Ancient River Valley Civilizations
Ancient River Valley Civilizations
Permanent Settlements
•During the _new_ Stone Age, permanent __settlements__ appeared in __river__ valleys
and around the __Fertile__ Crescent.
•River __valleys___ provided rich __soil__ for crops, as well as __protection___ from
invasion.
River valley civilizations (about __3500___ to ___500___ B.C.)
•__Egyptian___ civilization ---Nile River Valley and _delta__ (Africa)
River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B.C.)
•__Mesopotamian__ civilization —__Tigris and Euphrates__ River Valleys
(Southwest Asia)
River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B.C.)
•__Indian__ civilization —Indus River Valley (South Asia)
River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B.C.)
•__Chinese__ civilization —Huang He Valley (East Asia)
“__Yellow__ River.”
•These river __valleys___ offered rich __soils__ for agriculture, and they tended to be in
locations easily __protected___ from invasion by ___nomadic__ peoples.
Other early civilizations (about __2000__ to __500__ B.C.)
•__Hebrews___ settled between the __Mediterranean___ Sea and the __Jordan___ River
Valley (part of Fertile ___Crescent___ in Southwest Asia).
Other early civilizations (about 2000 to 500 B.C.)
•___Phoenicians____ settled along the Mediterranean __coast___ (part of the Fertile
Crescent in Southwest Asia)
Other early civilizations (about 2000 to 500 B.C.)
•__Nubia__ was located on the upper (southern) __Nile__ River (Africa).
“Cradles of Civilzation”
•River valleys were the "__Cradles of Civilization__." Early civilizations made major
contributions to __social__, __political__, and economic progress.
Development of social patterns
•__Hereditary__ rulers (_dynasties__ of kings, pharaohs)
•Early __society__ had a rigid __class__ system, where __slavery__ was accepted.
Development of political patterns
•World’s first states (__city-states___, kingdoms, __empires__)
•Centralized __government___ (often based on __religious__ authority)
Development of political patterns
•Written _law_ codes (Ten Commandments, Code of __Hammurabi__)
Development of economic patterns
•Metal __tools__ and __weapons__ (bronze, iron)
•Increasing agricultural _surplus__ (better tools, plows, irrigation)
Development of economic patterns
•Increasing _trade__ along rivers and by sea (_Phoenicians__)
•Development of the world’s first _cities__
•__Specialization__ of labor
Religion
Development of religious traditions
•__Polytheism___ was practiced by most early civilizations.
•__Monotheism__ was practiced by the __Hebrews__.
•The monotheism of _Abraham__ became the foundation of __Judaism__, Christianity,
and Islam—__religions__ that changed the world. The _Hebrews__ were the _first_ to
become _monotheists__.
Origins of Judaism
•According to the _Torah__ – God chose __Abraham__ to be the “_father_” of the
Hebrews.
•Abraham – _shepherd_ who lived in Ur, __Mesopotamia___.
•__Palestine__ – eastern coast of the __Mediterranean__ Sea.
•Strategically _located__ on the _sea_ and among empires.
•Former homeland of the _Phoenicians__.
Cannan
•_Land__ promised to the __Hebrew__ people, according to __the Old Testament___
•_Palestine__ was the ancient home of the Hebrews – ancient name for the _Jews_.
Wandering of Abraham
•_God_ commanded __Abraham__ to move to __Canaan__.
•Eventually Abraham __moved__ to __Egypt_ and then back to Canaan.
Judaism
•__Yahweh___ – God of the Hebrews.
•According to __Genesis__ – Yahweh made a __pact__ with Abraham called a
__covenant__.
•Covenant – __promises__ between __God__ and the Hebrew to remain _loyal_ to one
another.
Exodus
•1500 – 1200 B.C. – Hebrews _lived_ in harmony in __Egypt__ at first.
•Eventually forced into _slavery__.
•Exodus – Hebrews flee Egypt
Moses
•According to the _Bible__ – God told Moses to __lead__ the Hebrews out of Egypt.
•Moses – Hebrew who was raised by wealthy Egyptians
Mount Sinai •Mountain in south central __Arabia___.
•__Moses__ climbed to the top to _pray__.
•Is said to have _talked__ to God.
•Returned from mountain with the __Ten Commandments___.
Ten Commandments
•Ten _rules__ of the __Bible__ that God gave __Moses__ on Mount Sinai.
•Became the __basis__ for the civil and religious __laws__ of Judaism.
Language and writing
•Pictograms: Earliest written symbols
Hieroglyphics: Egypt
Cuneiform: Sumer
Alphabet: Phoenicia