River Valley Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China All of the worlds earliest civilization had at least

t one thing in common -they rose in river valleys that were good locations for farming. Three key factors made river valleys good for farming. o The fields that bordered the rivers were flat, which made it easier farmers to plant crops. o The soils were nourished by flood deposits and silt which made them very fertile o The river provided the water farmers needed for irrigation. Rivers also allowed for travel and trade Types of Government: 1. Anarchy-Ruled by none 2. Autocracy a. Monarchy- Ruled by one-king or queen- power it passed down b. Dictatorship- Ruled by one-power taken by force 3. Oligarchy- Ruled by a few 4. Democracy- rule by many a. Direct democracy- all citizens participate, no representative, citizens vote on issue b. Representative democracy- all citizens participate, people elect representatives who vote on issues, representative answer to the people and usually must follow a constitution Religion Religion gave citizens a hope for something better. Early civilizations relied on many gods. The civilizations believed that their gods had enormous powers. Gods could bring good harvests or disastrous floods. They could bring illness or they could bring good health and fame. Societies believed that success in life depended on pleasing the gods. They served and worshipped the gods.

Time Period

Mesopotamia

Location Place-Geography

Southwest Asia Flat plain bordered by the Tigris and Euphrates River City State-Sumer Polytheistic- believed in many gods Farmers developed methods of irrigation Sumer: social classes Hammurabi took control and established the Babylonian EmpireFarmers Irrigation allowed more than crops to support population Hammurabi-He is best known for his code of laws Cuneiform-writing- used for business transitions Scribe-writer

Place-Religion HEI Government

Economy

Famous Person Accomplishment

Time Period
Location Place-Geography

Ancient Egypt
Africa Fertile Nile River valley-dependable floods Cataracts, deltas, and deserts-protected the Egyptians from invasions Polytheistic Believed that pharaohs were sons of Re-Egypts sun god Pyramids-prepared for afterlife farmers Advances in the civilization created need for govt31 Dynasties 3-periods-Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdoms Pharaohs-leader Relied on river for Dependable floods -crops transportation and trade

Place-Religion

HEI Government

Economy

Famous Person

Famous Pharaohs- Hatshepsut Tutankhamen Ramses

Accomplishments

Hieroglyphics-writing system Pyramids-burial tombs

Papyrus paper like material

Time Period

Indus River Valley

Location

India-subcontinent Harappa Civilization Mohenjo Daro

Place-Geography

Climate- monsoons Himalayas-protection/isolation Indus River/Ganges River-silt fertile soil, used for travel and trade Hinduism-Polytheistic Every person has a sole that will reach Brahman Believed in reincarnation Karma affects how he/she will be reincarnated Buddhism-based on teachings of BuddhaFour Noble Truths- suffering and unhappiness comes from desires Eightfold Path-follow these steps and you can overcome desires farmers Caste System-rigid and strict Varnas-social classes Untouchables Aryans- lived in small communities- no single ruler Relied on river for Dependable floods crops transportation and trade Siddhartha Gautama- Buddha (Enlightened One) Sanskrit-written language Temples Alloys-mixture of two metals Inoculation-injection of small dose of virus

Place-Religion

HEI Government

Economy Famous Person Accomplishments

Time Period Location Place-Geography

Ancient China Southeast Asia Natural Barriers Help-protection/isolation other civilizations Hurt-less trading

Unique culture no mixing of

Place-Religion HEI Government

Gobi Desert Himalaya Mt Range Tibetan Plateau Pacific Ocean Buddhism-many Chinese began to practice Buddhism to cope with stress and fear Farmers Strict Social Classes Shang/Zhou Dynasty-claimed the Mandate of Heaven 3 philosophies Confucianism Daoism Legalism

Qui Dynasty-harsh leader, practiced Legalism-strong central government, single form of currency Construction of roads and canals Han Dynasty-founded by Liu Bang China grew in size/population Inventions waterwheel, paper, acupuncture, rudder

Economy

Merchants used Silk Road to transport goods as far as Greece and Rome Domesticated animals-pigs/sheep Developed pottery Kublai Khan- came from Mongolia but spent much of China He completed the conquests of China that Genghis Khan had begun Ruled one of the largest empires in the world history. Welcomed foreign visitors Increased contact with the West Qui Dynasty-Great Wall-barrier that linked earlier walls that stood near Chinas northern border Silk Road- trade route connecting Han China to Rome Empire

Famous Person

Accomplishments

The Forbidden City- Ming Dynasty-not actually a city-huge complex of almost 1,000 buildings in the heart of Chinas capital-built for emperor and familyordinary people forbidden to enter the city Grand Canal- canal linking northern and southern China-Sui Dynasty

Time Period Location

Mesoamerican Land Bridge called Beringia Scientists and historians believe that people in Asia crossed this bridge while hunting animals, and they became the first people to inhabit the America MayaThrived in Guatemalas dense rain forest and took advantage of their homelands large system underground rivers and streams Organized city-states and built culture based on religious beliefs 365-day calendar, a system of mathematics based on number 20, written language hieroglyphics AztecNomadic warriors who moved in the Valley of Mexico Built an empire on conquest of war Inca Set up highly organized government and society Built large works of stone that pleased their gods

Place-Geography

Time Period Location Place-Geography

Ancient Greece Europe Major role in society- mountains, climate, seas determined where people settled and what they did Peninsula- water on three side- great access to water for trade, travel, food source Mountains- separated city-states Polytheistic Building monuments-Parthenon Geography shaped government as well- dividing the people into distinct communities Athens-direct democracy Sparta- oligarchy Olive oil, wine-vineyards and shipping Pericles -built large empire-became more democratic under his leadership Alexander the Great -spread Greek culture through southwest Asia and Northern Africa. (Hellenistic Era) Philosophers Socrates, Aristotle and Plato Literature- epicsmyths drama-comedy/tragedy

Place-Religion HEI Government

Economy Famous Person

Accomplishments

Time Period Location

Ancient Rome Italy

Place-Geography

PeninsulaCentrally located Mountains in the north Polytheistic Later turned to Christianity- Constantine Farming Building monuments Building roads Republic - Headed by consuls Plebeians

Place-Religion HEI

Government

Classes: Patricians wealthy aristocrats

Economy Famous Person Accomplishments

Trading and farming Julius Caesar Octavian/Augustus System of roads, aqueducts, common currency Contributions to government, law, language and the arts

Fall of Rome

Due to failing economy, attack by Germanic tribes weakened , poor leaders Empire to large to govern

Time Period Location Place-Geography

Byzantine Empire (Developed when Roman Empire split into two partsEastern part) Western Asia- Between Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea Centrally located Located between two seas protected the city from attack and let the city control trade between Europe and Asia Christianity Emperors- had great power- head of church and government Trading

Place-Religion HEI Government Economy

Famous Person Accomplishments

Justinians Code- Code help guarantee fairer treatment to all Mosaics Hagia Sophia-Byzantine church

Time Period Africa Location Africa- south of Europe 2nd largest continent Sits on a plateau Sahara Rain Forest Savanna Tropical

Place-Geography

Place-Religion

Berbers of North Africa were the first people to cross the Sahara to trade with people of West Africa Islam- monotheistic Muslim and African influences blended together, creating a unique culture and language-Swahili

HEI

Adapted to land 40% desert 40% savanna Empire Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Axum and Zimbabwe Growth of centralized governments ruled by kingsKingdoms were divided into provinces and people organized by clans Trading

Government

Economy

Famous Person

Accomplishments

Dhows- boats

Time Period Middle Ages ( 500-1500 ) Europe- England

Location

Place-Geography

Europe is a peninsula

Place-Religion

When Roman Empire fell apart people were afraid- Relied on religion for hope-Christianity Religion influenced art, politics and daily lives

HEI Government

No single government- After fall of the Roman Empire- Many small kingdoms formed Feudalism Kings, Nobles, Knights, Serfs

Economy

Farming and trading Towns people were traders As trade increased, cities grew and people became wealty

Famous Person

King John- Nobles drew up the Magna Carta- document that limited the rights of the king

Decline of feudalism

Black Death-swept through Europe and many people died from the disease. With a decrease in population, came a labor shortage and people could demand higher wages.

Time Period

Renaissance Rebirth in art, learning and culture ItalyItalys location, the wealth of the its city-states, and the competition between them helped to fuel the Renaissance Southern part of Italy-Centrally locate Peninsula

Location

Place-Geography

Place-Religion

ChristianityHumanist- wanted a balance between religion and reason

HEI Government

RepublicsMany city-states were republics but fell under the control of powerful rulers

Economy

Artists, writers, sculptors

Famous Person

William Shakespeare-writer Michelangelo- Artist-Renaissance Man- Painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel Leonardo Da Vinci- Artist- Renaissance Man- Painted the Mona Lisa

Time Period Reformation -1517 Italy

Location

Conflict

Martin Luther challenged the authority of the pope and the Roman Catholic Church He did not like that the church was selling indulgences He felt people should pray to be forgiven for their sins not pay the church money to be forgiven Broke away from the Roman Catholic Church