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River Valley Civilizations. Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River, Huang He River Another Goellner Endeavor. Mesopotamia. “Land between the rivers” in Greek Irrigated the arid landscape Developed city states that each had their own rulers (Ur, Urak , Babylon) Polytheistic
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River Valley Civilizations Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River, Huang He River Another Goellner Endeavor
Mesopotamia • “Land between the rivers” in Greek • Irrigated the arid landscape • Developed city states that each had their own rulers (Ur, Urak, Babylon) • Polytheistic • Built walled cities of mud and brick (Ziggurats) • Sumerians invented wheel, sailboat, copper and bronze tools, • Law (Code of Hammurabi)
Egypt • Nile floods replenishing the banks w/ fertile soil • Pharaoh was absolute ruler (he was a God) • Social order established (priests, nobles, warriors, scribes, merchants, craftsmen, peasants, slaves) • Believed in afterlife and body preservation • Pyramids were tombs for the pharaohs • First to use medicines, hieroglyphics, studied geometry and astronomy
Indus River Valley • Annual flood provided fertile soil • Grew barley, wheat, dates, and melons • Lived in large cities (Harrappa, Mohenjo-Daro) • More than 1,000 cities most with over 30,000 • Dockyards, granaries, warehouses, protective walls, sewers, and water supply • Harrappans made cotton cloth, had written language and traded extensively • Civilization collapsed suddenly (still and mystery)
Huang He River Valley • Yellow River, very fertile soils from floods • Farmed millet, soybeans, raised chickens, dogs, and pigs • 1700 BC Shang Dynasty took power • Established capital at Anyang • Military leaders, and also acted as priests • Excelled in bronze work, silk textiles, developed pictographs (characters) • Confucianism developed later (around 551 BC)