More Egypt 2

• Upper Egypt was a 500 mile long strip of fertile land along the Nile
• Lower Egypt was the wide land of the Nile delta, emptying into the Mediterranean Sea
• The Nile was the major provider of life for the Egyptian and much is revered in lore and writing 
• around 3100 B.C. the two lands combined
• Pharaoh was all powerful, worshiped as a god, and intimately connected to the other major Egyptian gods and goddesses
• Egyptians relied on a harmony and balance in which they called maat
• Pharaohs had multiple wives and all routes to financial and social success were though the palace
• Goddess maat is the opposite of goddess isfet
• women could inherit money and land and could divorce their husbands, though only a few had real political power
• Gods were often portrayed as having animal heads or bodies
• Egyptians believed in afterlife (ka), and they mummified bodies to preserve them for the past-death journey
• all souls would need to justify themselves at the point of death and be either send to an after-world paradise or the jaws of a monster
• earliest Egyptian writing formed around 3100 B.C. and were small pictures known as hieroglyphics
• egyptian script was usually written in ink on papyrus
• papyrus, the precursor to paper, was stored in scrolls and these scrolls were books of ancient egypt
• Egyptian astronomers created a calender with 12 months and 365 days to make better sense of the seasonal cycles
• Due to their excellent knowledge of human anatomy, egyptian doctors wrote extensively on health issues and created potions and cures for common ailments 
• wooden sail boats were constructed to increase transportation ability on the Nile
• the pyramid were massive stone tombs, originally covered in marble, but the marble was later stripped off during the muslim conquest 
• the temple of Amon at Karnak is the largest religious building in the world, also made out of huge blocks of stone
• stone sculptures of interior painting depicted humans and gods in a series of regulated poses, often in profile and without perspective but were highly affected

DEFINITIONS!!!

Cataract- a large or high water fall; rapids; impassible
Delta- The flat alluvial area at the mouth of some rivers where the mainstream splits; marshy (silt)
Nome-province of Ancient Egypt
Dynasty- Succession of rulers of the same line of descent
Pharoah- a ruler of Ancient Egypt (God-King)
Ka- Eternal life force that Pharaohs had
Pyramid- a massive structure with a rectangular base and four triangular sides. Built in Egypt as tombs for Pharaohs
Maat- Egyptian concepts of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice; represented peaceful Goddess
hieroglyphics- an Ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent pictures and sounds
Papyrus- a tall reed that grows in the Nile delta, used by ancient Egyptians to make a paper like material for writing on

We also answered a few questions as follows:

What were the ways in which Nile influenced Egyptian life?

• transportation
• good soil for crops
• water for human consumption

Why were pyramids built?

Pyramids were built as a tomb for deceased Egyptian rulers. Egyptians believed that kings ruled even after death, and therefore needed a tomb even greater than their palace. 

Finally fill in the blank:

I was the British Archaeologist who discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922. My name is Howard Carter

The Nile River provided Egypt with a reliable system of transportation and with an annual deposit of fertile soil

In about 3100 B.C., a strong-willed king of Upper Egypt named Narmer united all of Egypt

Asian nomads known as the Hyksos ruled much of Egypt from 1640 to 1570 B.C.

I was the linguist who deciphered the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta stone. My name is Jean Francios Champollion 

In class assignment

1.
Delta's, more importantly the Nile river delta provided a fertile land to Egyptians so that they could grow an abundance of food and crops to keep their civilization healthy.

Pharaohs essentially ruled Ancient Egyptian society, as citizens of these civilizations praised them and held them high. They were also proclaimed god-kings of Egypt.

Narmer was a very significant figure in the time of ancient civilizations because of his accomplishments in the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, making Egypt one unified empire.

Theocracy was a monumental idea in Egypt, as it was the type of government practiced, which put religious authority and figures in charge and/or put at high status.

Pyramids, even today are a great feat of engineering, which were used as tombs for kings that had passed on. The reason for this great of a king was because the people of Egypt believed that kings continued to rule even after death, and therefore needed a great tomb.

Mummification was a process of preserving bodies that had past on. It involved embalming and drying out the body to ensure that it didn't decay over the years.

Egyptians created a form of writing called hieroglyphics, which made it easier for scribes as it was a more flexible writing system than what was used before.

Before papyrus, hieroglyphics was written on stone, which was hard, but as papyrus was beginning to be used, it was easier, since it was more abundant and easier to write on.

3. The desert surrounding Egypt, though it limited the space in which Egyptians could settle, its harsh and forbidding climate made it a great natural barrier from invaders.

4. Egyptians viewed the pharaoh as a splendid and powerful being, quite possibly even as great as the gods of the heavens.

5. Egyptians mummified bodies so that they could preserve them and care for them. This could be used for a king who has past on, but according to their beliefs, the king would continue ruling, making it necessary for the body to be preserved so that they could care for and keep the body in its rightful place; the pyramid.

Egypt

Today we took notes on Egypt to prepare us for the test next week. Here are some of the notes I took:

• the Nile river flows northward across Africa for 4,100 miles, which makes it the longest river in the world
• brings water and food to the parched desert land in which it flows through
• it flows through Egypt from distant mountains, plateaus, and lakes in present-day Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia
• the settlements that arose became very fertile
• in Mesopotamia, the Nile river over flows every year bringing water and rich soil that allowed settlements to grow
• irrigation was used to water and help keep plants alive when it was dry
• the abundance brought by the Nile was so great that the Egyptians began to worship a god named Herodotus, "the gift of the Nile"
• when the Nile's floodwater was just a few feet below normal, the amount of fresh silt and water was greatly reduced. Many people starved
• when they were higher they could destroy home, important buildings, and precious seeds for planting
• the Nile acted as a natural barrier between Egypt and other lands, making the land Egyptians lived on very small
• the point where boulders make river travel impossible with the dangerous rapids in the Nile was called the First Cataract
• because the elevation was higher, the river in the south was called upper Egypt
• the area between the Mediterranean and the First Cataract lay very different regions
• to the north, near the sea, lower Egypt includes the Nile Delta region
• the Nile Delta region begins 100 miles before the Mediterranean Sea
• the Nile provided a good mode of transportation
• boats northbound just drifted with the current
• boats southbound hoisted a wide sail
• over time Egypt evolved from several settlements to one kingdom throughout Egypt, though to be ruled by a man names Narmer
• before there was one kingdom, Egypt was split into 2 parts; upper and lower Egypt
• The king of upper Egypt wore a tall white crown that looked like a bowling pin, the king of lower Egypt wore a red crown
• a carved piece of slate known as the Narmer plate shows Narmer wearing the crown of upper and lower Egypt, possibly used to resemble the unification of Egypt
• eventually the history of ancient Egypt would consist of 31 dynasties and span over 2,600 years
• the Egyptian god-kings known as pharohs, were though to be almost as splendid and powerful as the gods of the heavens
• Egyptians believed their kings ruled even after death, because of this, the kings tomb was more important than his palace
• kings tombs were also known as pyramids
• these pyramids were great feats of engineering, hundreds of feet, weighing over 15 tons, with millions of blocks, and spanning over 13 acres
• confidence derived from nature usually being on their side (Egyptians)
• they were religious
• polytheistic
• re- the sun god; osiris- god of the dead} both are the most important gods of Egypt
• isis- represented idea of mother/wife} most important goddess
• there was an afterlife for Egyptians

Hammurabi's Code

Today we completed an activity regarding Hammurabi's Code. It required us to pick and choose punishments regarding criminal actions or illegal happenings. Here are some of the scenarios that we had to 'solve':

• A man who is accused of robbing a home stands before you. After reviewing the evidence, you find that he is guilty of robbery. What will his punishment be?-----He will be required to return all stolen goods and he will be put into slavery-----the real code= death
• A construction worker who has built several homes in a neighborhood stands before you. His most recent project, however, has caused some controversy in your town because the home caved in and killed the entire family. What will you give as a punishment?--------he will lose his ability to work in the construction industry, and he will become a slave-----the real code= death
• A slave stand before you. This slave has disrespected his master by telling him "You are not my master!" How will you punish this slave?-----He will be required to continue being a slave and/or do work-----the real code=his ear is cut off
• A sailor stands before you. He is accused of borrowing a friends boat and wrecking it. The man denies that he wrecked the boat and claims to have given the boat in perfect condition. After you investigate, you discover that thee sailor should have treated his friends boat better. What will you give as a punishment?------the accused sailors boat will be confiscated, he will build a new one for his friends------the real code= the sailor shall give the other a new boat

More Ancient Civilizations

Civilization in Mesopotamia

• Sumer was conquered by the Akkadians c. 2350 B.C. - their gods took the place of previous gods and all were forced to worship those gods
• King Hammurabi of Babylon created a series of laws known as "Hammurabi's Code"- laws that included "an eye for an eye" and regulations of marriage, divorce, and punishment for all sorts of crimes

The Expansion of Mesopotamia Civilization

• Indo-Europeans were people from the grasslands of the Russian Steppe who introduces horses to the near East
• The war like Indo-European tribe known as the Hittites settled in Asia minor
• The Hittites had a lucrative trade in metals and conquered nearly all of their neighbors. Even threatening Egypt

More notes on the power point...

From Prehistoric to Civilization

Where is the Fertile Crescent located in modern civilization?

• The Fertile Crescent is located throughout 5 countries; these being Syria, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Labanon

Sumer

• The district known as Sumer occupied the land between the Tigris and Euphrates river 
•  Population increased dramatically due to new irrigation techniques

• Cities and towns were founded, some with as many as 40,000 people

•  Better food storage allowed for diversity in professions: priests, tradesmen, artisans, polititians, farmers
• Kings emerged, as did family dynasties and the concept of the "city-state"
• Sumerians invented the earliest form of writing known as "cuneiform"

Pantheon

•  A pantheon of Sumerian Gods and Godesses emerged with many of the dieties representing the natural elements of the world
• The worlds first (surviving) epic was the Sumerian "Epic of Gilgamesh", which told of a great flood
• Sumerians created the concept of hours, minutes and seconds, as well as a calender based of the mood cycle
• The Ziggurat was a Sumerian Temple built on top of a 'mountain' of Earth

From Prehistoric to Civilization

The Prehistoric Era

• 200,000 years ago a human species emerged in Southwestern Africa
• 14,000 years ago, a world wide human race existed 
• Earliest prehistoric age is the Paleolithic age (Old Stone Age)
• Neolithic Stone age ((New Stone Age) was marked by advanced tool making & beginnings of agriculture
• Initially, humans were part pf migratory groups which hunted, fished, and gathered plants for food

The Agriculture Revolution 

• Populations increased due to surplus of food, thus feeding/caring for young children
• Hierarchies appeared in villages; women's status lowered in society, forced to do domesticated to duties
• Invention of wheel and plow made it possible to produce enough food for storage
• villagers were polythesitic

More Note Taking

Today we took more notes-

Religion
Like many people in the Fertile Crescent, Sumerians believed in many different Gods.

• Enlil was the God of storms and air. He was among the most powerful Gods. Sumerians feared him as "the raging flood that has no rival". Demons known as Ugallu protected humans from evil demons. Sumerians describe their gods as very human like. Sumerians built impressive Ziggurats for them and offered rich sacrifices. Sumerians worked hard to earn the gods' protection in life. They expected little help from the gods after death. They believed that the souls went to the land of no return, a dismal, gloomy place between earths crust, and the ancient sea. No joy awaited them there
• The middle class worked with their hands in fields and workshops. At the lowest level of Sumerian society, were the slaves. Some slaves were foreigners that had been captured in war, while some where slaves because of debt. Debt slaves could hope to eventually buy their freedom. Women could hold many jobs, but there were very few Sumerian female scribes

Inventions

• The wheel
• The plow
• The sail
• They were the first to use bronze
• Arithmetic and Geometry
• Architectural innovations
• Cuneiform 

The First Empire Builders

• Sargon of Akkad- Sargon defeated the city-states of Sumer, and had then adopted parts of Sumerian culture. His conquest helped to spread the culture even farther then the Tigris and Euphrates valley. Built the first empire which brings several people, nations, or previously independent states under the control of one ruler.
• Babylonian Empire- Nomadic rulers known as Amorites invaded Mesopotamia and gradually overwhelmed the Sumerians, and established their capitol at Babylon. The best ruler was Hammurabi, who created Hammurabi's code.
• Hammurabi's code- single uniform code of laws would help to unify diverse groups within his empire. He collected existing rules, judgements, and laws into the code. It was engraved in stone and copies were placed all over the empire.

Note taking on Chapter 2

City-States in Mesopotamia

Why do we need laws?

• To protect people
• Hammurabi's Code

Fertile Crescent

• Only area between Persian Golf and the Mediterranean Sea that doesn't have a desert like climate  
• Curved shape and richness make it known as the fertile crescent
• Also called Mesopotamia (gk. meaning "land between the rivers")
• Between the Tigris and Euphrates river
• These rivers flood and lay a bed of silt which makes the land fertile and rich 

Environmental Challenges

• Unpredictable flooding combined with a period of drought
• With no natural barriers for protection, a Sumerian village was nearly defenseless 
• The natural recourses were limited
• Building resources and other necessary items were scarce.

Solving Problems Through Organization

• To provide water they dug irrigation ditches
• For defense, they built city walls with mud bricks
• Bartering

Characteristics of a City-State

• Advanced cities
• Complex institutions
• Improved Technology
• Record Keeping
• Specialized Workers

Projects such as irrigation systems required leadership and laws-the beginnings of organized government. In some society's, priests controlled the governments, in others, military leaders and kings ruled. In time of war, the priest did not leave the city. Instead, the men of the city chose a tough fighter that could command the cities soldiers. At first the commanders power ended as soon as the war was over, but after 3000BC, wars became more frequent and Sumerian priests and people gave commanders permanent control.

Sumer's city-states grew prosperous due to surplus food produced on their farms. Their surpluses allowed Sumerians to increase long distance trade, exchanging the extra foods and other goods for items they need. This trading with other city-states is a process in which a new idea or product, spreads from one culture to another, which is Cultural Diffusion.

Test

Today we took a test on Guns, Germs, and Steel. I think I did well on it except for identifying the domesticated animals. I hope my essay will bring that grade up. Other than that I'm pretty satisfied with my studying and ability to retain the stuff I learned. I hope my first test as an honors student goes well and I hope I can get my B up to an A (I'm trying really hard to get straight A's again). If I don't do well, it will be a learning experience to study harder and more broadly. I'm excited for the next unit!

Back to Germs, Guns and Steel...

Today we finished Germs, Guns and Steel. Tomorrow is our test on the documentary, I hope my notes and blogs help me prepare for the test. Here are the notes we took today:

• Gwar, archaeological site, 9,000 years old, about 2,500 years after Draa, had a few hundered people, 
• Houses had windows for ventilation/AC
• Walls/Floors were plaster
• Homes were appearing
• Decoration
• Limestone + Fire = Liquid Steel
• Due to poor agriculture, New Guineans couldn't support specialist like metal workers
• Eventually, the fertile crescent became infertile, it was over farmed, and too dry
• When people moved from the fertile crescent, they moved directly east and west in hopes that on the same latitude line, the same plants would grow, and the same type of soil and growing methods would work
• Food was the main source of a modern civilization
• There was no cattle in the Americas in ancient times 
• 100 million cattle in U.S.
• Americans consume 20 million tons of wheat of year
• One race is not superior, just some did not have the same resources others had