Early Civilizations The early civilizations of Mesopotamia and

Early Civilizations The early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt had a great impact on later civilizations.

Early History • Two of the world’s earliest civilizations developed in Mesopotamia and Egypt. • Three of the world’s major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—began in Southwest Asia. • The Arab Empire made contributions in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and the arts.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Two of the world’s oldest civilizations— Mesopotamia and Egypt—arose in Southwest Asia and North Africa about 5, 000 years ago. Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Mesopotamia—present-day Iraq—began in the Fertile Crescent, a strip of land that curves from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. • Beginning about 4000 B. C. , people settled along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers where they farmed, watering their crops by irrigation, or bringing water to the fields.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Mesopotamia’s religion was based on polytheism, or the worship of many gods and goddesses, and initially was a theocracy, a government controlled by religious leaders.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • The Sumerians created one of the first calendars, were the first to use the wheel and the plow, and developed cuneiform, an early form of writing.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • About 1790 B. C. , King Hammurabi invaded Mesopotamia. He created the Code of Hammurabi, one of the first written legal codes.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Around 5000 B. C. , farm villages began to develop along the Nile River in northeastern Africa. • The ancient Egyptians relied on the Nile’s annual floods to bring water and enrich the soil. • Egypt unified under a single ruler around 3100 B. C.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Egypt was a theocracy, and the people worshipped many gods and goddesses. • The rulers, called pharaohs, were believed to be gods as well as rulers. • They owned the land ordered thousands of people to build temples, tombs, and pyramids, or a type of tomb.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • The Egyptians also developed a system of writing called hieroglyphics, which used pictures for words or sounds.

Early Civilizations (cont. ) • Through trade and conquest, the achievements and ideas of Mesopotamia and Egypt spread to other lands. • The measurement of time developed by the Sumerians, for example, is still used today.

Three World Religions Three major world religions began in Southwest Asia.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are major world faiths. All three are examples of monotheism, or the belief in one God.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Judaism is the oldest of the three religions. • First practiced by a small group of people in Southwest Asia called the Israelites, Judaism’s followers today are known as Jews.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • About 1000 B. C. the Israelites under King David created a kingdom in the area of present-day Israel, which had Jerusalem as its capital.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • In later years, the Jews were forced to leave their homeland. • This scattering of Jews across the world is called the Diaspora.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Christianity, another monotheistic religion, arose from Judaism. • About A. D. 30, a Jewish teacher named Jesus began preaching in what is today Israel and the West Bank.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Jesus was greeted by some as a savior sent by God but by others as a traitor under Roman law, and he was crucified, or executed on a cross. • Soon afterward, Jesus’ followers declared that he had risen from the dead and was the Son of God, and they spread his message throughout the Mediterranean world.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • The third major monotheistic religion to develop in Southwest Asia was Islam. • Islam began in the A. D. 600 s in the Arabian Peninsula with the teachings of Muhammad.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Muslims, or followers of Islam, believe that Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of Islam, following Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. • The holy book of Islam is the Quran.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • After Muhammad died in A. D. 632, leaders known as caliphs ruled the Muslim community. • Over several centuries, Islam expanded into areas of Asia, North Africa, and parts of Europe. The Spread of Islam in the Ancient World

Three World Religions (cont. ) • From the A. D. 700 s to the 1400 s, Muslims were the leading merchants in many parts of Asia and Africa, including the cities of Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus, which became centers of government and learning.

Three World Religions (cont. ) • Important developments from Muslim trading were the creation of coins, which made trade easier, and the creation of banking.

The Region in the Modern World In modern times, ethnic, cultural, and economic differences have led to conflict in the region.

Modern Times • By the end of World War I, European powers had gained control of much of the region. • Independent states arose during the 1900 s. • Oil reserves brought wealth to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran. • Political unrest and conflict have troubled the region since World War II.

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • Between the late A. D. 900 s and the late 1200 s, waves of Mongol invaders swept into the Muslim world from Central Asia, ending the Arab Empire. • The Muslim Ottoman Empire next arose and lasted until the end of World War I. History at a Glance

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • By the end of World War I, European powers had gained control of large areas of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia. (colonialism, anyone? ) • The region’s people resented European rule and cultural influences and turned to nationalism, or the belief that every ethnic group has a right to have its own independent nation.

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • Through wars and political struggles, most countries in Southwest Asia and North Africa won political freedom by the 1970 s, and several Muslim nations in Central Asia gained their independence after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • Political movements based on Islam have arisen in response to regional problems. • Some Muslims believe that American and European involvement in the region has kept their nations poor and weak and that they must return to Islamic culture and values in order to prosper.

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • In 1979, an Islamic revolution in Iran overthrew that country’s shah, or king, and made Iran an Islamic republic enforcing the strict laws of a traditional Islamic society. • Then, from 1980 to 1988, Iran clashed with the dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, costing a million lives.

The Region in the Modern World (cont. ) • In 2003, a group of countries led by the United States invaded Iraq, believing that Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein, was hiding deadly chemical and biological weapons. • The Iraqi army was defeated, and Saddam Hussein was later captured.

Population Changes Rapid population growth has created challenges for the region.

People • Because water is scarce, most people live along seacoasts and rivers or in oases or highland areas. • A high birthrate has led to rapid population growth.

Population Changes (cont. ) • Because water is scarce in North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia, people live along seacoasts and rivers, near oases, or in rainy highland areas. • Nomads stay near oases where there is enough vegetation to feed their herds.

Population Changes (cont. ) • The vast deserts covering much of the region remain largely empty of people, except where oil is plentiful.

Population Changes (cont. ) • The region’s population is growing rapidly because improved health care reduces the number of infant deaths and increases the life span of adults.

What is a challenge cities face as a result of rapid population growth? A. Lack of jobs B. Poor housing C. Inadequate transportation D. All of the above A. B. C. D. A B C D

Religion, Language, and Arts Religion, especially Islam, remains extremely important throughout the region.

Religion and Culture • Islam and the Arabic language are dominant in most of the region. • Muslim arts use decoration and calligraphy instead of showing the human form. • Israel is mainly Jewish, while Armenia and Georgia are largely Christian.

Religion, Language, and Arts (cont. ) • Islam, divided into the Sunni and Shia groups, is the major faith in the region. • Both groups follow the Quran and share many beliefs, but they disagree on how the Muslim faithful should be governed.

Religion, Language, and Arts (cont. ) • Most Muslims in the region and throughout the world are Sunni, but in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and parts of Lebanon and Syria, most are Shia. • All Muslims must undertake a holy journey to Makkah, or a hajj, once in a lifetime.

Religion, Language, and Arts (cont. ) • As Islam spread though Africa and Asia, so did the Arabic language. • Non-Arab Muslims learned Arabic in order to read the Quran. • As more people became Muslim, Arabic became the major language in much of the region. Cultural diffusion!

Religion, Language, and Arts (cont. ) • Over the centuries, Muslims have developed a distinctive style of architecture that includes large interiors, highly decorated surfaces, and brilliant colors. • Islamic houses of worship, called mosques, can be seen throughout the Muslim world.

Religion, Language, and Arts (cont. ) • Believing the showing of human figures in art might lead to idol worship, Muslim artists feature geometric patterns and floral designs in their works. • They also use calligraphy, or the art of beautiful writing, for decoration.

Al Kharijah is located far from the Nile River, so it is not as large as cities located near water resources.

irrigation process of collecting water and distributing it to crops

city-state independent political unit that includes a city and the surrounding area

polytheism belief in more than one god

theocracy form of government in which the leader claims to rule on behalf of a god

cuneiform of writing from ancient Mesopotamia that consisted of wedge -shaped markings pressed into clay tablets

pharaoh name for powerful ruler in ancient Egypt

hieroglyphics system of writing that uses small pictures to represent sounds or words

monotheism belief in one god

covenant agreement

prophet messenger of God

caliph successor to Muhammad

terrorism violence used against the people or government in the hopes of winning political goals

legal based on laws

rely to depend on

hajj pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Makkah, the completion of which at least once in a lifetime is one of the Five Pillars of Islam

saint Christian holy person

dietary law rules in certain religions that detail which foods people can and cannot eat and how food should be prepared and handled

epic tales or poems about heroes or heroines

mosque Islamic house of worship

calligraphy art of beautiful writing

bazaar local marketplace in North Africa and Southwest Asia

distinctive clearly different, unique

revenue incoming money