker button to
listen to the audio again.
The Assyrian Empire
• The Assyrians of the upper Tigris River
formed the Assyrian Empire by 700 B.C. 
• They were known for their military
prowess. 
• Their military power came from using iron
and a large, well-disciplined army of
infantry, cavalry, and archers, often on
chariots. 
• They also used terror to subdue people,
laying waste to people’s lands and
torturing captives.
(pages 61–62)
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The Assyrian Empire (cont.)
• A king with absolute power ruled the
Assyrian Empire. 
• The empire was organized well with local
officials directly responsible to the king. 
• The Assyrians developed an efficient
communication system in order to
administer their empire. 
• They set up a network of posts with
horses carrying messages. 
• It was said that a message could go from
a governor anywhere in the empire to the
king and be answered back in one week.
(pages 61–62)
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The Assyrian Empire (cont.)
• The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal founded
one of the world’s first libraries. 
• This library has provided a great deal of
information about Southwest Asian
civilizations.
(pages 61–62)
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The Assyrian Empire (cont.)
The Assyrians were known as lethal
warriors. One of the reasons they were
successful in war was the terror tactics
they used, devastating conquered
populations and committing atrocities on
captives. Should armies follow moral
standards as they fight wars, or should
anything go as long as it serves victory?
(pages 61–62)
The Persian Empire
• After the Assyrian Empire collapsed, the
Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar made
Babylonia the leading state of western
Asia. 
• Babylon became one of the greatest
cities of the ancient world. Babylonia did
not last long; the Persians conquered it
in 539 B.C.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• The Persians were a nomadic, IndoEuropean people living in what is today
southwest Iran. 
• One family unified the different groups. 
• One member, Cyrus, created a powerful
Persian state from Asia Minor to western
India. 
• Cyrus ruled from 559 to 530 B.C. 
• He captured Babylon, treating his new
subjects with noteworthy restraint, and he
allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• His sons extended the Persian Empire. 
• Cambyses successfully invaded Egypt. 
• Darius (521–486 B.C.) extended the
empire into India and Europe. 
• He created the largest empire the world
had known. 
• Darius strengthened the Persian
government by dividing the empire into
20 provinces, called satrapies. 
• A governor, or satrap (“protector of the
kingdom”), collected taxes, handled legal
matters, and recruited soldiers.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• The Persians established a communication
system using horses and way stations
along the Royal Road, from Lydia to the
empire’s chief capital at Susa. 
• Much of the Persian Empire’s power was
due to its military. 
• The Persian kings had a standing army
of professional soldiers from all over the
empire. 
• At its core was an elite group called the
Immortals because anyone who was
killed was immediately replaced.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• The Immortals were made up of ten
thousand cavalry and ten thousand
infantry. 
• The Persian Empire declined for a set of
reasons common to the decline of
empires. 
• The kings became more isolated at court
and lived lives of tremendous luxury. 
• They levied high taxes that weakened the
people’s loyalty.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• At the same time, factions were struggling
for control of the throne. 
• Of the nine rulers after Darius, six were
murdered in plots. 
• These bloody struggles weakened the
Persian monarchy (rule by a king or
queen), and Alexander the Great
conquered Persia during the 330s B.C.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• The most original Persian cultural
contribution was its religion of
Zoroastrianism. 
• Persian tradition says that Zoroaster was
born in 660 B.C. 
• He had visions that caused him to be
declared a prophet. 
• His teachings were written in the sacred
book of Zoroastrianism, the Zend Avesta.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
• Zoroaster taught monotheism. 
• To Zoroaster, the universe was permeated
by the good of the supreme god
Ahuramazda, who brought all into being. 
• There was an evil spirit named Ahriman,
however. 
• People had free will to choose between the
two, but eventually, good would triumph
over evil. 
• In the last judgment at the end of the world,
good and evil would separate.
(pages 62–64)
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The Persian Empire (cont.)
Both Judaism and Zoroastrianism teach
monotheism. What might be a reason for
believing in monotheism and not
polytheism?
Possible answer: If the concept of God
is of a being who is omnipotent, then
logically there can be only one God.
(pages 62–64)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
C 1. government by a sovereign
ruler such as a king or queen
A. satrapy
B. satrap
__
B 2. “protector of the Kingdom,”
C. monarchy
the governor of a province
(satrapy) of the Persian Empire under Darius
__
A 3. one of the 20 provinces into which Darius divided
the Persian Empire
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Checking for Understanding
Describe Who were the Immortals?
What was their significance to the
Persian Empire?
The Immortals were an army of
professional soldiers. Their number
never varied; when one member was
killed, he was replaced. Persian kings
used them to maintain power.
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Checking for Understanding
List the duties of the satraps of the
Persian government.
Satraps collected taxes, provided
justice and security, and recruited
soldiers for the royal army.
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Critical Thinking
Compare How were the Assyrian and
Persian systems of government
different?
The Assyrians used terror as an
instrument of warfare, laid waste to
lands in which they were fighting, and
committed atrocities. The Persians
respected conquered civilizations and
showed mercy.
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Analyzing Visuals
Examine the relief of Darius and Xerxes
on page 63. Describe what you see in
this image. What can you tell about the
Persian court from this depiction? Why
do you think images such as this were
made of the Persian rulers?
The clothing and jewelry suggest
wealth. The images were made to
promote and record their rule.
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Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Reflect on the transitory nature of the
empires built by the Hittites, Assyrians,
Chaldeans, and Persians. What
remains of the original empire in each
case?
Chapter Summary
Below are examples of how peoples
discussed in Chapter 2 utilized their
environment and invented new
technologies.
Using Key Terms
Insert the key term that best completes each of the following
sentences.
patriarchal
1. In a _______________
society, women have fewer
privileges and rights than men.
2. The basic units of Sumerian civilization were
_______________.
city-states
3. If citizens believe their city is ruled by gods, they
theocracy
might call their government a _______________.
vizier
4. A _______________
was a government official
directly responsible to the Pharaoh.
5. An administrative organization with officials and
regular procedures is known as a
bureaucracy
_______________.
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Reviewing Key Facts
Geography How was the spring
flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers both beneficial and harmful?
It was beneficial in that it created fertile
land for farming. It was harmful in that it
could cause catastrophic damage.
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Reviewing Key Facts
Science and Technology When was
the wheel invented? Explain at least
one way in which the invention of the
wheel affected the Mesopotamian
economy.
The wheel was invented around 3000
B.C. The wheel made it easier to
transport people and goods.
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Reviewing Key Facts
History Name at least four reasons
why the Assyrians were good at
conquering others.
The Assyrians were effective military
leaders; had a large, disciplined army;
used war chariots for shooting arrows;
and used iron weapons.
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Reviewing Key Facts
Culture What religion began in the
Persian Empire? How was it similar to
the Jewish religion?
Zoroastrianism began in the Persian
empire. It was monotheistic.
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Reviewing Key Facts
Science and Technology Who were
the first Indo-Europeans to use iron?
In what way was the use of iron
advantageous to this group of people?
The Hittites were the first IndoEuropeans to use iron. The use of iron
allowed them to create stronger and
cheaper weapons, allowing them to
create an empire.
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Critical Thinking
Interpreting Restate in your own
words the meaning of William Loftus’s
phrase, “the cradle of civilization.”
“The Cradle of civilization” is the place
where civilization began.
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Critical Thinking
Making Generalizations Identify two
projects undertaken by the Egyptians
at the direction of Middle Kingdom
pharaohs. Explain how these projects
would have affected the Egyptian
economy.
Draining swampland increased food
production. Digging a canal connecting
the Nile to the Red Sea aided trade.
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Standardized Test Practice
Directions: Use the map below and your knowledge of world
history to choose the best answer to the following question.
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Standardized Test Practice
Directions: Use the map below and your knowledge of world
history to choose the best answer to the following question.
How did geography influence both Egypt and Sumeria?
F Geography provided natural borders for protecting these
civilizations.
G Floods from nearby rivers irrigated crops.
H Challenges helped people unite and work together.
J The flooding rivers caused people to have a dark outlook
on the world.
Test-Taking Tip This question asks for an example of
how geography influenced history. Eliminate any answer
choices that do not mention anything about geography or
geographic features. Then study the map thoroughly and
choose from the answer choices that remain.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
What factors can lead to the decline or
fall of a civilization or dynasty?
Weak rulers, foreign invasion, natural
disasters, and climate changes can
lead to the decline or fall of a
civilization or dynasty.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Explore online information about the topics
introduced in this chapter.
Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to
the Glencoe World History Web site. At this site, you will find
interactive activities, current events information, and Web sites
correlated with the chapters and units in the textbook. When
you finish exploring, exit the browser program to return to this
presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting to the Web
site, manually launch your Web browser and go to
http://wh.glencoe.com
Technology In 1987, scientists from Egypt and the
United States used advanced technology to view the
remains of an ancient Egyptian boat that had been
sealed inside a chamber for 4,600 years. To see
inside without excavating and damaging the
chamber, the scientists employed a special drill with
technology invented for moon exploration. After
drilling through the outer rock, they inserted a
miniature video camera.
Research other techniques used to handle and
explore ancient Egyptian remains and report them
to your class.
Geography Look at a map of Canaan. The
Canaanites settled in Canaan about 3000 B.C.
About 1200 B.C., the Israelites conquered and
settled in parts of Canaan. Where was Canaan in
relation to Egypt and Babylon?
Stelae The first know stelae were tall stones
upended and carved. The stele that contained the
Code of Hammurabi was approximately seven feet
(2.13 m) tall. It is now located in the Louvre Museum,
Paris.
The Phoenicians Geography influences the
development of civilizations. It is easy to understand
why the Phoenicians became maritime traders. Their
location also influenced their glassmaking and the
purple dye they developed. Glass was made from
coastal sand, while the purple dye came from a sea
snail.
Tourism
Abu Simbel
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slide.
Tourism is an important economic activity in Egypt
today. The warm, dry climate and magnificent relics
from ancient times attract visitors from all over the
world.
Abu Simbel One of the impressive temple sites of
Ramses II is Abu Simbel, located near the Nile River
about 762 miles (1,226 km) south of Cairo. In the
1960’s, the High Dam at Aswan would have flooded
the site, but 51 countries contributed funds to move
the temples block by block to higher ground further
inland.
Code of Hammurabi
Cuneiform
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The Code of Hammurabi is the most complete law
code known from ancient civilization.
Cuneiform is a wedge-shaped writing. As you read
the coming chapters, trace the development of
writing from ancient alphabets to the modern-day
alphabets used around the world.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Why Learn This Skill?
It is important to understand how or why an event occurred.
What action or situation caused a particular event? What
were the effects or consequences of that particular action
or situation?
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Learning the Skill
Understanding cause and effect involves considering how or
why an event occurred. A cause is the action or situation that
produces an event. An effect is the result or consequence of
an action or situation. To identify cause-and-effect
relationships, follow these steps: 
• Identify two or more events or developments. 
• Decide whether or not one event caused the other. Look
for “clue words” such as because, led to, brought about,
produced, as a result of, so that, since, and therefore. 
• Identify the outcomes of events.
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Learning the Skill
Making a graphic organizer can help you understand cause
and effect. Read the passage below and examine the graphic
organizer on the following slide: 
Unlike the floods on Mesopotamia’s rivers, the flooding of the
Nile was gradual and predictable. The river was seen as lifegiving, not life-threatening. Whereas massive, state-controlled
irrigation and flood control were needed in Mesopotamia, the
small villages along the Nile easily managed small irrigation
systems that required no state assistance. As a result,
Egyptian civilization tended to remain more rural. Many small
villages were gathered along a narrow band of land on both
sides of the Nile.
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Learning the Skill
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Practicing the Skill
Make a cause-and-effect diagram for each of the following
statements on the following slides. Some of the
statements may have more than one cause and effect.
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Practicing the Skill
Irrigation and drainage ditches made it possible
to grow crops on a regular basis. The resulting
abundance of food supplies enabled large
numbers of people to live together in cities.
Cause: irrigation and drainage ditches built
Effects: crops can be grown on regular basis 
abundant food supplies  large
numbers of people can live together in
cities
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Practicing the Skill
Under Hammurabi’s code, a son found guilty
of striking his father had his hand cut off.
Cause: son strikes father
Effect: son’s hand cut off
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Understanding
Cause and Effect
Practicing the Skill
Akhenaton’s actions in destroying the old gods
meant destruction of Egypt itself. The upheavals
associated with his religious revolution led to a
loss of Egypt’s empire.
Cause: Akhenaton destroys old gods
Effects: religious upheaval  loss of empire
and destruction of Egypt
This feature can be found on page 65 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Read The Cradle of the Human Race on page
36 of your textbook. Then answer the questions
on the following slides.
This feature can be found on page 36 of your textbook.
How long ago does this story take place?
The story takes place approximately 150
years ago.
This feature can be found on page 36 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
How hot was it? Have you ever experienced
temperatures this hot?
It was 120 Fahrenheit.
This feature can be found on page 36 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
What metaphors are used to indicate that the
region Loftus was in was where civilization
began?
Metaphors of roots and cradle indicate that
he was in the region where civilization began.
This feature can be found on page 36 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the image on the
right to listen to an
excerpt from page 44
of your textbook. Read
the information on
page 44 of your
textbook. Then answer
the questions on the
following slides.
This feature can be found on page 44 of your textbook.
Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again.
Explain the principle of retribution.
Retribution means repayment. It is the
consequence that results from one’s actions.
This feature can be found on page 44 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
According to the Code of Hammurabi, what was
most highly valued in Mesopotamian society?
What was the least valued? Explain your
answers.
Social status was most highly valued.
Penalties were harshest when the injured
party was a noble and least harsh when the
injured party was a slave, which suggests that
nobles were more highly valued than slaves.
This feature can be found on page 44 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
What is the guiding principle in the American
criminal justice system? How does this compare
with Hammurabi’s justice?
The guiding principle in the American criminal
justice system is equality under the law. Under
Hammurabi’s code, penalties for crimes varied
with social class, and laws favored members
of the higher social classes.
This feature can be found on page 44 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Ancient Israel
The primary goal of marriage in
ancient Israel was to produce
children. Children were the “crown
of man.” Sons, in particular, were
desired. Daughters would
eventually leave the family house;
sons carried on the family line.
According to the Bible, “sons are
olive plants around the table, a
reward, like arrows in the hand of a
hero; happy the man who has his
quiver full of them.
Read the excerpt on pages 58–59
of your textbook and answer the
questions on the following slides.
This feature can be found on pages 58–59 of your textbook.
Compare and Contrast Compare the
upbringing and education of the eldest son in
a Jewish family to that of an eldest daughter.
The eldest son received the training needed to
take his place as the head of the family. This
included instructions in a trade as well as
religious instruction centering on study of the
Torah. The eldest daughter, like other
daughters, would eventually leave the family
house for that of her husband. She would be
taught by her mother to be a good wife,
mother, and housekeeper.
This feature can be found on pages 58–59 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Writing about History “The primary goal of
marriage in ancient Israel was to produce
children.” Explain why this might be. Do you
think the primary goal of marriage is the same
today?
Possible answer: Children, especially boys,
assured the continuation of the family line.
Infant mortality rates would have been higher
and life expectancies lower than they are
today, and there were no fears of
overpopulation as there are now.
This feature can be found on pages 58–59 of your textbook.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Ancient Egypt
Objectives
After viewing “Ancient Egypt,” you should: 
• Understand the unique social and intellectual attainments of
the ancient Egyptians. 
• Recognize how ancient Egypt's appreciation of art,
language, science, and ethics
contributed to one of history's
most important civilizations. 
• Appreciate how studying history
helps us to realize the humanity
of people from the distant past.
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.
Click in the window above to view a preview of the World History video.
Ancient Egypt
How did the Egyptians’ clothing styles change
as they became more prosperous?
As the economy improved, fabric became
more sheer, and it was layered and pleated.
Decorations such as colorful sashes were
added, and elaborate wigs were worn.
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Space Bar to display the answer.
Ancient Egypt
How was a person's wealth measured in
ancient Egypt?
Because there was no money in Egypt, wealth
was determined by how much a person
owned, including jewelry, clothing, household
furnishings, and land.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Maps
Ancient Egypt
Egyptian Expansion, 2000–1100 B.C.
Chart
Comparing Life in Mesopotamia and Egypt
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slide.
Map
Ancient Egypt
Chart
Comparing Life in Mesopotamia and Egypt
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slide.
Map
Ancient Israel
Charts
Hebrew, Phoenician, and Latin Alphabets
The Ten Commandments
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Map
Ancient Israel
Chart
Hebrew, Phoenician, and Latin Alphabets
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slide.
bricks
no wood in
the area;
steel had not
yet been
invented
at the top of the
structure
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to get it as
close as
possible to
the sky,
where the
people
believed the
gods lived
Khufu
the Washington
monument
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346 feet
Canaanite to Phoenician
to Greek to English
a triangle
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S
the Assyrian Empire
Nineveh
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Persepolis
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