-Ancient Middle East-

-Middle East Geography-

I. The Middle East includes

Southwest Asia and North
Africa

*Both have similar cultures

II. The Middle East is the meeting place of three continents

A. Africa

B. Asia

C. Europe

*Center of trade – “Cross roads of the world”

III. Desert – covers 90% of the Middle East

A. Sahara – world’s largest

B. Arabian Desert

C. Deserts influence the culture

of the Middle East

1. Clothing – light,
loose cloth

2. Nomads – move
from place to place

3. Housing – use
clay, make tents
IV. Natural Resources

A. 70% of the world’s oil reserves are in the Middle East

1. Most of the reserves are in Persian Gulf nations

2. The economies of these nations are dominated by

the sale of oil
B. There is a lack of water in the Middle East

1. Only 7% of the land is arable

a. Irrigation is essential
V. River Valleys

A. The Tigris-Euphrates and the Nile are the two major river
valleys in the area
B. They were the birthplace
of civilization

C. They provided
transportation for trade

D. The soil was fertile

because of the silt left by
annual floods and led to
surplus agriculture
-River Civilizations of the Middle East-

I. Civilizations are complex cultures with five characteristics

A. Advanced Cities – Cities are different from villages

1. Villages may be self-sufficient

2. Cities rely on trade

B. Specialized Workers:

1. Artisans – make goods by

hand

2. Merchants – carryout trade

3. Soldiers
C. Complex Institutions

1. Formal government

2. Organized religion

3. Education system
D. Record Keeping

E. Advanced Technology

– Early civilizations used the wheel,

plow, sailboat, and metal weapons
II. Sumer

A. In about 3000 BC, the Sumerians built a great civilization in

Mesopotamia

1. This was the area between the Tigris and Euphrates

rivers

2. This region became known as the Fertile Crescent

B. The Sumerians built pyramid temples called Ziggurats

C. Surplus crops were produced using irrigation ditches from rivers

D. Scribes – professional record keepers – invented the world’s first

system of writing called cuneiform

E. Sumerians invented the wheel, the sail, and the plow

III. Babylonians succeeded the
Sumerians in Mesopotamia

A. Babylonians developed the

Code of Hammurabi

1. Laws were written on

stone tablets and placed
throughout the empire

2. Class distinctions
– different punishment for
rich and poor

3. “Eye for an eye”

IV. Egyptians

A. Gift of the Nile

1. The Nile flooded

annually providing fertile
soil for farming
B. Pyramids

1. Ancient Egyptians
built giant temples for
their dead
pharaohs

2. They believed the

dead king continued to
rule after death

3. The dead pharaoh’s

body was mummified
and placed in a tomb
within the pyramid

C. Hieroglyphics – writing
system of Ancient Egyptians
V. Phoenicians

A. Located north of Palestine along

the Mediterranean Sea

B. Great sailors

1. Traveled and traded

throughout the Mediterranean

2. They were known as the

“carriers of civilization”

C. Established colonies, including

Carthage

D. Major contribution to civilization

was the alphabet
VI. Assyrians

A. Conquerors who created the largest empire to date

1. Overran Phoenicia, Babylonia, Palestine and others

B. Army used advanced techniques to defeat their enemies

including iron-tipped arrows, swords and spears
C. First army to use cavalry – men
on horseback

1. Cavalry and charioteers

wore helmets and
breastplates

D. Terrorized conquered people –

hated by their enemies

E. First people to set up an

effective system of governing an
empire

1. The Assyrian empire

lasted about 150 years
VI. Persians

A. The Persian Empire extended for 3000 miles from Egypt to

India

1. The empire lasted about 200 years

B. It was a well-organized empire that was divided into

provinces directed by a satrap (governor)
C. Built roads to connect the empire and
help trade

D. Allowed conquered people to retain

their religion, laws and local customs

E. Cultural Diffusion occurred between

the various provinces

F. Early concept of a heaven and hell

1. May have influenced Judaism

and Christianity