Global Studies I
Mr. Mintzes
UNIT OUTLINE:
THE EMERGENCE OF CIVILIZATION
Culture and Civilization defined:
Culture is a people’s way of life
Civilization is a complex culture
Eight characteristics/elements of civilization: cities, government, religion,
social structure, public works, job specialization, writing and art.
The first civilizations developed in river valleys in an area referred to as the Fertile
Crescent – an arc of fertile land and river valleys that stretches from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
Mesopotamia: (Impact of Geography)
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The first known civilization grew up in Mesopotamia “(between the rivers”)
It was located in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (present day
Iraq)
The rivers would often flood and overflow and leave silt behind. Silt makes the
soil very fertile and crops grew easily there – an agricultural (agrarian) economy
flourished.
To control the rivers and provide water for their crops, the early inhabitants built
irrigation and drainage ditches. This helped to increase the water supply and the
crop yield. Surplus food allowed for increases in population.
Sumerians were the first to develop a civilization in Mesopotamia
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Sumerian City States:
By 3000BCE the Sumerians had formed a number of city-states
A city-state is a political entity centered around a city or settlement. They control
the surrounding countryside economically and politically.
Most Sumerian buildings were built using mud bricks. The Sumerians invented
the arch and the dome and built some very large brick buildings.
Most important building was the Temple – often built on a Ziggurat.
Sumerians believed that god and goddesses owned and ruled the cities.
Priests were important religiously and politically
Ruling power passed to kings – Kings claimed their power to rule came from the
gods – Kings said they ruled with divine power
Economy: mostly agricultural – some manufacturing – trade increased between
city-states after the invention of the wheel
Social Structure: three classes – nobles, commoners and slaves
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Empires in Mesopotamia
Akkadians conquered the Sumerian city-states (c2340 BCE) and established the
first empire (Empire = a large political unit that controls many peoples and
territories)
In 1792 BCE Hammurabi established a new empire –
Hammurabi developed the world’s first legal code: The Code of Hammurabi
Code called for harsh punishment of criminals – punishments varied based upon
social status – Crime committed against a noble brought harsher punishment than
a crime against a commoner or a slave.
Code punished public officials who failed in duties or were corrupt
Code had “consumer protection” laws – held builders liable if a building they
constructed collapsed.
Code also covered marriages and rules pertaining to the family
Egyptian Civilization: (Impact of Geography)
Egyptian civilization developed in the Nile River Valley
Nile River is 4,000 miles long
The Nile floods each year – leaving behind silt that made the soil fertile and rich
Unlike many other rivers the Nile floods at the same time each year, so farmers
could plan their planting an harvesting – calendars were based on the annual
floods.
Food grown by farmers in the valley gave Egypt a surplus of food and made the
country rich.
Nile also served as a “highway” on which the Egyptians could transport goods
north and south.
Egypt was also protected by natural barriers that protected it from invasion
and allowed the civilization to grow unmolested. Barriers were deserts to the
west and east and the Red Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the north
and the rapids and waterfalls of the Nile to the south.
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Religion: Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic (believed in many gods)
instead of monotheistic (belief in one God) like Christians, Muslims and Jews.
Egyptian history:
Egyptian history is divided into three periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle
Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
Egyptian history began around 3100 BCE with the creation of the first dynasty
A dynasty is a family of rulers. The right to rule is passed on through the family,
generally from father to son.
Egyptian rulers were call pharaohs – they had absolute power
Pharaohs ruled through a large bureaucracy (professional administrators that
manage the day to day affairs of government)
The Great Pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom. They served as tombs
for the Pharaohs and their families. They contained jewels, gold and silver,
weapons and everything else the buried person would need in the afterlife.
- The bodies in the tombs were preserved through the process of mummification.
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- The Egyptians were so good at preserving bodies that the mummy of Ramses the
Great has remained intact for over 3,000 years.
The largest pyramid was built at Giza (near present day Cairo) It is so precisely
built that it is a “wonder of the world” The huge stones, each weighing several
tons, are fitted together so closer and so exactly, that a hair cannot be fitted
between them.
During the years of the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom, Egypt expanded
and began to trade with other Mediterranean peoples. Invasions exposed them to
other civilizations and beliefs.
The Egyptian Empire collapsed