<p> Chapter 15 Notes: North Africa and the Middle East (Section 1)</p><p>I. Physical Geography A. Rivers and Deserts (pg 419) 1. Seas of deserts: Sand and rocks 2. Water can be found in wells and oasis areas 3. Rivers flooding annually make the soil fertile: able to grow crops B. Rivers are important to life in the Middle East (pg 420) 1. 3 areas of fertile land due to rivers flooding a. Nile: In Egypt, longest river in world b. Tigris: In Turkey and Iraq c. Euphrates: In Turkey, Syria and Iraq d. Land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers: Mesopotamia “Land between the Rivers” e. Mesopotamia is part of the Fertile Crescent: fertile land arched from Persian Gulf to Med. Sea that surrounds the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. 2. Civilizations developed in stages around rivers. We can’t say ____ date is the beginning of civilization (based upon our definition) due to different groups of people adapting differently and at different times in history. 3. Three waves of development, all sparked by an advancement. a. Hunters and gatherers searched and gathered food. Hunting, Fishing, gathering, grains, fruits & nuts. Migrated to where the food was: Nomads b. Accidental Farming: people needed a way of storing food as they found it. Developed baskets, jars, and other containers. Some seeds were accidentally dropped. People began to notice that the plants grew from seeds. c. People began to grow their own food: Agriculture. They began to settle around river plains because of fertile soil left by flooding waters. d. People started to develop tools to help them in their work: They domesticated (tamed) their animals for work, made plows to be drug by the animals, created irrigation systems to water plants away from water sources. Created tools first from stone, then bronze, iron, etc. 3. Dawn of Civilizations: Cities (Worksheet) Civilization must have the following to be considered a city: a. Hierarchy: division of social classes. Someone has to be in charge/someone has to be a follower (most primitive civilizations create their leaders into “gods on earth” to maintain order. People will follow a “son of a god” more than a king. Example: Pharaohs. b. Political structure: some form of government: makes the laws, enforces them and settles disputes. c. Religion: Some sort of belief system. There are two types: Polytheism (belief in many gods) and Monotheism (belief in one god). Polytheism derives from people not understanding how the world works, the rain god made it rain, the sun god was happy and made the sun shine. Monotheistic societies are an indication that people understand nature, but believe that one being controls it: indicating deep thinkers and a more sophisticated society. d. Architecture: permanent buildings. Nomads pack up their homes or have two or more homes to move to. Permanent structures cannot be moved, usually mud brick in this region. e. Writing: May be pictograph, hieroglyphic, or uses symbols. C. Due to the uneven distribution of resources, cities began to trade with one another. (pg 421) D. When civilizations began to see more successful societies, they tended to attack and take over lands. This developed the need for weapons, both for protection and defense. 1. Early weapons were farming and hunting tools, then developed spears and swords. 2. Better weapons meant need for better armor: developed 1st leather breast plates, then metal armor.</p>