Ancient River Valley
Civilization
Mesopotamia, Indus River Valley, Egypt, China,
Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Kush
Vocabulary Power
River Valley Civilization- Cities that arose in river valleys due to
flood waters that provided fertile farm land for agriculture,
drinking water, and a means for transportation.
social patterns- habits and customs of a society or culture
hereditary ruler- rule of people being passed down within the
same family
dynasty- a ruling family
Pharoah- title of the rulers of Ancient Egypt
Class system- Individuals grouped by economic or social
patterns Ex.) Upper class, Middle Class, Lower Class
Vocabulary Power
Slavery- The state of a person being the property of
another
political patterns- The characteristics of government
city- states/kingdoms/empires- political units made up of
the city and surrounding areas
centralized government- Power or authority in a person
and/ or organization
Ten Commandments- Laws of conduct from God,
according to biblical accounts, given to Moses
Vocabulary Power
Code of Hammurabi- Collection of laws assembled by a king of
Babylon called Hammurabi
economic patterns- Characteristics of the economy (jobs, trade,
money) used by groups of people
agricultural surplus- More food produced than what is needed
irrigation- to supply water to land by ditches, pipes, or streams
etc.
specialization of labor- to specialize in trade or job
Vocabulary Power
Polytheism- belief in many gods
Monotheism- Believing in one God
Abraham- Founder of the Hebrew people
Moses- Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of Egyptian
slavery and delivered the Ten Commandments to them.
Torah- The book containing Jewish scriptures, literature, and
traditions.
Exile- Forced removal from one’s country or home
Vocabulary Power
Diaspora- The exile and scattering of the Jewish
tribes/ people.
Pictograms- A drawing used to represent a word
Hieroglyphics- A form of picture writing developed
by the ancient Egyptian
Cuneiform- wedge shaped writings of the ancient
Sumerians and other ancient people
Alphabet- a set of letters used to write a language
based upon sounds not pictures.
Video Viewing Questions
1. The region between the Tigris and Euphrates is
known as ____________________.
2. What grew as food sources grew?
3. What were city-states?
4. The Sumerians invented a form of writing
called Cuneiform. True or False
5. What religion did the Hebrews find?
Why Did Ancient Civilizations Develop in
River Valleys?
During the New Stone Age,
permanent settlements
appeared in river valleys and
around the Fertile Crescent.
River valleys provided rich soil
and irrigation waters for
agriculture.
Also, river valleys tended to be
in locations easily protected
from invasion by nomadic
people.
When and where did the
earliest civilizations exist?
River Valley civilizations were around from about 3500 to
500 B.C.E.
Mesopotamian Civilization- Tigris and Euphrates
River Valleys (Southwest Asia)
Egyptian civilization- Nile River Valley and Delta
(Africa)
Indian civilization (Indus River Valley- South Asia)
Chinese civilization- Huang He Valley (East Asia)
What were other early civilizations
(about 2000 to 500 B.C.)
Hebrews settled between the Mediterranean Sea and
the Jordan River Valley (part of the Fertile Crescent in
Southwest Asia)
Phoenicians settled along the Mediterranean coast (part
of the Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia)
Nubia was located on the upper (southern) Nile River
(Africa)
Map Activity (YAY)
Using your textbook and Atlas locate and shade your map:
Egyptian Civilization (Atlas p. 19)
Mesopotamia (Textbook p. 32)
Phoenicia (Atlas p. 14)
Jerusalem (Atlas p. 14)
Sumer (Atlas p. 11)
Indus (Textbook p. 51)
Chinese (Atlas p. 20)
1. The map below is what
river Valley civilization?
Indus River
2. What ancient river valley is
shown here as Part of the “Fertile
Crescent?” Hint: (Tigris and Euphrates)
Quick Check- Open
Notebook
What civilization developed around the Nile River
Valley?
What civilization developed around the Tigris and the
Euphrates Rivers? What was this region known as?
Where did the Hebrews settle?
Why did civilizations emerge in river valleys?
5 Point Vocabulary Quiz
1. Monotheism
a.
Belief in more than one god
2. Irrigation
b.
characteristics of government
c.
jobs, money, or trade
d.
more food produced than what is
needed
e.
supply water to land through pipes,
ditches, or streams
f.
belief in one God
3. agricultural surplus
4. Polytheism
5. Economic patterns
g. to specialize in a job or trade
Cradles of Civilization
River valleys were the “Cradles
of Civilization.” Early
civilizations made major
contributions to social, political,
and economic progress of the
world.
Thought Question: Why do
historians use the term
“cradle?”
What were the social patterns of
Class
early civilizations?
System
Hereditary rulers evolved
where many early
civilizations had dynasties of
kings or pharaohs.
In each early civilization a
rigid class system emerged.
where slavery was accepted.
King/ Nobles
Merchant/ Artisans
Peasants (Majority
of People)
Slaves
What were political characteristics
of each civilization?
As civilization arose, the world’s first city- states, kingdoms,
and empires emerged.
Eventually rival leaders battled for power and conquered
many cities and villages creating an empire.
Centralized governments developed as rulers united their
kingdom or empire. Many leaders based their rule on religious
authority.
What were political characteristics
of each civilization?
To keep order, some of the first written law codes
emerged (Code of Hammurabi and Ten
Commandments).
The Code of Hammurabi was published when
King Hammurabi brought much of Mesopotamia
under his control and tried to unite his empire.
He had artisans carve the laws on a stone pillar
for all to see. Why?
The laws operated under the principle “an eye for
an eye.”
Code of Hammurabi
Examples
“If a man breaks into
a house, he shall be
killed in front of that
break-in and buried
there.”
“If a son struck his
father, his hand shall
be cut off.”
What were the economic
characteristics of each civilization?
As bronze and iron was discovered, metal tools and weapons
were used which helped advance civilization.
Better tools, the invention of the plow and irrigation
developed which helped create an agricultural surplus and
an increase in population.
Increasing trade along rivers and by sea (Ex. Phoenicianssea-going civilization-- Fertile Crescent)
Development of the world’s first cities
Development of the practice of slavery in the ancient
world taking various forms
What were the economic
characteristics of each civilization?
Increase in trade along rivers and by sea.
Ex. )The Phoenicians- located in the Fertile
Crescent were traders of the Mediterranean
Other river valley civilizations enjoyed trade
along the rivers in which they developed.
What religious traditions developed
in ancient civilizations?
Religion played a major
part of life in all early
civilizations.
Polytheism was
practiced by most early
civilizations.
Monotheism was
practiced by the
Hebrews
Bell Ringer 9/23/09
1. The Phoenicians were the first major traders along
theA. Nile
B. Indus River
C. Jordan River
D. Mediterranean Sea
Quick Check
1. What was the Code of Hammurabi?
2. What increased as a result of agricultural surpluses in
Ancient River Valley Civilizations?
3. True or False- A centralized government is a political
characteristic that developed in ancient river valley
civilizations.
4. What two metals were discovered which helped advance
civilization? Why?
5. River valley civilizations were known as the ________
of __________.
5 Point Vocabulary
1. Hereditary ruler
a.
First leaders of the Hebrew people
2. Pharoah
b.
characteristics of government
c.
political unit with a central area and its
surrounding land
d.
Leadership passed down through
family
e.
supply water to land through pipes,
ditches, or streams
f.
Leader in Ancient Egypt
g.
Received the Ten Commandments
3. city-states
4. Abraham
5. Moses
! ! Bell Ringer
1. Which of the following was a river valley civilization in Africa from
about 3500 to 500 B.C.
A. Mesopotamia
B. India
C. Egypt
D. China
2. Which of the following was a code of conduct (how people should
act)?
A. Hieroglyphics
B. Ten Commandments
C. Cuneiform
D. City- States
What were the origins of Judaism?
The monotheism of Abraham
became the foundation of
Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam- religions that changed
the world. The Hebrews
(Jews) were the first to
become monotheists.
What is the Origin of Judaism?
Abraham enters relationship with
one all powerful God.
Jerusalem turned into an
impressive
capital before Jews were
exiled from Israel.
Abraham and family moves to
Canaan (the promised land)
Returned to Canaan and set
up the Kingdom of Israel
Famine in Canaan forced many
Hebrews to migrate to Egypt
where they were enslaved.
Moses led the Hebrews
in their escape during which time
God gave Moses the
Ten Commandments
What are the beliefs, traditions, and
customs of Judaism?
Belief in one God
(monotheism)
The Torah contains written
records and beliefs of Jews in
five written books.
The Ten Commandments
state the moral and religious
conduct.
What are Examples of the
Ten Commandments?
“I am the Lord your God who
brought you out of the land of
Egypt, the house of bondage:
You shall have no other gods
before me.
Honor your mother and father.
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shall not murder
How did Judaism Spread?
Almost 2,000 years ago
many Jews were forced
to leave their homeland
(exiled) in Palestine
This diaspora, scattering
of people, sent Jews to
different parts of the
world
Text
What forms of language and writing existed in
early civilizations?
Pictograms were
the earliest
written symbols
that first evolved
in (Mesopotamia)
Cuneiform
Cuneiform was
developed in
Mesopotamia. In this
form of writing, groups of
signs stood for spoken
sounds. This was much
more useful for keeping
track of complicated
operations of
government.
Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphic script
developed in Egypt and
includes pictures, but
these do not, like
pictograms, represent the
objects depicted. Instead
the pictures represents
words, sounds, and
letters.
Hieroglyphics
The Alphabet
The Phoenician
alphabet developed
which is the ancestor of
the alphabet used in
many parts of the world.
The Phoenicians lived off
of sea trading which
created a need for
communication and
record keeping.
Phoenician Alphabet
What is this?
What is this?
What is this?
What is this?