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Chapter 01 Ancient River Valley Civilizations

Ancient river valley civilizations developed along fertile river basins including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. They established cities, writing systems, specialized workers, complex institutions, and advanced technologies. Each civilization contributed greatly in areas like religion, government, mathematics, and architecture while adapting to their unique geographic environments.

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221 views29 pages

Chapter 01 Ancient River Valley Civilizations

Ancient river valley civilizations developed along fertile river basins including Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. They established cities, writing systems, specialized workers, complex institutions, and advanced technologies. Each civilization contributed greatly in areas like religion, government, mathematics, and architecture while adapting to their unique geographic environments.

Uploaded by

ramesh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Ancient River Valley

Civilizations
1. Mesopotamia: Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers
2. Egypt: Nile River
3. India: Indus and Ganges Rivers
4. China: Yellow and Yangtze
Rivers
The Growth of Civilization

• Agricultural Revolution: farming created settled


communities

• The five traits of a civilization


– Cities
– Writing
– Specialized workers
– Complex institutions
– Technology
Mesopotamia /
Fertile Crescent
Located between Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers
Some contributions of
ancient civilizations
• Sumer: first civilization, plow, sailboat,
wheel, cuneiform, ziggurats, polytheism
• Babylon: Code of Hammurabi
• Phoenicians: the alphabet and improved
shipbuilding
• Jews: ethical monotheism, Judaism
• Persians: well-built empire based on
tolerance
Egypt, “Gift of the Nile”
History of pharaohs
• Around 3200 B.C., King Narmer of Upper
Egypt conquered Lower Egypt and united
the two kingdoms
• The Egyptian kinds used the title of
“pharaoh” and were considered god/kings
Some contributions of
Egyptian civilization
• Hieroglyphics
• Egyptian religion (polytheistic)
• Pyramids
• Mummification
• Medicine
Br o n z e Ag e
E mp i r e s
Indus Valley
• Located between Indus and
Ganges Rivers
Some of the many contributions of
Indus Valley civilizations include. . .
• Sanskrit
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Reincarnation
• Caste system
Complex Institutions
Religion in the Indus Valley
Hinduism
• Hinduism is a mixture of Aryan and
ancient Indian culture
• The sacred writings are the Vedas that
explain the basic philosophy of
Hinduism.
• Beliefs include reincarnation, moksha,
and castes.
A second religion of the Indus
Valley is Buddhism.
• Founder = Sidhartha Gautama
• Beliefs = Four Noble Truths,
Eightfold Path,
Nirvana
• No complex rituals, as in Hinduism, and it
is taught in the everyday language.
Indus River Valley

• Indus sites not fully discovered yet


• No kings/queens known
• Few available records
• Was largest empire until Persia
develops 1000 years later
Indus River Valley
• Two main cities of the Indus Valley
• Harappa
• Mohenjo-Daro
• Both carefully planned & laid out in
a grid pattern
• Structures built of oven-fired bricks
• Homes had indoor plumbing
Indus River Valley
• Archaeologists believe the 2 cities
had strong organized government
• Food seemed to be in good supply
• City planning indicates
development of mathematical skills
• Indus first to cultivate cotton
• Polytheistic religious beliefs
Huang He River Valley
• China’s geography has isolated it
• Chinese developed belief that
China was the center of the Earth &
source of all civilization
• China to south & southwest
hemmed in by Tien Shan &
Himalaya mountains
China’s River Valley
• Located between the Yellow (Huang-He)
and Yangtze (Chang Jiang) Rivers
Chinese philosophies
• Confucianism: based on family, respect
and education
• Daoism: based on living simply and
harmony with nature
• Legalism: based on a strict and powerful
government
Some of China’s many
contributions include. . .
• Printing
• The Great Wall of China
• Dynastic cycle
Huang He River Valley
• China’s history began in Huang He
Valley
• People learned to farm during the
Neolithic Age
• The yellow soil particles in the river
give it its name “Yellow”
• Also known as “China’s Sorrow”
because of the unpredictable
flooding
Huang He River Valley
• The flooding is due in part to the loess in
the water that raises the level of the river
• Flooding has often been disastrous
• First Chinese in the valley to develop
were the Shang
• Zhou overthrew the Shang
• Developed Mandate of Heaven idea
Huang He River Valley
• Mandate of Heaven says that the
gods allowed a dynasty to rule until
that dynasty got old & corrupt
• New dynasty was given new Mandate
of Heaven to over throw old
• This changing of dynasties is called
the Dynastic Cycle
Start here A new
The emperor
reforms the govt.
dynasty
& makes it more
comes to power.
efficient.

Lives of common
Emperor is people improved;
defeated !! taxes reduced;
farming encouraged.

Rebel bands find Th e Problems begin


strong leader who
unites them.
Dy n a st i c (extensive wars,
invasions, etc.)
Attack the emperor. Cy c l e

Poor lose Taxes increase;


respect for govt. men forced to
They join rebels work for army.
& attack landlords. Farming neglected.

Droughts, Govt. increases


floods, spending;
famines occur. corruption.
Huang He River Valley
• By 1000 BC Chinese had develop silk
production
• Chinese also produced first books
under the Zhou
• Also produced porcelain, writing,
coined money and cast iron
Other Civilizations to Consider
• Indo-European Civilizations
–Aryans
–Hittites
Aryans
• Developed Caste System
–Lighter skin, higher caste
–Aryans blended cultures
–Brought in Hinduism
• Believed in reincarnation
• Karma & dharma
• Cows are sacred
Hittites
• Centered in Anatolia (modern Turkey,
Asia Minor)
• Developed iron technology
• Developed the chariot which changed
warfare dramatically
Other Civilizations to Consider
• Fertile Crescent
–Phoenicians
–Coast of eastern Mediterranean
Sea
–Carriers of civilization
–Created alphabet
Final Thoughts
• How are these groups similar?
• How are they different?
• What did they contribute to the world?
• What impact did geography have on
each society?

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