Early Empires in Europe and Asia

World History September 30 and October 1

Stinger 1. What vocabulary do you need to know to understand the map?

2. What is the purpose of the map?

3. What information does the map provide?

4. Identify any patterns in the map.

5. Explain why those patterns might exist.

6. How have these patterns influenced the development of European and Asian cultures over time?

7. How have these patterns created modern patterns of cooperation or competition?

Take-aways from the map• One might assume that early indo-Europeans migrated to fulfill

some kind of lack of resources, but there is no distinct evidence of such a lack. • Most movement is out toward the coasts. What is so attractive

about coastal living that may not be attractive about living in landlocked Europe? • TRADE! (becoming so much more important.) • Living at the mouth of a river provides both resources for farming AND

foraging

• Aryans move into and take over territory in India previously occupied by egalitarian early civilizations along the Indus River Valley. • The Spanish and the French are Celtic, just like the Irish and the

Scots. (The British are Germanic, but that comes much later.)• Turks really are European!

Early Indian Societies vs. Aryan society

1. What are the major differences between the two towns pictured above? 2. What does this say about the comparative social structure of the two

different societies? 3. What does this say about the religious differences between the two

different societies?4. What might this say about political differences between the two

societies? 5. What might this say about the differences in knowledge between the two

civilizations?

Take aways from the pictures• The Aryans changed the structure of

Indian life and basically took over India. • India became much more hierarchical

(socially, politically, and religiously) • This is where we get the establishment

of the caste system, which people associate with India. • How does the graphic to the right

represent a significant shift in Indian culture? • How does the graphic to the right

represent a relationship between economic production and social position?

But wait, I thought Aryans were blonde haired, blue eyed Germans!• Madame Helena Blavatsky in Germany used vedic texts

regarding occult rituals and adapted the Aryan story into an anti-semetic mythology for central Europe. • This is why the swastika, a common symbol in many early

civilizations, is adopted by the NAZIs • According to historic evidence, the Aryans were indeed lighter

skinned and taller than the people of the Indus Valley, whom they were able to subjugate and vilify via the caste system. • Germans saw themselves as similarly superior to the Jewish

and felt that they should have a similar outcome. • Aryans are Indian and have nothing to do with Nazis!

Hittites• Occupied Anatolia (modern

day Turkey) • 450 year empire• Cooperation and culture

• Peace and mutual defense treaty with Egypt against the Syrians

• Adopted Akkadian language from Babylonians

• Adopted ideas of arts, politics, and law from Mesopotamians

• Exceptionally skilled in iron working • Sudden collapse • How did the geographic

position of Anatolia affect the way Hittites interacted with other cultures?

Minoans• Located on the island if

Crete in the Aegean sea • Peaceful trading culture• Advanced, ritualistic religion• Mother Earth Goddess• Sudden end to civilization?

Why? • Bull Leaping? Why? • How did Crete’s geographic

position lead to Minoan dominance in ancient trade?

So Why Do Societies Fail? • Jared Diamond TED Talk• To Think about• Of the reasons that Diamond discusses, which of these apply

to Hittite society? • Do you think the cooperative aspects of Hittite culture

extended the length of the empire or shortened it? Why?• Of the reasons Diamond discusses, which apply to Minoan

society?• How did the interaction of the Minoans with other societies

affect their survival as a culture?• What can the United States learn from this talk?

Phoenician Trade – How did the position of the Phoenician empire influence trade and culture?

Phoenetic Alphabet- Think/Pair/Share answers

1. Why is the alphabet considered the greatest Phoenician accomplishment? 2. How is a Phoenetic alphabet different from a pictoral language like that of the ancient

Egyptians or like the symbols of the Chinese? (Hint: We teach kids letter sounds)3. How can a phoenetic alphabet aid and ease communication that might be occurring in

different languages?4. How does the chart above relate to the map on the last slide?

Exit Ticket• Identify one contribution made by each of the

following civilizations: • Aryan• Hittite• Minoan• Phonecian

• Identify three reasons civilizations fail. • Homework: Read Chapter 3 Sections 2 and 4