Early River Valley Civilizations, 3500 B.C.–450 B.C
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CHAPTER 2 • OBJECTIVE Early River Valley Analyze the process by which early peoples organized their societies Civilizations, 3500 B.C.–450 B.C. and built advanced civilizations. Previewing Main Ideas Previewing Main Ideas Remind students that they will be learn- INTERACTION WITH ENVIRONMENT The earliest civilizations formed on fertile river plains. These lands faced challenges, such as seasonal flooding ing about very early societies. These peo- and a limited growing area. ple had few models upon which to build Geography What rivers helped sustain the four river valley civilizations? their civilizations. Their response to their environment, to organizing their social POWER AND AUTHORITY Projects such as irrigation systems required leadership and laws—the beginnings of organized government. In some system, and to finding technological solu- societies, priests controlled the first governments. In others, military leaders tions to everyday problems formed a and kings ruled. foundation for most of the societies that Geography Look at the time line and the map. In which empire and river followed them. valley area was the first code of laws developed? Accessing Prior Knowledge SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Early civilizations developed bronze tools, the wheel, the sail, the plow, writing, and mathematics. These innovations spread Ask students what they know about large through trade, wars, and the movement of peoples. rivers and the lands that border them. Do Geography Which river valley civilization was the most isolated? What factors contributed to that isolation? many people live by these rivers? Why? How would their lives be different if they did not have the rivers? Guide a discus- sion of how people’s lives might have INTERNET RESOURCES been even more closely tied to rivers in • Interactive Maps Go to classzone.com for: Interactive Visuals Research Links Maps the past. • • • • Interactive Primary Sources • Internet Activities • Test Practice • Primary Sources • Current Events Geography Answers • Chapter Quiz INTERACTION WITH ENVIRONMENT The Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Indus, Huang He, and Chang Jiang helped sustain the river valley civilizations. POWER AND AUTHORITY The first code of laws was developed by the Babylonian Empire in Mesopotamia. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY China was the most isolated civilization. It was sepa- rated from others by the Himalayas, deserts, and ocean. 26 TIME LINE DISCUSSION Discuss the concepts of B.C. (before Christ) and 2. What famous code of laws was developed in 4. Point out that the period shown on this time A.D. (anno Domini; in the year of the Lord). Anno 1792 B.C.? (Hammurabi’s code of laws) line covers about 3,000 years, yet only five Domini marks the beginning of the Christian era 3. The earliest event shown on the time line events are shown. Ask students why they in Western Civilization. occurred how many years before the present? think the time line is limited to these few 1. How many years passed between the devel- (The city-states of Mesopotamia developed events. (Possible Answer: Although many opment of the first city-states and the forma- about 5,000 years before the present.) events occurred during this time, most are not tion of China’s Zhou Dynasty? (About 2000 of enough significance to list along with the years passed.) founding of empires.) 26 Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 History from Visuals Interpreting the Map Have students look at the region where each civilization is located. Do they observe any similarities among these regions? Then ask students to describe the locations of cities within each region. Have students speculate about why all the cities are located near rivers. (Possible Answers: Similarities—near a large body of water, rivers run through them. Location—cities are located by rivers; rivers provide fresh water and transportation.) Extension Ask students to use the atlas in the front of their books to identify the modern nations that now occupy the places where the four River Valley civilizations developed. (The Nile River Valley is now part of Egypt. The area of the Tigris and Euphrates civilization is now mainly in Iraq, with parts in Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. The area of the Indus Valley civilization is now in Pakistan and India. The Huang He and Chang Jiang civilizations are now entirely within China.) 27 RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Books for the Teacher Books for the Student Videos and Software Cotterell, Arthur, ed. The Penguin Encyclopedia Time-Life Book Editors. What Life Was Like On The Birth of Civilization: 6000 B.C.–2000 B.C. of Ancient Civilizations. New York: Viking, 1989. the Banks of the Nile. Alexandria, Virginia: Social Studies School Service, 1985. Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia Time-Life, 1997. This book describes daily life in 800-421-4246. and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts On ancient Egypt from 3050 B.C. to 30 B.C. Cradles of Civilization. CD-ROM. Society for File, 1990. Lerner Geography Department. Street Smart!: Visual Education, 1995. 800-624-1678. Cities in Ancient Times. Minneapolis: Lerner, Nile: River of Gods. VHS and DVD. Films for the 1994. Humanities & Sciences, 1994. 800-257-5126. Teacher’s Edition 27 CHAPTER 2 • INTERACT Why do communities need laws? Interact with History The harvest has failed and, like many others, you have little to eat. There are animals in the temple, but they are protected by law. Your cousin Objectives decides to steal one of the pigs to feed his family. You believe that laws • Help students understand daily life in should not be broken and try to persuade him not to steal the pig. But he ancient times. steals the pig and is caught. • Help students make connections with The law of the Babylonian Empire—Hammurabi’s Code—holds people responsible for their actions. Someone who steals from the temple must people and events in history. repay 30 times the cost of the stolen item. Because your cousin is unable to pay this fine, he is sentenced to death. You begin to wonder whether there EXAMINING the ISSUES are times when laws should be broken. Possible Answers 1 The Babylonian ruler 2 A scribe records the • Laws should promote good behavior Hammurabi, proceedings against Mummar. accompanied by his because the main purpose of laws is to 3 Mummar pleads for mercy. EXAMINING the ISSUES judges, sentences help people live together. Laws should Mummar to death. punish bad behavior because people will only learn to live peacefully together if they know they will be punished for doing something wrong. • yes, because by stating people’s responsibilities and duties, laws help define people’s roles in a society Discussion Have students consider what their school environment would be like if there were no rules. Would they like coming to school under those conditions? Would a lack of rules help or hinder them in getting an education? EXAMINING the ISSUES • What should be the main purpose of laws: to promote good behavior or to punish bad behavior? • Do all communities need a system of laws to guide them? Hold a class debate on these questions. As you prepare for the debate, think about what you have leaned about the changes that take place as civilizations grow and become more complex. As you read about the growth of civilization in this chapter, consider why societies developed systems of laws. 28 Chapter 2 WHY STUDY EARLY RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS? • Today, as in the time of the early river valley • People still debate the purpose of law, whether civilizations, rivers flood and drought damages it is to punish the lawbreaker or to encourage crops. People must continue to adapt to the lawful behavior. environment and the natural cycles. • Religion played a key role in the political power • Nations continue to develop trade with other of the early river valley civilizations. People today nations while seeking ways to protect them- continue to discuss the role that religion should selves from invasion and takeovers by other, play in our government and political system. more powerful countries. 28 Chapter 2 LESSON PLAN 1 Camel rider at Giza Pyramids Chinese Han Dynasty tile painting OBJECTIVES in Egypt • Summarize how geography affected City-States in Mesopotamia culture in the Fertile Crescent. • Describe city-states and how other cultures learned about them. MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW TERMS & NAMES • Describe Sumerian religious beliefs, social structure, and technology. INTERACTION WITH The development of this • Fertile • cultural ENVIRONMENT The earliest civilization reflects a settlement Crescent diffusion • Explain the influence of Sumer on civilization in Asia arose in pattern that has occurred • Mesopotamia • polytheism later civilizations. Mesopotamia and organized repeatedly throughout history. • city-state • empire into city-states. • dynasty • Hammurabi FOCUS & MOTIVATE SETTING THE STAGE Two rivers flow from the mountains of what is now Turkey, down through Syria and Iraq, and finally to the Persian Gulf. Over six The people of Mesopotamia faced thousand years ago, the waters of these rivers provided the lifeblood that allowed unpredictable flooding and drought. the formation of farming settlements. These grew into villages and then cities. Ask how the unpredictability of the weather affects students’ lives. Geography of the Fertile Crescent TAKING NOTES (Possible Answers: changes in outdoor A desert climate dominates the landscape between the Persian Gulf and the Identifying Problems plans; difficulty getting to and from and Solutions Use a Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia. Yet within this dry region lies an arc of chart to identify Sumer's school or other activities) land that provided some of the best farming in Southwest Asia. The region’s environmental problems curved shape and the richness of its land led scholars to call it the Fertile and their solutions. Crescent. It includes the lands facing the Mediterranean Sea and a plain that INSTRUCT Problems Solutions became known as Mesopotamia (MEHS•uh•puh•TAY•mee•uh).