Unit 1: Characteristics of Civilization

Unit 1: Characteristics of Civilization

Unit Essential Question: How does one characterize a civilization?

5 Themes of Geography Review using Egypt as an example

Lesson Essential Question: How do the Five Themes of Geography influence the development of civilization?

Location:

Location can be described 2 ways.

Absolute- the exact place using latitude and longitude

Relative-describing where a location of place using nearby locations (cities, bodies of water, countries, ...)

Egypt - Location

Absolute Location

26.18N 31.92E

Relative Location

North East Africa

Borders Libya, Sudan, and Israel

Red Sea is to the East of Ancient Egypt

All desert except for the area around the Nile River

Place:

Place- refers to the human and non-human characteristics of a given location

Examples: hilly, wet, on a river, major city

Egypt- Human Characteristics

MAIN LANGUAGE: Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, and Amharic ( hieroglyphs were also used for writing)

CUSTOMS (traditions): Before the current pharaoh is about to die, the successor becomes co- regent. ( this tradition started in the Middle Kingdom). Another custom is the worship of the many gods and the rituals that they performed in these ceremonies.

RELIGION: Polytheism(worshiping many gods) was the main religion until mid- New Kingdom. The country switched over the Monotheism(worshiping one god), but then went back to Polytheism when the pharaoh that introduced Monotheism died. Some of the Gods include, Isis(Goddess of Magic), Horus(God of the Sky), and Ra(God of Sun.)

POPULATION:At the beginning of the Old Kingdom, the population of Egypt was about 1 million, but at the end of the New Kingdom, the population increased to about 5 million. A lot of the population worked in the fields, even the children.

Egypt- Physical Characteristics

There is very little water and rain throughout all of Ancient Egypt

Two different types of land. BLACK LAND: Land perfect for farming because it is located near the Nile which provides fertile soil. RED LAND: Land far from the Nile that is dry and cannot preserve life.

Ancient Egypt is mostly dry except area by the Nile River

Movement:

Refers to how people, goods, and ideas get from one place to another.

Examples: food, fuel, and other basic goods

Egypt- How ideas move

Travelers such as merchants, soldiers, and diplomats carry the ideas from place to place around Ancient Egypt.

Inventions made in Ancient Egypt

Eye-Makeup

Papyrus Sheets

Breath Mints

Bandages

Egypt- How people move:

Unlike today, Egyptians didn't have cars, planes, and buses to transport them everywhere. They instead used......

Transportation in Ancient Egypt

Walking

Wheeled Carts

Simply Made Boats

Egypt- How goods move

Even in Ancient Egypt, people needed to send things from place to place. They did this by...

Transportation of Goods

Rafts

Sledges

Physically Carrying The Goods

Regions:

An area with at least one unifying physical or human feature

Examples: climate, landforms, population, or history

Egypt- Regions

Egyptian CitiesThebes PeNekherElephantineNubiaMemphis (Capital)Nile Delta: Where the Nile River divides and goes into the Mediterranean Sea. Lower Egypt: Part of Egypt where the Kings wore red crownsUpper Egypt: Part of Egypt where the Kings wore white cone-shaped crownsKing Menes: Brought both kingdoms(lower and upper Egypt together. He got to wear both types of crowns.

Human Environment Interaction:

How people affect their environment or their natural surroundings and how their environment affects them.

Examples: pollution of boats can hurt animals in the water, building a dam that creates a manmade lake, destruction of land to create a new housing development

Egypt- Human Environment Interactions

DependModifyAdaptThey depended on the Nile River to overflow so they have fertile soil for crops and to have enough water.They also depended on the Nile River for transportation from place to place.They modified the limestone used to build pyramids.They modified papyrus to make sheets where they can write on.They adapted to their environment by making house out of clay for installation and heat.

Lesson Essential Question: How do civilizations, especially early civilizations, demonstrate the characteristics of civilization?

Archeologists and anthropologists characterize civilizations in different ways.

One way is using G.R.A.P.E.S.

G - Geography

R - Religion

A - Achievements

P - Political Structure

E - Economics

S - Social Structure

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Geography refers to:

Where is the civilization located?

What is the weather and climate like?

What is the vegetation (plant life) like?

What are the surrounding civilizations called?

Mountains?

Rivers?

Valleys?

Other landforms?

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Religion refers to:

What did these people believe in?

Many gods?

How did they worship?

What were their places of worship called?

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Achievements refer to:

What are the amazing things this civilization left behind?

What kind of art, scientific discoveries, inventions, literature are they famous for?

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Political Structure refers to:

Who ruled in the civilization?

Was it many people?

Was it one person?

What was their form of government called?

What are the names of famous rulers from this civilization?

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Economy refers to:

How did the civilization make money?

Did they trade with other countries?

Did they share?

Did they pay taxes?

What did they produce?

What types of occupations did people have?

G.R.A.P.E.S.

Social Structure refers to:

How did people in the civilization interact with each other?

Were there social classes?

Did women and men have different roles?

What were their values?