Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mesopotamia PDF
Mesopotamia PDF
MAKING CONNECTIONS
How does progress affect history?
During the 1960s, Egypt built the Aswan High Dam to control flood-
ing of the Nile River. The lake rising behind the dam threatened to
destroy ancient Egyptian monuments. An international team saved
several temples including Abu Simbel—Ramses II’s temple. Abu
Simbel was carved into 20 ton blocks, moved 200 feet, and reassem-
bled. In this chapter you will learn about Egyptian rulers and temples.
• Why would other countries help Egypt preserve its monuments?
• How can countries adapt to changing needs and still preserve
their history?
c. 2700 B.C.
Egypt’s Old Kingdom
begins
24
Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, David S. Boyer/Getty Images
Egyptian History
c. 1792 B.C. c. 970 B.C. c. 521 B.C. Summarizing
Old Kingdom
Hammurabi Solomon Darius I begins Create a layered-look Middle Kingdom
book with four layers New Kingdom
comes to power becomes expanding to review the history
in Babylon King of Israel Persian Empire of ancient Egypt. Summarize the impor-
tant facts about each era in each layer.
1500 B.C. 500 B.C.
David S. Boyer/Getty Images, (l) Art Archive/Bibliothèque Musée du Louvre/Dagli Orti, (r) Roger Wood/CORBIS
Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia, located in what is now southern Iraq, was one
GUIDE TO READING area where civilization began. Its people developed complex
The BIG Idea economic, political, and social structures. Such inventions as
Physical Geography Fertile soil between written language improved the quality of their lives. As
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers allowed an early
different groups fought for power, they set up the world’s first
civilization to flourish in Mesopotamia.
empires and codified their laws.
Content Vocabulary
• polytheistic (p. 27) • cuneiform (p. 30)
• city-state (p. 28) • empire (p. 32) Geography and Religion
• ziggurat (p. 29) • patriarchal (p. 33)
• theocracy (p. 29) The physical environment of Mesopotamia supported the develop-
ment of civilization and influenced people’s religious beliefs.
Academic Vocabulary HISTORY & YOU Is your town located near a river? Read about how the fertile
• transport (p. 29) • innovations (p. 30) soil of a river valley supported the transition from a nomadic lifestyle to agriculture
and the birth of civilization.
People and Places
• Tigris River (p. 26) • Uruk (p. 28)
Civilization depends on large permanent settlements. Fertile
• Euphrates River • Akkadians (p. 32)
(p. 26)
river valleys that can support a large population are ideal loca-
• Sargon (p. 32)
• Mesopotamia (p. 26)
tions for such settlements. Highly organized societies then evolved
• Babylon (p. 33)
• Fertile Crescent (p. 26)
in these regions.
• Hammurabi (p. 33)
• Sumerians (p. 26)
The Fertile Crescent
Reading Strategy The ancient Greeks spoke of the valley between the Tigris and
Categorizing Information As you Euphrates Rivers as Mesopotamia, the land “between the riv-
read, complete a chart like the one below to help ers.” Mesopotamia was at the eastern end of the Fertile Crescent,
you study. an arc of land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
Political Life Cultural Life Inventions Rich soil and abundant crops allowed the land to sustain an early
civilization.
Mesopotamia had little rain, but over the years its soil had been
enriched by layers of silt—material deposited by the two rivers. In
late spring, the Tigris and Euphrates often overflowed their banks
and deposited their fertile silt. This flooding, however, was unpre-
dictable. It depended on the melting of snows in the upland moun-
tains where the rivers began. People in the valley could not tell
exactly when the floods would come or how large they would be.
Therefore, people in ancient Mesopotamia learned to control
the flow of the rivers. By using irrigation and drainage ditches,
farmers were able to grow crops regularly. An abundance of food
allowed many people to live together in cities, and civilization
emerged.
Mesopotamian civilization refers to the achievements of people
from three general areas: Assyria, Akkad, and Sumer. The
Sumerians were the creators of the first Mesopotamian
civilization.
26
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
20°E 40°E 60°E
B l a ck S e a CA
Ca
EUROPE UC
sp
AS
US
ia
40°N
MT
n S
S.
ea
ASIA MINOR
ASSYRIA
Me M
dit AKKAD ES Nineveh
err ZA Ancient shoreline
ane G
OP
Euph
an S Byblos rRO Fertile Crescent
Tig
SM
OT
ea
at
TNS
ris
Sidon SYRIAN
es
AM
R
LOWER ive . SUMER
Ri v
Tyre DESERT r
IA
EGYPT
er
Jerusalem Jordan Babylon Susa
River Umma Lagash
Dead Sea Uruk N
River
Eridu Ur
AFRICA UPPERNile
EGYPT (A Per E
ra sia W
bi n
an G S
Guulf
A R A B I A N lf)
D E S E R T
palace 0 400 kilometers
“City of Ur”
Re
(6th century BC)
dS
temple of royal
tombs 1. Location What mountain range forms the
hra
canal
Nin-gal
eastern border of the Fertile Crescent?
te
0 200 meters
s
palace of
Riv
Ca
Black Sea
Trade route
spia
the city physically, economically, and even cast than copper. Bronze is
n Sea
also a harder metal than
Tig
politically. Surplus food and crafts were
ri
Mediterranean
sR
Sea
stored in the temples, which could then be copper and corrodes less.
.
Trade route
Euphrates R.
distributed or traded. It could also be melted INDIA
down and remade when it
Red
The priests and priestesses who super-
Persian
vised the temples held a great deal of wore out. Gulf
Sea
power. In fact, historians believe that in the The Sumerians imported Arabian Sea
early stages of the city-states, priests and copper, tin, and timber in
priestesses played an important role in rul- exchange for dried fish, wool, barley,
ing. The Sumerians believed that the gods wheat, and metal goods. Traders traveled
ruled the cities, making the state a by land to the eastern Mediterranean in
theocracy—a government by divine the west and by sea to India in the east.
authority. The invention of the wheel, around 3000
Even when power passed into the hands b.c., led to wheeled carts, which made the
of kings, Sumerians believed that these transport of goods much easier.
rulers derived their power from the gods Sumerian city-states contained three
and were the agents of the gods. As one major social groups: nobles, commoners,
person said in a petition to his king: and slaves. Nobles included royal and
priestly officials and their families. Com-
moners worked for palace and temple
PRIMARY SOURCE estates and as farmers, merchants, fishers,
“You in your judgement, you are the son of and craftspeople. Probably 90 percent or
Anu [god of the sky]. Your commands, like the more of the people were farmers. Slaves
work of a god, cannot be reversed. Your words, belonged to palace officials, who used them
like rain pouring down from heaven, are without mostly in building projects. Temple officials
number.” most often used female slaves to weave
—anonymous Sumerian petitioner cloth and grind grain. Rich landowners
also used slaves to farm their lands.
Regardless of their origins, kings held
great power. They led armies, supervised ✓Reading Check Explaining Why were the
the building of public works, and orga- early Mesopotamian city-states considered to be
nized workers for the irrigation projects on theocracies?
The Standard of Ur was found in a grave in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. The
Standard has two main panels titled “War” and “Peace.” The “War” panel,
shown here, depicts a Sumerian army. It should be read from the bottom up, and The top panel shows the
left to right. king receiving prisoners
and other spoils of war.
A king figure in the bottom left-hand 1. Describing What events are depicted in these panels?
corner drives a chariot, which crushes 2. Interpreting What does the “War” panel reveal about
enemies under its wheels. Sumerian society?
HAMMURABI’S CODE
Hammurabi’s
code was
written on a
Although there were earlier Mesopotamian law codes, the Code 7-foot (2-m)
monument
of Hammurabi is the most complete. It influenced law codes in later
called
civilizations. The code’s influence is apparent in the precepts of the a stela.
major world religions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
though there are also significant differences.
Those who die and leave wives, a will shall provide their wives
with support for a year, provided they stay within the same
household.—Quran
If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put
out.—Hammurabi’s code
3 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound
for wound, stripe for stripe.—Bible (Old Testament)
1. Comparing What similarities do you see In some ways the laws of Hammurabi’s
between Hammurabi’s code and the Bible code were harsher than earlier Sumerian
and the Quran? laws. The laws were also more
2. Speculating Why do you think the images progressive in the areas of family law
were included at the top of the stela with and women’s rights.
Hammurabi’s code?
33
Egyptian Civilization
Egypt, like Mesopotamia, was one of the first river-valley
GUIDE TO READING civilizations. Egyptian history includes three long periods of
The BIG Idea stability and achievement interspersed with shorter periods of
Order and Security Continuity and sta- political disorder. Egyptian society was organized in layers, but
bility were characteristics of Egyptian civilization for
most people worked the land.
thousands of years.
Content Vocabulary
• dynasty (p. 36) • mummification (p. 37) Geography and Religion
• pharaoh (p. 37) • hieroglyphics (p. 42)
The Nile was fundamental to the development of Egyptian
• bureaucracy (p. 37) • hieratic script (p. 43)
civilization.
• vizier (p. 37)
HISTORY & YOU How does the geography of your region affect your outlook on
life? Learn how the Egyptians in the Nile Valley used their geography.
Academic Vocabulary
• major (p. 34)
• identifying (p. 36) The Nile River played an important role in Egyptian civilization.
• physical (p. 37) Egyptians wrote of their reliance on the great river in “Hymn to the
Nile,” praising it as the “creator of all good” in its ability to bring
People and Places them food and other riches. Like their religious beliefs, the Nile
• Nile River (p. 34) • Hatshepsut (p. 40)
provided a sense of well-being and comfort to the Egyptians.
• Lower Egypt (p. 34) • Akhenaten (p. 40)
• Upper Egypt (p. 34) • Tutankhamen (p. 40)
• Menes (p. 36) • Ramses II (p. 40) The Nile
• Giza (p. 37) • Cleopatra VII (p. 40) The Nile River begins in the heart of Africa and courses north-
• Hyksos (p. 39) ward for more than 4,000 miles (6,436 km). It is the longest river
in the world. Before it empties into the Mediterranean, the Nile
Reading Strategy splits into two major branches. This split forms a triangular terri-
Identifying As you read, complete a chart tory called a delta. The Nile Delta is called Lower Egypt; the land
like the one below to help you study. upstream, to the south, is called Upper Egypt. Egypt’s important
The Old The Middle The New cities developed at the tip of the delta, the point at which the Nile
Kingdom Kingdom Kingdom divides.
The ancient Egyptians referred to the river’s yearly flooding as
the “miracle” of the Nile. The river rose in the summer from heavy
rains in central Africa, reached its highest point in Egypt in early
autumn, and left a deposit of mud that created an area of rich soil
several miles wide on both sides of the river. The Egyptians called
this dark-colored, fertile land the “Black Land.” Beyond it lay the
deserts, the “Red Land.”
Farmers in the Nile Valley grew a surplus of food, which made
Egypt prosperous. The river also served as a unifying factor in
Egyptian history. In ancient times, the Nile was the fastest way to
travel through the land, making both transportation and commu-
nication easier. North winds pushed sailboats south, and the
Nile’s current carried them north.
Unlike Mesopotamia, which was subject to constant invasion,
Egypt was blessed by natural barriers that gave it protection from
34
20°E
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT
40°E
EGYPT
Mediterranean Sea
Dead
Sea
NILE DELTA
Pyramids for tombs were built LOWER EGYPT
during the Old Kingdom.
30°N Giza
Memphis
Saqqara
Dahshur
N
Amarna
Fertile Land (”Black Land”) N
ile
Riv
0 300 kilometers
e
r
RE
0 300 miles
Abydos
Re
Lambert Conformal Conic projection Akhenaten built his capital
D S
Valley of the Kings Karnak at Amarna.
d
Valley of the
EA
Queens Thebes
Se
HIL
a
Royalty was buried in underground LS ARABIAN
tombs during the New Kingdom.
DESERT
First Cataract
TROPIC OF CANCER
Pyramids at Giza
c. 2700 B.C.
Old Kingdom c. 2180 B.C.
begins—a First Intermediate
time of strong Period begins,
leadership and a consisting of
unified Egypt nearly 150 years
without
centralized
leadership
▲ Double crown of
unified Egypt
Herodotus wrote two thousand years after built later matched its size or splendor. The
the event, however, and speculation still pyramid was not only the pharaoh’s tomb
surrounds the building of the Great Pyra- but also an important symbol of royal
mid. Especially puzzling is how the build- power. It could be seen for miles and
ers achieved their amazing level of served to remind people of the glory,
precision. The stone slabs on the outside of might, and wealth of the ruler who was a
the Great Pyramid, for example, fit so living god on Earth.
tightly side by side that even a hair cannot
be pushed into the joints between them.
Guarding the Great Pyramid at Giza is a The Middle Kingdom
huge figure carved from rock, known as The Old Kingdom eventually collapsed,
the Great Sphinx. This colossal statue is followed by a period of disorder that lasted
240 feet (73 m) long and 66 feet (20 m) high. about 150 years. Finally, a new dynasty
It has the body of a lion and a human head. gained control of all Egypt and began the
The head is believed by many to be a like- Middle Kingdom, a period of stability last-
ness of Khufu’s son Khafre, who ordered ing from about 2055 b.c. to 1650 b.c. Egyp-
the statue’s construction. Historians do not tians later portrayed the Middle Kingdom
agree on the purpose of the Great Sphinx. as a golden age of stability.
Many Egyptians, however, believed that As evidence of its newfound strength,
the mythical sphinx was an important Egypt began a period of expansion. Nubia,
guardian of sacred sites. which was located south of Egypt, was
The Great Pyramid still stands as a visi- conquered. Fortresses were built to protect
ble symbol of the power of the Egyptian the new frontier. Egypt sent armies into
pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. No pyramid Palestine and Syria although they did not
becomes pharaoh
remain there. Pharaohs also sent traders to overwhelm the Egyptian soldiers, who
Kush, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Crete. fought from donkey carts.
One feature of the Middle Kingdom was For almost a hundred years, the Hyksos
a new concern of the pharaohs for the peo- ruled much of Egypt. The conquered Egyp-
ple. In the Old Kingdom, the pharaoh had tians learned a great deal from their con-
been seen as a god-king far removed from querors. From the Hyksos, the Egyptians
his people. Now he was portrayed as the learned to use bronze in the making of
shepherd of his people and expected to their farming tools and their weapons. The
build public works and provide for the Egyptians also mastered many of the mili-
public welfare. Pharaohs of the Middle tary skills of the Hyksos, especially the use
Kingdom undertook a number of helpful of horse-drawn war chariots.
projects. The draining of swampland in the Eventually, a new dynasty of pharaohs
Nile Delta provided thousands of acres of used the new weapons to drive out the
new farmland. The digging of a canal to Hyksos and reunite Egypt. The New King-
connect the Nile River to the Red Sea aided dom was established and lasted approxi-
trade and transportation. mately from 1550 b.c. to 1070 b.c. This
reunification launched the Egyptians along
a new militaristic path. During the period
The New Kingdom of the New Kingdom, Egypt created an
The Middle Kingdom came to an end empire and became the most powerful
around 1650 b.c. with the invasion of Egypt state in Southwest Asia.
by a group of people from western Asia Massive wealth boosted the power of the
known as the Hyksos (HIHK•sahs). The New Kingdom pharaohs. They showed
Hyksos used horse-drawn war chariots to their wealth by building new temples.
Ramses II Hatshepsut
Ruled c. 1279–1213 B.C. Egyptian Pharaoh Ruled c. 1485–1470 B.C. Egyptian Pharaoh
The long reign of Ramses II brought a variety of Hatshepsut was the daughter of the pharaoh Thutmose I.
changes to Egypt. During the early years of his She married the pharaoh Thutmose II. When he died, Hatshep-
reign, he fought the Hittites to regain control sut assumed the full power of pharaoh. Statues show
over land in Africa and western Asia. After a Hatshepsut clothed and bearded as a
decisive battle around 1274 B.C., Ramses king would be. Hatshepsut’s reign
II claimed victory for Egypt, but signed was a prosperous one. She
a treaty that divided the land between exercised her power by
the Hittites and Egyptians. He also increasing trade and complet-
married a Hittite princess as part of ing ambitious building proj-
the agreement. He undertook ects, including the temple
numerous building projects dur- at Deir el-Bahri on the
ing his reign, including estab- west bank of the Nile at
lishing a new capital city. Thebes. She was suc-
Ramses II also built many ceeded by her stepson
grand temples, such as the and nephew, Thutmose
Ramesseum at Thebes. Do III. Why do you think
you think Ramses II was Hatshepsut had herself
truly victorious over the depicted as a man
Hittites? Explain. rather than a woman?
Life in Ancient Egypt pharaoh, nobles, and priests; lived in small
villages; and provided military service and
Egyptian society was organized into forced labor for building projects.
classes.
HISTORY & YOU How does wealth or social status Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
affect lifestyle? Learn how various classes of Ancient Egyptians had a positive attitude
Egyptians lived. toward daily life on Earth. They married
young (girls at 12 and boys at 14) and estab-
Egyptian society was highly structured. lished homes and families. Monogamy
The existence of a large lower class of peas- (marriage to one person) was the general
ants allowed a small upper class of the rule, but a husband could have additional
pharaoh and nobles to live in splendor and wives if his first wife was childless.
to build elaborate temples and pyramids. The husband was master in the house, See page R34
Class was important in determining indi- but wives were very well respected. Wives to read excerpts from
vidual rights. were in charge of the household and the Vizier Ptah-hotep’s
education of the children. From a book of An Egyptian Father’s
wise sayings came this advice: Advice to His Son in
Egyptian Society the Primary Sources
and Literature
Over a period of thousands of years, PRIMARY SOURCE Library.
Egyptian society maintained a simple
“If you are a man of standing, you should love
structure. It was organized like a pyramid,
your wife at home as is fitting. Fill her belly; clothe
with the god-king at the top. The pharaoh
her back. . . . Make her heart glad as long as
was surrounded by an upper class of you live.”
nobles and priests, who joined in the elab- —B.G. Trigger et al., Ancient Egypt: A Social History
orate rituals of the pharaoh’s life. The
members of this ruling class ran the gov-
Women’s property and inheritance
ernment and managed their own landed
stayed in their hands, even in marriage.
estates, which provided much of their
Most careers and public offices were closed
wealth.
to women, but some women did operate
Below the upper class were merchants,
businesses. Peasant women worked long
artisans, scribes, and tax collectors. Mid-
hours in the fields and in the home. Upper-
dle-class homes, mostly in the city, were
class women could become priestesses,
comfortable but not elegant. Merchants
and four queens became pharaohs.
carried on an active trade up and down the
Parents arranged marriages for their
Nile, as well as in local markets. Some
children. Their chief concerns were family
merchants also engaged in international
and property. The main purpose of mar-
trade. They were sent by the pharaoh to
riage was to produce children, especially
Crete and Syria to obtain wood and other
sons. Only sons could carry on the family
products. Egyptian artisans made a huge
name. Daughters were not ignored, how-
variety of well-built, beautiful goods: stone
ever, and numerous tomb paintings show
dishes; wooden furniture; painted boxes;
the close and affectionate relationship par-
gold, silver, and copper tools and contain-
ents had with both sons and daughters.
ers; paper and rope made of papyrus; and
Although marriages were arranged, the
linen clothing.
surviving love poems from ancient Egypt
By far, the largest number of people in
suggest that some marriages included an
Egypt simply worked the land. In theory,
element of romance. Marriages could and
the pharaoh owned all the land but granted
did end in divorce, which included com-
portions of it to his subjects. Large sections
pensation for the wife.
of land were held by nobles and by the
priests who supervised the numerous tem-
ples. Most of the lower classes were peas- ✓Reading Check Summarizing List the social
ants who farmed the land of these estates. classes of ancient Egypt and identify the contributions
They paid taxes in the form of crops to the each class made to society.
Hieroglyphics
43
Preparing for the Afterlife
Every culture must deal with death. Death for Egyptians was a
gateway to an eternal afterlife. The Egyptians believed the god Osiris
judged the dead and that those who led a good life would enjoy an Most Egyptians were buried with
eternity of the most pleasant activities they enjoyed on earth. personal items and food. Pharaohs were
buried with extravagant items, like this
chariot from the tomb of Tutankhamen.
Wealthy Egyptians
mummified their dead
to preserve the bodies
for the afterlife.
44
The Great Pyramid at Giza was
the burial site of Khufu, who
ruled from 2589 B.C. to 2566 B.C.
ANALYZING VISUALS
1. Making Inferences
BURIAL OF PEASANTS How was the class struc-
ture of ancient Egyptian
society reflected in its
The majority of Egyptians could not afford the elaborate funerals of funerary practices?
the upper class. Most—including farmworkers and laborers—were 2. Comparing How was the
merely wrapped in cloth and placed in individual or communal graves. ancient Egyptian view of
The afterlife was of great importance to Egyptians at all levels of soci- death similar to and differ-
ety, so relatives might leave some food or simple objects with them. ent from views of death
That way, the dead would be comforted by familiar things. today?
45
New Centers of Civilization
Nomadic peoples played an important role in the spread of
GUIDE TO READING civilization in western and central Asia. After about 1200 B.C.,
The BIG Idea there was no dominant power in the region. The Phoenicians
Ideas, Beliefs, and Values The emerged as the most important trading kingdom in the
Israelites’ belief in one God resulted in a distinct
Mediterranean area. The Israelites did not create an empire, but
society.
they left a world religion, Judaism, that influenced the later
Content Vocabulary religions of Christianity and Islam.
• pastoral nomad (p. 46) • monotheistic (p. 50)
Academic Vocabulary
• created (p. 46) • technology (p. 46)
The Role of Nomadic Peoples
• domesticated (p. 46) Nomadic peoples, especially the Indo-Europeans, served an impor-
tant function for civilized societies by spreading goods and new technology.
People and Places HISTORY & YOU Why are residents of a community sometimes suspicious of or
• Indo-Europeans • Israelites (p. 49) hostile to strangers? Learn how civilizations related to nomads.
(p. 46) • King Solomon (p. 49)
• Hittites (p. 47) • Jerusalem (p. 49)
• Phoenicians (p. 48) Our story of civilization so far has focused on Mesopotamia and
Egypt. Recent evidence suggests that another civilization flour-
Reading Strategy ished in central Asia (in what are now the republics of Turkmeni-
Summarizing Information As you stan and Uzbekistan) around 4,000 years ago. These people built
read, complete a diagram like the one below to mud-brick buildings, raised sheep and goats, had bronze tools,
show how the Phoenicians affected development of and used irrigation to grow wheat and barley. Recently discovered
civilization in Southwest Asia. inscriptions show that these early people may have had writing.
On the fringes of these civilizations lived nomadic peoples who
depended on hunting and gathering, herding, and sometimes
Phoenicians
farming for their survival. Most important were the pastoral
nomads who on occasion overran settled communities and then
created their own empires. Pastoral nomads domesticated ani-
mals for food and clothing. They followed regular migratory
routes to provide food for their animals.
People who lived in settled communities often viewed nomads
as hostile and barbaric. The groups did interact, however. Nomads
traded animals and animal products for grains and vegetables
they were unable to grow. Pastoral nomads also carried products
between civilized centers. In this way nomads often passed on
new technology, such as the use of bronze and iron, that helped
strengthen civilizations. When overpopulation or drought dis-
rupted the pastoral nomads’ normal patterns, however, they often
attacked the civilized communities to obtain relief.
The Indo-Europeans were one of the most important nomadic
peoples. The term Indo-European refers to a particular group of
people who spoke a language derived from a single parent tongue.
Indo-European languages include Greek, Latin, Persian, Sanskrit,
and the Germanic languages. The original Indo-Europeans were
46
THE HITTITE EMPIRE, 1650 –1200 B.C.
30°E 40°E
Ca
sp
ian
20°E
BALKANS Black Sea
Se
a
40°N
Ar
Kanish
a
s
ANATOLIA
k
Miletus . River
M T S Malatya
R US
U
TA Carchemish
Crete
Aleppo M Nineveh
E
Cyprus ASSYRIA
SO
Hamāh
Me
Tig
dit
PO
erra SYRIA
Eu
ris
nean
TA
ph
Riv
te
r
Sea
a
s
e
M
Riv
r
Sidon e r
IA
er
Tyre
Jordan Riv
N Babylon
30°N Jerusalem ARABIAN
W
E
DESERT
BABYLONIA
S
EGYPT
Hittite heartland
Nile
0 400 kilometers
Peoples” take into the Hittite Empire?
0 400 miles
ea
based somewhere in the steppe region weapons, which were also cheaper as iron
north of the Black Sea or in Southwest Asia. ore was abundant. New invaders, the
Around 2000 b.c. they began to move into “Sea Peoples,” destroyed the Hittite
Europe, India, and western Asia. One Empire.
group moved into Asia Minor and Anato- The end of the Hittite kingdom and
lia around 1750 b.c. With the native peo- the weakening of Egypt around 1200 b.c.
ples, they formed the Hittite kingdom with temporarily left no dominant powers in
its capital at Hattushash (Bogazköy in western Asia. As a result, several small
modern Turkey). kingdoms and city-states emerged, nota-
Between 1600 b.c. and 1200 b.c., the bly around Syria and Palestine. The Phoe-
Hittites created an empire in western Asia nicians were one of these peoples.
and threatened the power of the Egyp-
tians. The Hittites were the first Indo- ✓Reading Check Identifying Who were the first
Europeans to use iron. Iron made stronger Indo-Europeans to use iron?
The Phoenicians
Phoenician
When the Jews were forced by the Romans to leave Palestine in a.d. 70,
they began nearly 1,900 years without a homeland.
As they settled throughout the world, many Jews assimilated into the
cultures of their new communities by following local customs and
speaking the local language. Still, they maintained their religious beliefs
and customs, even though it often resulted in persecution. Eventually many
Jews settled in the United States. Their impact, like many who have settled
in America, has helped shape our national culture. Today more Jews live in
the United States than in Israel.
• For nearly 2,000 years, Jews have maintained their
customs despite being scattered across the world.
• The Jewish people retained their heritage through
perseverance and rigorous study of ancient
Hebrew texts.
PRIMARY SOURCE
Critical Thinking
“The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of 5. BIG Idea Contrasting How did the
his people: ‘It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from Jews’ religious beliefs make them different
the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people from other peoples of their time and place?
and grinding the faces of the poor?’ . . . Your men will fall by the 6. Evaluating How did nomadic peoples both
sword, your warriors in battle. The gates of Zion will lament and contribute to and slow down the
mourn. . . . ’” development of civilization?
—Isaiah 3:14–17, 24–26
7. Analyzing Visuals Examine the image on
page 48. What similarities do you see
The religion of Israel was unique among the religions of
between the three alphabets?
western Asia and Egypt. The biggest difference was its
belief in only one God (monotheism). In other ancient reli-
gions, only priests (and some rulers) had access to the gods. Writing About History
In the Jewish tradition, God’s wishes, though communi- 8. Informative Writing Using the Internet,
news magazines, and newspapers,
cated to the people through prophets, had been written
research the current conflicts in the Middle
down. No leader of Israel could claim that he alone knew
East. Prepare a brief research report
God’s will. This knowledge was available to anyone who summarizing what you have learned about
could read the Hebrew Bible. current events and movements toward
Although the prophets developed a concern for all peace in the region.
humanity, the demands of Judaism—the need to obey
God—encouraged a separation between Jews and their
non-Jewish neighbors. Unlike most other peoples of South-
west Asia, Jews would not accept the gods of their con-
querors or neighbors and could consequently not be
integrated into another community. (ISTORY /.,).%
For help with the concepts in this section of Glencoe World
✓Reading Check Identifying Which aspect of Israelite culture History, go to glencoe.com and click Study Central.
had the greatest impact on Western civilization?
51
Phoenician Metal
settlements products
S ea N
50° North Baltic Trade routes Oil
N Sea E Gold Ivory
W
Silver Grains
S Copper
ATLANTIC Salt
Lead
OCEAN Purple
Tin cloth
EUROPE
ea
ac k S
Bl
40°N
Corsica
Sardinia ASIA
40°E
Gades
Certeia
Aradus
Lixus Utica Sicily Sparta
Hippo Syracuse Rhodes Cyprus
10°W Carthage Berytus
Melita Crete
Thapsus Malta Sidon
Tyre
Oea Mediterranean Sea
30°N Sabrata Leptis Magna Naucratis
Re
0 400 kilometers
AFRICA
d
0
Se
400 miles
a
Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
0° 10°E 20°E 30°E
54
Panel of Ashurbanipal, c. 650 B.C.
This relief of Ashurbanipal hunting lions is from his palace at Nineveh. It depicts
a ceremonial hunt where King Ashurbanipal, aided by servants, hunts lions who are
released form cages into a closed arena. Many reliefs depicting stories were used
to decorate the king’s palace.
Another factor in the army’s success was atrocities on their captives. King Ashurba-
its ability to use different military tactics. nipal recorded this account of his treat-
The Assyrians could wage guerrilla war- ment of prisoners:
fare in the mountains, set battles on open
ground, and lay siege to cities. They used PRIMARY SOURCE
battering rams and siege towers to ham-
mer at the city’s walls. Then they would “3,000 of their combat troops I felled with
tunnel under them, making them collapse. weapons. . . . Many I took alive; from some of
these I cut off their hands to the wrist, from others
The Assyrians used terror as an instru-
I cut off their noses, ears, and fingers; I put out the
ment of warfare. They regularly laid waste eyes of many of the soldiers. . . . I burned their
to the land in which they were fighting. young men and women to death.”
They smashed dams; looted and destroyed —H.W.F. Saggs, The Might That Was Assyria
towns; set crops on fire; and cut down
trees, particularly fruit trees. The Assyrians ✓Reading Check Summarizing Why were the
were especially known for committing Assyrians so successful at conquering others?
20°E
S M
C
60°E
A Black Sea TS.
Ca
40°N THR
sp
ian
Am
GREECE Aegean u
Da
Sea LYDIA r’y
a
Sea
Sardis
ASIA MINOR
Me Crete
dite
r rane Cyprus SYRIA M Nineveh
ZA
ES
a n Sea Byblos Eu GR
r
OP
Indus Rive
Tig
PHOENICIA OS IRANIAN
OT
ph
ris
Sidon M
ra
te
AM e
LIBYA
S Y R I AN Riv NT
IA r
er
Jerusalem DE SER T A
Susa INS
Babylon BABYLONIA
EGYPT N Persepolis
Nile Ri
(A Pe PERSIA
W E ra rsi INDIA
bi an
ve
r
an G
Thebes S G uu l f
A R A B I A N lf)
Re
Arabian Sea
D E S E R T
d
Se
Persian Empire
a
57
What Did Ancient Societies Believe
About Creation?
How were ancient creation stories similar and different? The ancient peoples of
Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Israel formulated different stories about the creation of the
world. The various accounts, however, contain several similarities.
What do creation stories reveal about ancient religious beliefs? Religion played a
central role in the lives of ancient peoples. Creation stories describe the gods they
worshipped and help explain how ancient societies interpreted the world around them.
Creation accounts provide insights into the cultures of the people who developed
them. Read the excerpts and study the painting to find out what the Babylonians,
Hebrews, and Egyptians believed about the creation of the world.
SOURCE 1 SOURCE 2
The Babylonian story of creation is part of The book of Genesis contains an account of
an epic poem titled Enûma elish. the Hebrew story of creation.34
The lord [Marduk1] trod upon the hinder part In the beginning God created the heavens
of Tiâmat2, and the earth. . . .
And with his unsparing club he split her And God said, “Let there be light,” and there
skull. . . . was light. God saw that the light was good, and
He split her open like a mussel into two parts; he separated the light from the darkness. God
Half of her he set in place and formed the sky called the light “day,” and the darkness he
therewith as a roof. . . . called “night.” And there was evening and
He fixed the crossbar and posted guards; there was morning—the first day.
He commanded them not to let her waters And God said, “Let there be an expanse
escape. . . . between the waters to separate water from
The lord measured the dimensions of the Apsû3, water.” So God made the expanse and sepa-
And a great structure, its counterpart, he rated the water under the expanse from the
established, namely, Esharra4, water above it. And it was so. God called the
The great structure Esharra which he made as expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and
a canopy. . . . there was morning—the second day.
As Marduk hears the words of the gods, And God said, “Let the water under the sky be
His heart prompts him to create ingenious gathered to one place, and let dry ground
things. appear.” And it was so. God called the dry
He conveys his idea to Ea5, ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called
Imparting the plan which he had conceived in “seas.” And God saw that it was good. . . .
his heart: Then God said, “Let us make man in our
“Blood will I form and cause bone to be; image, in our likeness, and let them rule over
Then will I set up lullû6, ‘Man’ shall be his the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over
name! the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the
Yes, I will create lullû: Man! creatures that move along the ground.
Upon him shall the services of the gods be So God created man in his own image, in the
imposed that they may be at rest.” image of God he created him; male and female
he created them.
1 Marduk: ruler of the gods in Babylonian mythology 3 Apsû: husband of Tiâmat; the earliest freshwater
2 Tiâmat: monster goddess; the earliest salt water 4 Esharra: a poetic name for the Earth
SOURCE 3
The ancient Egyptians had several creation 1. Explaining Why did the Babylonian god Marduk
myths. In one account, Re, the sun god, emerged create humans?
from an egg that appeared on the surface of the 2. Clarifying In the Hebrew account, what was the
ocean. Re later produced gods of air, earth, and expanse that separated water from water?
heaven. Afterward, Re made humans and all 3. Analyzing How does the Egyptian god Re repre-
other beings and objects on Earth. In the above sent the sun?
painting, Re, the ram-headed figure, crosses 4. Contrasting How is the depiction of the Hebrew
through the underworld in his boat, carrying deity different from those in the other two creation
the spirits of Egyptians who have died. When stories?
Re reappears above the horizon at the beginning 5. Comparing What similar event is found in all
of each new day, the souls of the dead are three creation accounts?
reborn into new lives with him. 6. Drawing Conclusions What is the role of
Egyptians spent every day surrounded by humans in each of the three creation stories?
symbols of their religion. They saw gods in the 7. Synthesizing How would you describe the
natural world, they had gods important to their beliefs that ancient societies held about the cre-
hometowns, and they believed in gods of trade, ation of the world?
justice, and prosperity. They expected the gods
to care for them in the afterlife. 5 6
ANCIENT ENVIRONMENTS
• The Egyptians received fertile soil from the
floodwaters of the Nile for farming.
• The Phoenicians set up a trading empire and
colonies on the Mediterranean.
• The Mesopotamians created irrigation and
flood control systems.
ANCIENT RELIGIONS
• The Mesopotamians and the Egyptians, who both
were polytheistic, believed their rulers derived
their power from the gods.
• The Israelites were monotheistic and believed
God communicated through prophets.
• The Persians followed Zoroastrianism, a
monotheistic religion.
ANCIENT INNOVATIONS
• The Mesopotamians established a
collection of laws, along with inventing
the arch, dome, wheel, and a system of
writing.
• The Phoenicians invented the alphabet.
• The Persians created the concept of a
standing army.
Sumerians used cuneiform to
keep accounts, like this tablet
account of donkeys harnessed
for ploughing.
2. A is a Sumerian stepped tower. 6. Which ruler set up the first empire in world history?
A ziggurat A Darius
B pyramid B Hammurabi
C stylus C Sargon
D papyrus D Solomon
3. is belief in one god rather than many gods. 7. What was the most important Sumerian invention?
A Polytheism A Alphabet
B Monotheism B Writing
C Theocracy C Bronze
D Monarchy D Number system
SYRIAN
Mediterranean
Mediterranean DESERT Extended Response
Jordan
Sea
River
Samaria
21. Literature often reflects a people’s worldview. How does this
poem represent the importance of the physical environment
Jerusalem and religion in the lives of the Mesopotamians?
Dead
Sea
0 80 kilometers
0 80 miles N
Lambert Conformal Conic projection
W E
18. Based on the map, how did the Phoenicians probably trade
with other civilizations?
A Along the Mediterranean Sea
B Across the Syrian Desert
C Trade was likely unimportant.
D Trade went through Samaria.
(ISTORY /.,).%
For additional test practice, use Self-Check Quizzes—
Chapter 2 at glencoe.com.