(MY NOTES) Mesopotamia: The Tigris & Euphrates. Long docks were built along the river for easy trading with ships. Did not have a lot of natural resources so they relied heavily on trading/commerce. "lush" waters created plentiful crops. They built canals from the river for irrigation & used weeds/mud to make baskets and pottery. Very enriched soil with an abundance minerals from layers of silt from the rivers. The Sumerians were highly innovative people who responded creatively to the challenges of the changeable Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Many of the great Sumerian legacies, such as writing, irrigation, the wheel, astronomy, and literature, can be seen as adaptive responses to the great rivers. Mesopotamia was very very very dry - little rainfall, so rivers were extremely important for crops. From winter months, the snow from mountains would melt, causing the rivers to flood and ruin crops, challenging the farmers.The river could change courses without notice, causing draining in certain arms of the rivers, making irrigation useless. The Tigris River was fast flowing and more dangerous of causing rapid floods. The Euphrates River was more used for transportation as the river flows smoothly. Its banks are lower which are more suitable for irrigation purposes. Also built canals and waterways. Life basically revolved around the rivers, major cities were all along the river. If a river would flood, cities would abandon that area. Areas along the river were perfect for grazing sheep and cattle.
Nile River: Nile river is 4,160 miles long. Located in Africa and flows through many countries. A lot of animals and cities around the river. Traded along the Nile river - very easy. People of Nile river called Egyptians and lived in upper class, middle class, and lower class. Religion based on nature: Sun God & God of Nile. Preserved people in mummies along with daily needs, believed in after life. Three civilizations were formed, as well as many villages with own rituals and Gods.
Yellow River: In China. Named after the yellow clay "loess" about 3000 miles long and empties into Pacific Ocean. Floods caused a lot of deaths, famine, and disease. Yellow River merges with Yangzte - great food producing area. Had to rely on themselves for crops and livestock because mountains and valleys made it hard for people to trade. Very supernatural. Leader of civilization: Shang King and warlords supervised other territories. Family very important and father did/arranged everything. Didn't have written language for a while. Had three dynasties: Xia, Shang, & Tang and most cities by river were walled.
Indus River: In Southwest Asia, present day Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and China. Bordered by Himalayas and Arabian Sea, branched to 7 rivers. Good soil for crops & transportation/trade, fertilized land, irrigation, fish/water. Worshiped Mother Goddess, animals, believed in life after death. Literate society wrote on pot, seals, tablets. Wore colorful robes, necklaces, rings, bangles, earrings, etc. Skilled in pottery, shell-working, ceramics, weaving. Called Harappan civilization with 4 classes of society. Cities in perfect grid patterns and first sanitation system.
Emperors & Kingdoms: Indus River - no kingdoms known of. Yellow River - Xia Dynasty is first, little known because no writing, known for black pottery. Shang Dynasty is one of the most known, created bronze objects, human sacrifice. Western Zhou used father to son kingdom passing and didn't rule all of what was then China, then after being attacked turned into Eastern Zhou. Mesopotamia - Babylon Nation was small and powerless at first, but then went in better direction. Empire did not last long because its emperor died. Neo Babylonian Empire established later, taken over later by Romans. Egyptian - Pharaohs buried in pyramids, had absolute power, considered gods. Middle Kingdom was during "Golden Age" trade, arts, and literature. Strong armies, but now when pharaohs died buried in tombs. New Kingdom was Egypt's expansion period and became world power.
Decline of Civilizations: Mesopotamia: Akkadian Empire fell in 1950 BC by attack of Amorites, unknown why couldn't defend themselves. Babylonian Empire collapsed to Romans because leaders after Nebuchadnezzar were never very strong. Egypt: Most powerful during Ramesside Period. Invaded by Libyans, Nubians, Assyria, Babylonian, Persian, and Greece. Ptolemy Soter made himself ruler of Egypt. Ptolemaic dynasty ruled until 30 BC when it fell to Roman empire and became Roman province. Yellow River: Xia dynasty subsided from famine and overrun by Shang Dynasty. Shang's king was killed by leader of Zhou Clan, then they destroyed due to civil war. Indus: Floods ruined irrigation, building, and people stopped taking care of crops so that caused civilization to fall, then Aryans took over.
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