First Age of Empires 1570 BC 200 BC

First Age of Empires 1570 BC – 200 BC Ch 4

The Egyptian and Nubian Empires

When We Last Left Egypt • Middle Kingdom (2080 -1640 BC) enriched Egypt through trade with Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilization • Series of weak pharaohs weakened the country and left them vulnerable

Foreign Invaders • The weakened kingdom fell to Asiatic invaders called Hyksos. • The Hyksos used chariots which were unknown to the Egyptians

Hebrews in Egypt • Around 1650 BC, the Hebrews migrated to Egypt • Some scholars believe the Hyksos encouraged them to move there because they were racially similar • The Egyptians resented the Hebrews presence but were powerless to do anything

Expulsion and Slavery • Around 1600 BC a series of warlike rulers began to push the Hyksos out of Egypt • Queen Ahhotep and the next pharaoh, Kamose scored huge victories over the Hyksos and drove them across the Sinai Peninsula • According to some scholars the Hebrews remained and were enslaved by the Egyptians

The New Kingdom • The New Kingdom – period of Egyptian history following the expulsion of the Hyksos, from 1570 – 1075 BC • Using bronze weapons and chariots the Egyptians became conquerors

Hatshepsut • Hatshepsut- ruler of the New Kingdom who made herself around 1472 BC. • Strengthened the empire by encouraging trade rather than just waging war

Thutmose III • Thutmose III- much more warlike ruler during the New Kingdom • May have murdered Hatshepsut • Led a number of invasions into Palestine and Syria • Pushed farther south into Nubia- area that straddled the upper Nile River

An Age of Builders • Built grand buildings but chose to hide their tombs in the remote Valley of the Kings near Thebes

King Tut • Ruled 1333 - 1324 BC • Tomb discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter •

• original pics

family tree more photos animals

Ramses II • Ramses II – great builder of the New Kingdom • Ruled from approximately 1290 BC to 1224 BC • Temple to Amon-Re at Karnak • Temple at Abu Simbel • valley of the kings

Temple of Ramses II

Karnak

Abu Simbel

Empire Declines • After Ramses II died the Mediterranean region suffered a wave of invasions • “Sea Peoples” may have been the Philistines • Tribes within the empire rebelled

Kushites Conquer the Nile Region • Kush- Nubian kingdom to the South of Egypt along the Nile River • During the height of the New Kingdom the Egyptians forced their rule on Kush • Around 1200 BC Kush gained its independence as the New Kingdom began to fade

Piankhi • Piankhi- Kushite king who overthrew the Libyan dynasty that had been ruling Egypt in 751 BC • In 671 BC the Kushites were pushed back south by the Assyrians- invaders from southwest Asia

Golden Age of Meroe • After the loss to the Assyrians the Kushite royal family moved south to the city of Meroe near the Red Sea • With their location near the Red Sea and abundant natural resources like iron ore, Meroe became a center for trade and manufacturing • Meroe began to decline around 250 BC as other African cities became the center of trade

The Assyrian Empire Sec 2

Describe the geography of the fertile crescent and explain how it affected the lives of the people who lived there.

Assyria • Assyria- Southwest Asian kingdom that controlled a large empire from 850 – 612 BC • The empire was accomplished mainly through military strength

Rise of a Warrior People • Assyrians came from the flat, exposed open land of northern Mesopotamia • The Assyrians may have gained their warlike ways in response to frequent invasions from outsiders

Sennacherib • Sennacherib- Assyrian king who bragged that he destroyed 89 cities and 820 villages

Military Organization • Society glorified military strength • Advance planning and technical skill allowed the Assyrians to siege enemy cities • Used pontoons to move the army across rivers • Dug beneath city walls to weaken them • Use archers to support foot soldiers with ladders going over city walls • Used iron in their weapons and armor • Used massive iron tipped battering rams

No Mercy • Captives were often killed or enslaved • Captives sometimes blinded • Also forced defeated enemies to settle far away in distant provinces to prevent rebellion • Took anything of value

Assyrian Rule • At its peak in 650 BC it included almost all of the old centers of civilization and power in southwest Asia • Assyrian kings controlled the empire by choosing local leaders to lead the provinces • Military campaigns added territory to the empire and the lands brought taxes and tributes. If the conquered peoples refused to pay they would be destroyed.

Assyrian Culture • Some of Assyria’s fiercest warriors were also great builders • Sennacherib was known for establishing the capital at Nineveh • Nineveh was a walled city about 3 miles long and 1 mile wide • Nineveh was also home to a large library containing more than 20, 000 clay tablets

Empire Crumbles • Ashurbanipal was the last of the mighty Assyrian kings • Power was spread too thin • Brutality earned them many enemies • Eventually defeated by the Chaldeans

Nebuchadnezzar • Nebuchadnezzar- Chaldean ruler who restored Babylon around 600 BC • Famous for the hanging gardens

Persian Empire Sec 3

Warm Up: If you were the absolute ruler of an empire how would you keep order?

Rise of Persia • In contrast to the Assyrians the Persians based their empire on tolerance and diplomacy • The Persians relied on a strong military to back up their policies

Cyrus the Great • Cyrus- Persian king who established the Persian Empire between 550 and 539 BC • Empire spanned 2, 000 miles • Most enduring legacy was his method of governing – Prevented soldiers from looting and burning – Honored local customs and religions

Persian Rule • After Cyrus’s death in 530 BC his son Cambyses expanded the empire by defeating Egypt • Did not follow his father’s example

Darius • Darius- Persian ruler who was successor to Cambyses, brought peace and stability to the empire • Extended the empire to the river valleys of India • Empire now stretched from India to Egypt • Unable to conquer Greece

Provinces • To rule the huge empire Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces • Each province lived by their own laws, spoke their own languages and practiced their own religions

Satraps • Although he was tolerant, Darius still ruled with absolute power • Each province had a governor called a satrap who ruled locally • Darius sent our inspectors to be his eyes and ears and make sure the satraps were loyal to him

Royal Road • The Royal Road ran 1677 miles from Susa in Persia to Sardis in Anatolia • Helped to hold the empire together by allowing for quick communication • Royal messengers could travel the length of the road in 7 days

Trade • Use of metal coins and trade also helped to hold the empire together • People no longer had to weigh and measure odd pieces of gold and silver to make purchases

Zoroaster • Zoroaster- Persian prophet who lived around 600 BC • He taught that the world is a battleground where a great struggle is fought between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil • Each person is expected to take part in the struggle

Ahura Mazda • Ahura Mazda- God of Zoroastrianism that will judge everyone according to how well they fought the battle for good

Importance of Zoroastrianism • Influence on Christianity, Judaism, and Islam • Monotheistic • Concepts of Satan and angels

Zoroastrianism Today • Stilled practiced in several countries including Iran and India • Followers are called Parsis

The Unification of China Sec 4

Warm Up: What was the Mandate of Heaven?

The Warring States Period • The Warring States Period- period of constant warfare between independent kings that led to the decline of the Zhou Dynasty • Toward the end of the Zhou Dynasty scholars looked for ways to restore the ancient Chinese values of order, harmony, and respect for authority

Confucius • Confucius – influential Chinese scholar who spent his life studying history, music, and moral character • Deep desire to restore the order and moral living of earlier times

5 Basic Relationships • Social order, harmony, and good government could be restore if society were organized around 5 relationships • 1. Ruler and Subject • 2. Father and Son • 3. Husband Wife • 4. Older Brother and Younger Brother • 5. Friend and Friend

Filial Piety • Filial Piety- respect for parents and ancestors • To Confucius this meant devoting oneself to one’s parents during their lifetime • Also required honoring their memories after death through rituals

Filial Piety • “Nowadays people think they are dutiful sons when they feed their parents. Yet they also feed their dogs and horses. Unless there is respect, where is the difference? ”

Analects • Analects- book of teachings by Confucius collected by his students

Confucius and Government • Gentlemen have 4 virtues • 1. In private conduct he is courteous • 2. In serving his master he is punctilious (precise) • 3. In providing for the needs of the people he gave them even more than their due • 4. In exacting service from the people, he is just

Not a Religion • Confucianism is not a religion • It is an ethical system, system based on accepted principles of right and wrong • Foundation for Chinese government and social order

Other Ethical Systems

Daoism • Daoism- philosophy of Laozi, emphasizing oneness with nature • A universal force, the Dao, meaning the Way, guides all things. • Of all the creatures of nature only humans fail to follow the Dao • Humans should be in balance with nature and not overly concerned with worldly things

Laozi

Legalists • Legalism- Chinese political philosophy based on the idea that a highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order • Rulers should give rich rewards to those who serve them well • The disobedient should be harshly punished • Believed in controlling ideas as well as actions

Qin Dynasty • Qin Dynasty- Chinese dynasty that replaced the Zhou Dynasty in the 3 rd Century BC

Shi Huangdi • Shi Huangdi- founder of the Qin Dynasty who used Legalist ideas to unify his country • Obsessed with immortality

Terracotta Army • • 2000 soldiers between 6’ and 6’ 5” 100 chariots 400 horses 300 cavalry horses

• Terra Cotta Soldiers

Strengthen the Trunk and Weaken the Branches • Commanded all noble families to live in the capital • Murdered Confucian scholars • Burned books • Established an autocracy- government that has unlimited power

Centralization • Built an extensive highway network • Standards for writing, law, currency, weights and measures, and length of cart axles

Great Wall of China • Great Wall of China- defensive barrier to protect China from invaders from the north (Mongolia) • 1500 miles long • Averages 25 ft in height • 15 -30 ft thick at the base

Fall of the Qin • Peasants rebelled 3 years after Shi Huangdi’s death • His son was just as ruthless but not nearly as good a leader • By 202 BC the Han Dynasty took over