...1. The Fertile Crescent got its name because it is located in an upland region provided an ideal environment for a variety of animals like sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. Also, in some areas it grew wild wheat and barley. 2. Because human needed barley to produce beer so they grew a lot of grains like barley to meet the demand. 3. The ability to store cereal grain meant that people would be able to stand in one place. 4. The Sumerian and Egyptians used beer for ceremonies, agricultural fertility rites, and funerals. 5. Farming paved the way for the emergence of the civilization by creating the need to produce food and enabling them to specialize in particular activities and crafts. Wine 6. The Greeks drank wine to celebrate Dionysus (the god...
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...Brandon Gordon Professor J. Gonzales HIST 100 21 February 2014 The Factors Enabling Civilization to First Appear in Mesopotamia History shows us that Mesopotamia had many key factors that played a significant role in allowing the first civilization to develop there. Despite the word being highly debated by subject matter experts worldwide, most would agree that “a civilization is a culture capable of sustaining a great number of specialists to furnish the economic, social, political and religious needs of a large social unit” (Edgar, Hackett, Jewsbury, Molony, Gordon 10). From the beginning to the end, key advancements have set it apart and made it a widely studied world area. Due to Mesopotamia’s geographical advantages in farming capability and advancement in technology, language and laws, it sustained long enough and in a matter to be regarded as the world’s first civilization. After the Neolithic period and Agricultural revolution, people migrated southeast from the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. These people, mostly farmers, settled on the plain between where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers almost connect and modern day Iraq is. The name Mesopotamia is Greek meaning “between the rivers”. Rainfall was inadequate for farming however and these new settlers, out of necessity, developed irrigation techniques that would then allow the rivers to help water their planted crops. This required much teamwork and cooperation from these people though in order to use...
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... What is the REVOLUTION? A TOTALLY new way of living: Going from Hunter Gathers to Agriculture The invention of Agriculture changed the way people lived. Agriculture (Farming) Growth of Cities Division of Labor (Specialization) Trade Writing and Mathematics ---Why does ‘trade’ bring about writing and mathematics? Mesopotamia – Fertile Crescent Sumer – The Earliest of the River Valley Civilizations Sumerians grew up along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now Kuwait. What is the “Fertile Crescent.”? A well-watered and fertile area, that arcs across the northern part of the Syrian desert. The Fertile Crescent * Greeks called the northern part of the Fertile Crescent …Mesopotamia which means “The Land Between Two Rivers” (Tigris River and Euphrates River) * The southern part of Mesopotamia was called Babylonia, originally Sumer. Which country is Mesopotamia today? (Iraq) Sumer - Sumerians (Kuwait) ca. 3500 to 3000 BC. * Sumer gave us the city-state. * Political unit made up of a city and the surrounding lands. Each city state has its own government, even when it shared a culture with neighboring city states. Sumerian Writing: Cuneiform Cuneiform is created by pressing a pointed stylus into a clay tablet. Sumerians invented: * Brick technology * Wheel * Base 60 – using the circle . . . 360 degrees * Time – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute * 12 month lunar calendar * arch ...
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...People from Polynesian islands What do they have in common? * Same ancestry * Language * Culture * Resources and technology Different environmental factors? * Area * Geological type – stone tools * Fragmentation – uneven landscape hinders agriculture * Climate * Water – agriculture * Temperature – suitable/unsuitable for crops * Isolation * Prevent interaction, acquisition of technology * Marine resources Why have hunter-gatherers made the transition to become farmers? (in Fertile Crescent, Middle East) * Climate Return to ice-age conditions (drought for 100 years) led to animals dying off, less food for hunter-gatherers * Right type of wild plants Wheat and barley, hardy and able to survive in more extreme conditions, provide good nutrition * Farming more reliable Hunting is not a very reliable source of food * Population High population lead to need for more food, thus farming to get more food * Water Drought so lack of water source, important to stay permanently near a water source * Sustainability Farming is more sustainable in the long run * Technology Tools to grow, harvest and store food Different productivity of farming (type of crops) gives rise to inequality (down to geographical luck) Taro & Bananas vs Wheat & Barley * Farming taro is much harder work, plant 1 by 1 * Taro is low in protein compared to wheat & barley ...
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...2011). Details Tigris river is 1180 miles long deeper but shorter than the Euphrates river. The Euphrates River is 1700 miles long and not as deep only flat boats can ride along this river. (Hollar,2011). I believe both rivers contributed to the Mesopotamia civilization and were significant geographical and environmental factors. The two rivers were a point of focus from the beginning. They provided rich soil perfect for agriculture, deposits of mud and clay to build their community, mode of transportation and water for irrigation for crops. The use of these valleys’ soil and water were signs of innovation and exchange. The Mesopotamians made the Fertile Crescent fertile with their irrigation technology. (Keita,n.d) They had to create an irrigation system so they could better operate the river’s water. Along with the fertile soil, proper irrigation and organized labor they reaped the benefits of the land. They were able to grow a surplus of food not only for the community but also for crops to trade. Human movement to the River Valley in Mesopotamia is the outcome of people taking action to the abundant natural resources and chances offered by the geography in Mesopotamia (Soomo,2013a). With all this the rivers developed community and technology. Labor organization is introduced thru the building of these complex Irrigation systems making a small group work...
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...(Summer 2014) Old Testament Orientation II Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Marcus Banks-Bey_L2444950 June 29, 2014 Thesis Statement This research paper will discuss, and review the history of the Babylion Empire, its rulers, and the Empire’s influential relationship upon some of the major events which developed within Old Testament literature. Introduction Through my research, it is my intent to identify significant points within the history of the Babylion Empire, including its origins, development, expansion, eventual decline, and why it became a focal point of many of the major events of the Old Testament. From the Great Empire of Akkad, Babylon became a major seat of learning, culture, and technology. More than simply a city-state of defiance, and sinful practices, Babylon’s influence, very often viewed through a negative scholarly lens, shaped the history of Asia Minor, Northern Africa, and the world when approached from a biblical standpoint. As such, Babylon remains a critical, powerful nation in relation to its nation-state of Israel, and Old Testament history. Nimrod The Cushite The first nation-state identified within contemporary Biblical literature is the land that is “Ethiopia”, as mentioned in Genesis 2:13[1]. Most importantly, the Hebrew term “Kush” is the concordance term used by Strong’s, which is interchangeable with the term Ethiopia(n), and defines the peoples of Cush, Ethiopia as being Black, Africans...
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...8000 BCE • During this revolution, humans stopped being nomadic and settled down into communities and villages (which would later develop into civilizations thousands of years later) • Humans being FARMING (agriculture) – this allowed people to have much more food than they previously had, which made life easier o At the same time, there was a separation between the work that men and women did o Warriors also became important Characteristics of civilizations – record keeping, advanced cities, specialized workers, advanced technology, complex institutions (like religion, government, military) First civilizations began around rivers, which provided water and fertile soil for people to farm • The civilization of Mesopotamia (also known as the Fertile Crescent) developed around...
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...Mesopotamia, two of the earliest civilizations, both established around river valleys. Although these civilizations were located in close proximity to each other, their differing geographical features such as rivers and environmental factors led to the development of two very different societies. Rivers in the Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies played enormous roles in the growth of their civilizations. Egypt, located on both sides of the calm and predictable Nile River, agriculturally prospered from annual flooding that left behind rich, fertile soil known as silt. Flood waters would rise in July, slowly saturating the lands of the Nile River valley and recede in October leaving behind silt for farmers to cultivate and grow numerous crops. In contrast, Mesopotamia was located between the capricious and violent Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the valley known as the Fertile Crescent. While Mesopotamians relied on flooding for the fertile, silt rich soil as well, the unpredictability of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers caused unimaginable damages, some of which resulted in the destruction of entire villages. Environmental factors played a role in the creation of these civilizations, especially in their views of their gods. While Egypt experienced hot, dry, mild weather, Mesopotamia was subjected to, more destructive weather that included severe rainstorms, drought, hail, flooding, and strong winds. “Mesopotamians saw their gods as powerful, destructive, and indifferent, while...
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...How did guns germs and steel impact civilizations? What impacted the development of civilizations the most? Why did some civilizations develop faster than others? Is there a simple answer? There is a very simple answer. That answer is guns, germs, and steel. So how exactly did guns, germs, and steel affect the course of history? Guns had a major part in our history and are part of the reason why some civilizations were superior to others. "You know, the flintlock rifle, it was, you know, I shouldn’t really say this but it was nearly like as important as a cellphone is today. You can’t go without your cellphone; in those days you couldn’t go without your flintlock rifle.” (ggs) This passage shows how important guns were and how much it was necessary to have one to survive. “They would shoot, hand the gun over, take the next gun, fire, hand the gun over. So every five or six seconds you could fire a shot. See that, that was the important thing.” (ggs) This shows how easy it was to kill somebody and how effective it was because it takes longer to kill somebody with a sword or arrow and you are more guaranteed to kill your enemy with a gun. ”This is a Maxim gun. What made this weapon such a great weapon, as opposed to the old single-shot weapons that had been used in years before, is this gun could fire continuously for up to 500 rounds a minute. It had the equivalent firepower of probably 100 men in a company with single shot weapons.”(ggs) This passagfe is more proof as...
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...Themes in U.S. & World History Task 1 A – D A. Mesopotamia is an area that lies between Euphrates and Tigris rivers, northwest of the bottleneck at Baghdad, which is modern Iraq. Mesopotamia is a region, not a country. According to Fagan (2001), people of this region were able to flourish due to the successful agriculture. The fertile soil and excellent irrigation lead to a surplus of food sources. In reading The History World International, 2007, I found the Mesopotamian people were able to store and redistribute their supplies. This made them very valuable to neighboring societies and drew people in, which lead to the growth of the Mesopotamian society. B. Horses have been documented far back in history. In the Old Assyrian period between 1900 and 1750 BC. Anatolian people, however, were the first to use horses as a regular military feature from 1500 onward. The people needed a means to carry themselves and other weaponry for war and the chariot fit the bill. A chariot maker had to become an expert in every aspect of the building process. Right down to the horse’s bridles and bits had to be redesigned to aid in the proper fit for the chariot. The charioteers themselves rose to a new status class in their urban life. The use of chariots was either directly or indirectly responsible for weaponry being updates. New armor became necessary as well such as swords, spears and spikes. Everything was bumped up a notch in performance. Even the terrain for battles had to have...
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...AFRICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY TOWN CAMPUS NAME: NJIHIA MARK ADM NO: 12S03ABT003 DEPARTMENT: UNIVERSITY COMMON COURSES COURSE: UCC 105 OLD TESTAMENT LECTURER: Dr. THUO TASK: DESCRIBE THE HISTORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT DUE DATE: 28th January, 2013 Introduction The Old Testament was written over a wide historical period, it describes the relationship of God and the people of Israel before the coming of Jesus. To make it easy to explain the history in the Old Testament, I have seen it best to look at it under the following periods: 1. Primeval History Primeval history refers to the earliest history in the Bible. Genesis chapters 1 to 11 are considered the primeval history portion of the Bible. This is the Biblical time period from creation to the flood. The final section of the primeval history of the Bible tells the story of the flood or deluge. Noah and his family were righteous and followed God's instructions, and were therefore spared from death during the deluge. 2. Patriarchal Period (1900BC-1800BC) Though the beginning of Israel’s history as a nation is usually placed at the time of her departure from Egypt, an account of her history must start with Abraham and the patriarchs. Only after Israel had moved across Egypt’s border did she have size and identity with which other nations would have to reckon with, but she already had a history that stretched back through the years to her fathers, Jacob and Abraham. To Jacob the twelve heads of the respective...
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...Gilgamesh and Enkidu learn all too well that the gods are dangerous for mortals. Gods live by their own laws and frequently behave as emotionally and irrationally as children. Piety is important to the gods, and they expect obedience and flattery whenever possible. They can often be helpful, but angering them is sheer madness—and a character’s reverence for the gods is no guarantee of safety. Thus, the world of The Epic of Gilgamesh differs markedly from that of the Judeo-Christian tradition, in which God is both a partner in a covenant and a stern but loving parent to his people. The covenant promises that people will receive an earthly or heavenly inheritance if they behave well. The Judeo-Christian God represents not just what is most powerful but what is morally best—humans should aspire to imitate him. These differences are noteworthy because Gilgamesh also shares certain common elements with the Judeo-Christian Bible. Both Gilgamesh and parts of the Bible are written in similar languages: Hebrew is related to Akkadian, the Babylonian language that the author used in composing the late versions of Gilgamesh. The Bible comes from the same region as Gilgamesh and shares some of its motifs and stories, such as the serpent as the enemy who deprives humans of eternal life and, most important, the flood. In both the Bible and Gilgamesh, disobedience to a god or gods brings dire consequences. Although we never learn exactly why the gods unleashed the great flood in Gilgamesh...
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...History 101 Chapter 2 Sumerians- Began developing their civilization by forming alternative ways of irrigation. They built reservoirs, dig canals in order to irrigate fields of barley, wheat and peas. This artificial irrigation led to increases food supplies which supported the rapid increase of their population. Around 4000 B.C.E Sumerians built the world’s first cities. Sumerians were the centers of political and military authority and their jurisdiction extended into surrounding regions. Also their market places drew in buyers and sellers from near and far which turned the cities into economic centers as well. Sargon's empire- Represented a historical experiment. Sargon seized control of trade routes and supplies of natural resources such as silver, tin, cedar wood. By controlling and taxing trade Sargon obtained financial resources to maintain his military juggernaut and transform his capital of Akkad into the wealthiest and most powerful city in the world. Hammurabi empire- Developed a more efficient and predictable government then his predecessor and also spread its cost more evenly over the populations. Hammurabi also maintained his empire by creating a code of law which established high standards of behavior and stern, punishment for violators. They prescribed death penalties for murder, theft, fraud, false accusation, sheltering of runaway slave failure to obey royal orders and incest civil laws regulated prices, wages, and commercial dealing marital relationships...
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...information and ideas you should be looking for as you watch Episode 2. Record your answers to each question by providing as many facts, details, and examples as possible to answer each question. Be prepared to discuss your answers with the class. 1. At the time that the Spanish conquistador’s invaded the Inca Empire, they were armed with state of the art weaponry. Describe this weaponry. Answers will vary but should include: horses that made them appear like god-like half man, half beast warriors, body armor, guns, and steel swords. 2. What is Jared Diamond’s explanation for why the Spanish had advanced to steel swords while Inca’s were still making tools and weapons from bronze? Answer: Because Europe was geographically close to the Fertile Crescent, they inherited the 7,000 years of metal technology that had been developed there. Because they had a diversified society that allowed for specialization, the Spanish devoted time and effort to producing the longest, strongest, sharpest swords possible. 3. How did the battle tactics used by the Spanish conquistadors help the small army defeat the Inca army that outnumbered it by the thousands? Answer: The Spaniards begin by surprising the Incas, firing their guns and coming out of hiding on horseback. As they rode, the conquistadors used their swords to hack, cut, and stab the Incas who were panicking and fleeing rather than standing firm. Had the Incas known more about this style of fighting, they could have been victorious by sheer...
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...Assyria was known to be very fertile and healthy. A lot of people moved there so that they could grow crops. With so much food being produced, people stayed there, the population kept multiplying, and towns and cities were created to sustain that many people. The Fertile Crescent includes many modern day places, such as Iraq, Syria, and Palestine. Ancient Assyria was located in what is now southern Iraq. It was between two rivers that were named the Tigris and Euphrates. In the North part of Assyria, there are rivers and streams that come from the direction of the mountains. While the southern area is very hot and dry, especially compared to the northern region, the two large rivers allow irrigation between them. The land that was right in...
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