Global 9 – Final Exam Review – Civilizations / Culture
River Valley Civilizations – First civilizations developed in river valleys
with generally mild climates. Yearly floods deposited fertile soil,
allowing people to grow surpluses of food.
• Mesopotamia: along the Tigris and Euphrates – sailboat, wheel,
sundial, irrigation, earliest known legal system (Code of Hammurabi)
• Egypt: along the Nile – mathematics, astronomy, medicine, sculpture,
architecture, hieroglyphic writing, protected by desert
• Indus Valley Civilization: along the Indus – Harappa & Mohenjo Daro
grid planned cities, dependence on monsoons – later: beginning of
Hindu religion & caste system, Sanskrit writing
• First Chinese Civilization: along the Huang He (Yellow River) – silk
making
Other Ancient Civilizations
• Hebrews – (Jews, Israelites) founded Judaism, spread
monotheistic religion, created Israel, Bible, Ten
Commandments
• Phoenicians – first known alphabet, founded network of
trading cities such as Carthage
The Greeks – mountains separated the city-states which
developed their own form of government and system of laws.
• Sparta: totalitarian organization based on military needs. The
Spartans grew powerful through conquest.
• Athens: first democracy; citizens voted on issues of the day.
Citizenship was limited to certain Athenians, and was denied to many.
The Athenians grew powerful through trade.
• Golden Age – art, architecture, philosophy, drama, mathematics and
science flourished during Athens' Golden Age (Pericles, Socrates,
Plato, Aristotle)
Rome – Republic that became an empire, conquered the
Mediterranean world and much of Europe. Romans adopted
Greek culture and learning which preserved much of it
• Law: Twelve Tablets, Code of Justinian
• Government: Assembly and Senate which was adopted by later
societies.
• Pax Romana (Roman Peace) ensured stability.
• Architecture: developed first domed structures, built stadiums,
public baths, road system (Appian Way) and aqueducts (water
supply) throughout their empire
• Punic Wars: series of three wars with Carthage in North Africa
Rome’s long term impacts
• Codified Roman law became the basis for European law
• Latin language became the root of most European
languages
• Preserved much Greek and Hellenistic learning
• Architecture became the model for later societies
• Legalized Christianity, and later it became the state
religion.
• Established the foundations of western culture
(government, literature, technology & religion)
Hellenistic Culture – the mixture of cultures (cultural
diffusion) created by the conquests of Alexander the Great
• Philip of Macedonia used revolutionary battle formations, cavalry
attacks & bribery to conquer and unify the divided Greek city-states.
When Philip was assassinated his son Alexander became the king.
• Alexander the Great completed Philip’s dream of a great empire.
Alexander’s empire was the largest in history up to that time.
Conquests included most of the Persian Empire, to Egypt and to the
Indus River