what does it mean to be civilized? civilized are humans confused????humans
TRANSCRIPT
What does it mean to be civilized?
Are Humans confused????
EARLY RIVER CIV’S3500B.C.- 450 B.C.
Chapters 2&3
THE 5 TRAITS THAT DEFINE A CIVILIZATION
• Growth of cities- by 3000b.c. Sumerians built a dozen fairly functional cities (Uruk, Lagash, and Umma-most pop.)
• Specialized workers- Artisans, Scribes, Priests, Potters, Metalworkers, and Weavers were most prominent
• Writing- Cuneiform (Q-NAY-I-FORM) originally used by priests to keep track of merchandise that was later adopted amidst the region.
• Advanced Technology- The Wheel, Plow, & Sailboat all propelled Sumerian civilization. (oldest wheel carbon dated at 5500 years) Metal working- copper and bronze used for tools and weaponry.
• Complex Institutions- Government and religion (1st to set up formal Government with officials and laws
THE FERTILE CRESCENT
• Best farming land in S.W. Asia
• Fed by-Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
• Created great flood plain
Mesopotamia
• “Land between two rivers” (Greek origin)
• Sumerians were those who actually lived in the region.
• Not 1st settlement but 1st where 5 traits together….
WHAT COULD BE SOME POSSIBLE PROBLEMS IN THIS REGION?
Quick review
• The two major rivers that fed Mesopotamia were….
• Tigris & Euphrates
• The name “Mesopotamia” is Greek in origin, meaning…
• Land between two rivers…
Class Structure/Downfall
• Kings and Priests= highest
• Wealthy merchants• Workshop and field
hands• Slaves=lowest
• Many cities having inner battles
• Lack of unification of major cities created a weakened region
• Outsiders use Sumer’s inner battles against them and attacked most cities leaving them in ruins!
Religion of the region
• Poly-theistic (belief in many gods) – Sumerians viewed gods as “life like” and
imitating human life.
“Peculiar” monotheism
• Monotheism= belief in one god• Zoroastrianism- one of first monotheistic belief systems
(Persia)• Jews (Hebrews) “Yahweh” was their god of protection
– drought drove migrations to Egypt for Nile• Egyptians originally temperate of the newcomers but
began resenting them (RELIGION) and later enslavement.
• Moses led Jews out of Egypt around 1300b.c.– 10 Commandments on Mt Sinai is code of Moral Conduct for
the Faith.
Quick review
• Was it more common for people of this time period to believe in one or many gods?
• Many Gods– POLYTHEISM
Phoenicians
• Neighbors of the Sumerians– Known as “Carriers of the Culture”…
• Byblos, Sidon and *Tyre were in great competition for the trading of the region– * The Alpha city….
• Cedar- used/traded for shipbuilding • Snails were crushed for their purple dye…Murex
snails= Tyrian Purple 10,000 snails to dye a robe
Writing
• Phoenicians needed simple way to keep records
• Cuneiform symbols reached 600….to many
• Phoenicians simplified into 22 working symbols
• ?connection?• Greeks & Romans (+ 4)
symbols creating modern day alphabet…– ABCDEF……Z – Also known as “Phonetic
Alphabet”
• Simplified writing made understanding easier for masses
Quick review
• Phoenicians were known as…
– “Carriers of the culture”
• Our modern day alphabet is known as the _____________ alphabet derived from the Phoenicians…
– Phonetic Alphabet
Iron Age
• 2800-1200b.c.- Bronze widely used• ~1200b.c. Hittites (Anatolia)
– iron into its purest form for weaponry (smelting).
• Iron harder than Bronze/more common/Cheaper
• This use of iron paved the way for “Age of Empires”
Transitional
• Monday we will begin on the other river valley civilizations….
• What are the 5 traits to define a civilization?
• The Fertile Crescent can be named by other names. _________ & _________
• Since todays focus was writing and communication, take an opportunity to write your name in the Glyphs of Egypt.