River Civilizations and Other civilizations of Southwest Asia

River Civilizations and Other civilizations of Southwest Asia

During the New Stone Age, permanent settlements appeared in River Valleys and around the Fertile Crescent. Ancient River Valley Civilizations River Valleys provided: • Rich soil for crops and • Protection from invasion Source: http: //acc 6. its. brooklyn. cuny. edu/~phalsall/images/riv-vall. gif

These early civilizations existed between 3500 -500 BC The first civilization was Sumer in Mesopotamia, which means “Land between two rivers” Situated between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.

Political: City States First Rulers were Priests Economic: Agriculture, Trade with Egypt Religious: Polytheistic Social: Mesopotamia/Sumer Ziggurats Priests important Slavery not based on race Intellectual: Cuneiform or wedge-shaped writing based on pictograms Achievements: Invented the wheel, sail and plow Geography: Euphrates and Tigris Rivers flow into Persian Gulf, Zagros Mountainsprovide protection

The second civilization to develop was Egypt along the Nile River. http: //loellenpark. org/callens/images/stories/Ancient_Egypt_Map. jpg

Egypt Nile River Valley Political: Unified- One government in which Pharaohs = Gods, hereditary rule Economic: Agriculture, Trade with Mesopotamia & Kush Gold is important! Religious: Polytheistic – A wonderful life after death Mummification, pyramids Social: Priests at top Slavery not based on race Intellectual: Hieroglyphics – picture based writing Achievements: Papyrus, math, engineering, the Pyramids and a 365 day calendar The Nile – the longest river in the world. Deserts Geography: provide protection

The Third River Civilization was the Indus River Valley civilization in India

Political: Indus River Valley strong centralized gov’t Economic: Traded with Sumer Hinduism Religious: Social: Few social class differences Intellectual: Writing has never been Deciphered so little is known Achievements: Indoor Plumbing…remember the toilets? Geography: Indus River, Hindu Kush Mountains, Himalayas provided protection, Indian subcontinent

The Fourth River Valley Civilization was The Huang He River civilization in China Source: http: //core. ecu. edu/hist/tuckerjo/chinciv. jpg

Political: Mandate of Heaven, Dynasties Beginning with Shang Dynasty Economic: Religious: Social: Agriculture- no trade outside of China Ancestor Worship – Oracle bones used to communicate with ancestors Divided between Nobles and Peasants Family very important Intellectual: Achievements: Geography: China – Huang He River Civ Writing based on pictures Chariot, Silk, Bronze weapons Development of Iron Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts provided protection Huang He River was “Yellow” because windblown Loess was yellow