SOL 3 River Valley Civilizations – Flashcards

- The 5 developments which historians and archaeologists use to define a group as a civilizations - Advanced Cities - Specialization of Labor - Complex Institutions - Record-Keeping - Advanced Technology

- Cities that were planned out with public structures - Planning could include, streets layed out in a grid pattern, public store houses (place to keep food), and public water systems -These developments imply that a central government was present

- individuals focus on a single set of skills therefore becoming better at them. - people no longer had to learn how to do everything. - as people became experts in their field advancements were made that benefit everyone in the society

- Organizations or groups that have complex rules and or levels -Examples are government and religions - helps unite civilizations and helps them to be prosperous

- the recording of information such as laws and histories.

- the continual improvement of tools and weapsons that in turn improves production and helps a civilization thrive.

- areas that have a river flowing through and are protected by mountains or large hills (creating a valley) - popular type of area for civilizations to develop in due to the resources (water and fertile soil) and protection that they offer.

-land that is good for producing crops. -the type of land that attracted humans to river valleys to settle.

-Ways of living that developed in early civilizations - They include patterns of economics, society, and politics.

- Communities begin to organize in to the World's first political states (city states, Kingdoms, and Empires) -Gov'ts are centralized around a single political leader - Political leaders were usually religious leaders as well (Theocracies developed) - Written law codes are created to maintain order (10 commandments and Code of Hammurabi)

-Hereditary rulers (dynasties). This tradition of passing assets (things) and power done to ones offspring, usually father to son, begins. - Ridgid social class systems are established. Upper class is small and powerful, the lower classes are poor and have little power in society. Upwards mobility in society is nearly impossible. - Slavery, based on conquest or debt, is a common practice.

- Bronze and iron (metals) are used to make advanced weapons and tools. This includes plows which help create agricultural surpluses. - Irrigation canals also helped create agricultural surpluses that could be used for trade. - Trade increased along rivers and seas (easier to load up a boat and sail to a destination to trade than it was to travel over land.) - Specialization in labor led to the development of better products as people became experts in their crafts.

- to be passed down through a blood line/ family - common practice for the passing of ruling power in ancient civilizations

- Different divisions of society or community, usually based on occupation, birth, or wealth. - In the ancient world these structures were inflexable or ridgid, nearly impossible for one to move up in social ranks.

-Fees collected by government. - In the ancient world these were usually collected in the form or goods (usually food). The food would then be used to pay people for their work for the government.

- to have extra or more than what is needed - in ancient civilizations an agricultural surplus provided insurance that people would have enough to eat, and an opportunity to expand the economy (trade the extra food)

- a means of trade in which people exchange one good or service for another. - no money used.

- the condition of being owned by another person and being made to work without wages - common in the ancient world - slavery based on conquest and military power, not race - debt could also cause a person to be enslaved

-supplying land with water through a network of canals - used along river valleys by civilizations like the Sumerians and Egyptians

- a belief in many gods or goddesses. - the vast majority of civilizations in the ancient world had a religion that held this belief.

- a god or goddess. - usually used when referring to a supernatural being that is worshipped for being in control of a specific element in nature.

- as human communities developed there was a need to record information in a way that was standardized. - the earliest were pictograms, but eventually more complex and stable systems developed.

- earliest form of written language. - pictures were drawn of the item that one was trying to refer to. -problem was everyone can draw things differently and sometimes people could misunderstand or not understand at all what the pictogram was trying to communicate to the reader.

- the land located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers - part of the area known as the Fertile Crescent - translates to "the land between rivers" - both Sumer and Babylonia developed in this area.

- Two river valleys in Asia that create the area known as Mesopotamia. - the world first civilizations developed on these river valleys

- Ancient civilization in Mesopotamia that developed between 5000 and 4000 BCE. - collection of city-states that shared a common culture, including religious beliefs. - Practiced a polytheistic religion, city-states often honored different gods more than others (each city-state had a patron god). -Built large temples, called ziggurats. They were step pyramids -may have event the wheel -developed a form of writing called cuneiform.

- system of writing developed in Sumer. - wooden tools were used to press wedge shapes into clay tablets.

-Large step pyramid temples constructed by the Sumerians to honor their various gods and goddesses. - Sumerians believed that these linked them to the gods.

- invented by the Sumerians around 3000 BCE. - attached to carts to make transportation easier.

- Kingdom that developed in Mesopotamia - Most famous king was Hammurabi - Known for being home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient World, the Hanging Gardens. - Also known for being home to one of the earliest written law codes, the Code of Hammurabi

-Powerful King of Babylonia - Famous for creating a written law code, the Code of Hammurabi.

- Written law code developed by the Babylonian King Hammurabi. - Hammurabi claimed that one of the gods gave them the laws. - Laws were inscribed (carved) onto a stela

- Babylonian king that had the Hanging Gardens of Babylon Bulit. - Captured the city of Jerusalem and exiled the Jews.

- An Epic (very long poem) written in Mesopotamia. - Recounts the adventures of King Urur. - The world's earliest known work of literature

- Civilization that was established in Canaan, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. - Founded is considered to be Abraham - First civilization to practice a monotheistic religion, known as Judaism.

Area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea where the Hebrews estblished their homeland.

- City located in Israel. - City that is sacred to the Jewish people, as it is the site where the first Jewish temple was built

- Founder/Father of the Hebrew people and Judaism. - First person (according to Jewish beliefs) that entered into a covenant with Yahweh (Jewish God). Yahweh promised Abraham protection and to make his family the leaders of a great nation, and Abraham promised the he and his descendants would obey and honor Yahweh.

- Prophet of the Jewish faith that led the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt. - Born a to a Hebrew family shortly before Pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew baby boys to be killed to control the population. His mother and sister set him in a basket on the Nile where he floated to the safety of the Pharaoh's daughter. He was raised in the Pharaoh's house. - Moses received the 10 Commandments from Yahweh on Mount Sinai, and later the Torah.

- Holy book of Judaism - Contains the history of the Hebrew people as well at their reilgious scriptures. - Included Mosaic Law (10 Commandments) - Usually written on scrolls - Makes up the first 5 Books of the Christian Bible (Old Testament)

- The scattering of the Jewish people outside of Israel. - Began with the Babylonia Exile or Babylonian Capitivity of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.

- The massive exit of the Hebrew people from Egypt. - The Hebrews were led by the prophet Moses out od slavery.

- The Hebrew/Jewish God - Jews believe that he is the one and only true God and that he created the Universe and everything in it.

- A promise between two parties, in which both sides have obligations to the other. - Example: Abraham entered into a convenant with Yahweh. Abraham promised obedience and Yahweh promised protection.

- Monotheistic faith of the Hebrew people - Believe that there is only on God, Yahweh - Established the 10 Commandments as God's Law - Holy Book is the Torah - Basis for other monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam

- the practice of worshipping only one God. - The Hebrews were the first to establish a religion using thsi belief, called Judaism

- The last remaining part of the first Jewish Temple. - Located in Jerusalem, it is the most sacred and holy site for Jewish people.

- Ancient Fertile Crescent Civilization that developed along the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. - Became the ancient world's most skilled and famous sea traders. - Established colonies and trade posts throughout the Mediterranean Basin (the coast line of the Mediterranean), including areas in Africa and Europe (Spain, Greece, and Italy) - Famous for producing Purple Dye and blown glass vases.

Large body of water located between Europe and Africa.

- The utilization of sea trade routes. - sea trade became favorable, especially for the Phoenicians because mountain ranges obstructed their ability to trade by land to the east. - easier and faster load a boat and sail with supplies to trade than it is to try and travel by land.

- Phoenicians created this by crushing up little shell fish and adding them to boiling water. - Was very expensive and therefore the color of the fabrics it dyed became associated with the rich or royalty.

- Trees/wood cut down for building purposes. - Phoenicians had an abundance of lumber and were able to built ships with it.. they also used it for trade.

- Writing system established by the Phoenicians. - Influenced the modern english alphabet

- Civilization that developed in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) - Famous for creating the world's first coined money, thereby creating the world's first money economy.

- Precious metal that was pressed and marked with a symbol to indicate its weight and where it was from. - First created by the Lydians for trade purposes.

- an economy in which one gets goods or services in exchange for a specific amount of precious metal (coined usually). - Essentially invented by the Lydians.

- Land mass that juts out into the Mediterraneans Sea - Most western part of Asia. - Modern country of Turkey - Area where the Lydians established their civilization

- Civilization that was established along the northern banks for the Nile River (The Lower Nile) - Ruled by Pharaohs (kings) - Practiced a polytheistic religion - Developed a writing system called hieroglyphics.

- Major river located in Northeastern Africa - Egyptian and Nubian Civilizations developed along its banks

-yearly occurance in river valleys caused by either snow melt or rain up stream. - is anticipated and expected by the people in the area. - in Egypt it provided extra water for irrigation and also deposited a layer of new and fertile in the fields that would be used for farming.

- Area at the end of a river where it slows and builds up silt deposits.

- site in ancient Egypt where the Great Pyramids are located - on the west bank of the Nile

- 3 Large structures that were each built for a single Pharoah. - each is a tomb for its Pharaoh - Located at Giza, were built from limestone and granite - Constructed during the Old Kingdom for the Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

- Large limestone monument created in Ancient Egypt during the old kingdom (poss.) - Most likely built to honor the gods, it depicts a human head (specifically of a pharoah) on a cats body.

- Egyptian word for King. - Believed to be part god by there people.

- First Female Pharaoh of Egypt - Strong leader of the New Kingdom that maintained Egypts borders and expanded foreign trade - Often is depicted as a man, and she wore a false bread to give the impression that she was as strong a ruler as any man.

-Pharaoh during the New Kingdom - Attempted to change Egyptain religious practices by forcing the civilization t obecome monotheistic. He worshipped Aton, the Sun disk, as the Supreme God. He had temples for other gods and goddesses closed. - Is supposed to have been the father of King Tut

- Pharaoh during the New Kingdom - Son of Akhenaton, was born named Tutankaten, but changed his name because he disagreed with his fathers worship of Aton (Aten) - Died young and really did not do much as a ruler. - Famous because his intact tomb was found full of treasures in 1922

- Last strong Pharaoh of the New Kingdom - Ruled for nearly 70 years - Is associated with the bibical story of the Exodus.

- located on the west bank of the Upper Nile near Thebes/Luxor. -burial place for atleast 60 pharaohs and people of the nobility of ancient Egypts New Kingdom. - Became popular place to bury pharaohs and nobles because it was cheaper that pyramids and much more secret.

- Written language developed in ancient Egypt - pictures represent sounds and words (not like pictograms, the bird does not actually mean bird)

- process created by the ancient Egyptians that preserves the dead body by drying it out. - uses natron (salt and baking soda mixture that occurs naturally along the nile) to dry the body, then the body is wrapped for extra protection. - Egyptians believed that the body must be preserved to enter the afterlife.

- the internal organs of a person being mummified were placed in these. -they were placed in teh tomb with teh body so that all parts of the person were together, thus preserving the body in total. - each had a topper depicting a god or goddess that protected the particular organs inside. - organs were removed to insure that they did not cause decomposition in the body.

- Large stone pillars topped with a pyramid shape. - decorative elements in Egyptian architecture - usually inscribed with stories or spells. Found often in temples.

- Egyptian King of the Dead. - First person to be mummified so he is greatly associated with the process.

- people who were employed to record information. - usually the only people in society (in the ancient world) that could read and write

- group of nomadic warriors that invaded Egypt towards the end of the Middle Kingdom. - had advanced tools and weapons such as the compound bow and chariot. - came from an area north of the Caspian sea and maybe related to the Indo-Aryans that invaded India, and the Dorians that invade Greece

- First period of dynastic rule in Egypt - 2700-2200 BCE -Pyramids were built during this time - Pharaohs established divine and absolute rule. -Ended because of drought and faminie which weakened the Pharaohs power

- Second period of Dynastic rule in Ancient Egypt. -2080 to 1780 BCE - Golden Age for Egypt - Capital was moved to Thebes, and the territory to the south called Nubia was captured. - During this time the religious belief that all people, not just pharaohs, had an afterlife was established.

- Last of the periods of Dynastic rule in Ancient Egypt - 1550 to 1100 BCE - Known as the period of Empire building. Egypt reached its largerst borders -trade was expanded throughout the middle east. -Economy became slave based as Egypt exported crops.

- form of paper created by Egyptians using the papyrus plant which grew around the Nile's banks