The Ancient Civilizations

Description: Agriculture changed the livelihood of people (they became farmers) and they started to
live in villages from which were created cities.

Elements of early civilizations:

1. Created by river

2. Agriculture + domestification of animals

3. Urban centres – Ur, Uruk, Mesopotamia

4. Social organisation – creation of social classes

5. Labour division – many professions were created (trades, craftsmen)

6. Culture

7. Writing system

8. Religion

9. Production of metal

Civilizations created by the rivers:

1) Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates)

2) Egypt (Nile)

3) Indian civilization (Indus Valley and Ganga river)

4) Chinese civilization (Yellow river and Yanatze river)

Mesopotamia

Sumerian contribution:

Description: a) Irrigation system - system of canals

- developed along Tigris and Euphrates
b) Calendar - made because of seasons
- part of modern day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran
- it was also a part of the Fertele Crescent c) Metrology - number system based on
(Úvodný Polmesiac number 60
Division: d) Building system - sun-dried bricks
1. The Akkadian Empire e) Metal working technology -
represented by bronze
2. The Babylonian Empire
f) Inventions - wheel
3. The Sumerian Empire
g) Script - cuneiform

Sumerian cities were transformed into city-states

Division of labour: farmers and different types of craftsmen
two types of economies/government:

1. The Temple Government – leader was a priest

- economy was called 'the temple economy'

- people built the religious building 'zigyurats'

2. The Palace Economy – king was a head of government

- it was changed from the Temple Government to Palace Economy because of rebels

The Akkadian Empire (2350BC)

- created by Sargon
- named after the capital city Akkad
- Sargon adopted most of the Sumerian
culture and technology

The Babylonian Empire

- most famous ruler was Hammurabi

- he wrote the first code of laws in history
(Hammurabi's Code)
- he published it in 1800BC
- 'an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth'
 The Ancient Egypt

- created along the Nile river because of the fertile land

2 parts: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt

EGYPT WAS UNITED INTO 1 KINGDOM BY – Meni in 3100BC

The Chronology of the Ancient Egypt:

1. The Old Kingdom (1st -> 6th dynasty)

2. The Middle Kingdom (7th -> 17th dynasty)

3. The New Kingdom (18th -> 20th dynasty)

4. The Late Kingdom. (26th -> 31th dynasty)

5. Ptolemy Kingdom

Division of the Egyptian society:

1. Pharaoh – was a king in Egypt – „ Son of God Re “

2. Vizers – nobles, priests
3. Officials – writters
4. Craftsmen, Traders
5. Peasants, Slaves

Egyptian culture:

a) Hieroglyphic writing system - 700 characters, it was

uncovered by Champollion with the help of Rosetta Stone Rosetta Stone
b) Papyrus - used for writting

c) Polytheistic religion - Ra, Anubis, Isis

d) Mummification - a method of preservation, they believed in life after death, special organs
were placed in canopic jars

e) Social stratification - at the top was Pharaoh, they believed he was a son of god Ra

f) The Egyptian Architecture - most famous were the pyramids

- the first one – was the step pyramid – was built for Pharaoh Dyoser
- the most famous pyramids are in Gyza, built for 3 pharaohs ( father + 2 sons): Khufu (the
biggest), Khafre (The Sphinx), Menkaur
- they represented the economic prosperity of Egypt during the reign of these pharaohs