Early

Civilizations
Each civilization that you will study in this unit made
important contributions to history.

The Mesopotamians developed writing.

The Egyptians created papyrus.

The Israelites scripture influenced the religions of Europe.

8000 B.C. 5000 B.C. 2000 B.C.

First c. 8000 B.C. c. 3200 B.C. c. 1790 B.C.
Civilizations Farming begins in Sumerians in Hammurabi intro-
southwest Asia Mesopotamia duces code of laws
Cha p ter 1
develop writing

Hammurabi stands
before a god

Ancient c. 5000 B.C. c. 2540 B.C. c. 1500 B.C.

Egypt Hunter-gatherers settle Egyptians complete Queen
Nile River valley building of Great Hatshepsut
C ha p ter 2
Pyramid becomes
pharaoh
Pyramids at
Giza, Egypt

Ancient c. 2000 B.C.

Israelites Abraham
enters Canaan
Chap te r 3

Abraham leads
Israelites to Canaan

(t)Reunion des Musees Nationaux/Art Resource, NY, (c)John Heaton/CORBIS, (b)Tom Lovell/National Geographic Society Image Collection
(tl)Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York/Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund/Bridgeman Art Library, (bl)Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, (others)SuperStock

0 0 1,000 mi. 30E 60E 90E

Caspian Sea
0 1,000 km ASIA
Mercator projection
Black Sea
Chapter 1
Chapter 3

Ti
gri s
Eu us
ph nd R.

R.
at

I
r
es

R.
N
Persian
W E Chapter 2 Gulf
Nile R.

S
Red
Sea Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
AFRICA

EQUATOR

INDIAN
OCEAN

1000 B.C. 750 B.C. 500 B.C. 250 B.C. A.D. 100
c. 744 B.C. c. 612 B.C.
Assyria expands Chaldeans capture
into Babylon Assyrian capital

Hanging gardens of
Babylon

c. 1000 B.C. 728 B.C.

Kush breaks Kush conquers
free of Egypt Egypt

Kushite king Taharqa

Lion statue honoring

Kushite king Aspalta

c. 1000 B.C. 586 B.C. 168 B.C. A.D. 70

King David rules Israel Chaldeans Maccabean revolt Romans
capture destroy temple
Jerusalem in Jerusalem

Jews led
Ancient Jerusalem
into exile

1
1 Ishtar Gate
Mediterranean Sea

5
See First Civilizations 3
Chapter 1

2
AFRICA
Sumerian figures

Red
See First Civilizations
Sea
Chapter 1

c. 3300 B.C .
Iceman found in Ruled c. 17921750 B.C . Ruled c. 14731458 B.C .
the Alps Babylonian king Egyptian pharaoh
Chapter 1, page 12 Chapter 1, page 22 Chapter 2, page 63

2
23 Worldsat International Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved, (t)S. Fiore/SuperStock, (c)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (bl)Giansanti Gianni/CORBIS Sygma, (bc)Louvre Museum, Paris/Bridgeman Art Library, (br)Metropolitan
Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift,1929 (29.3.3)
 ASIA 3 Egyptian sphinx

Caspian
Sea
See Ancient Egypt
Chapter 2

4 Kushite pyramids

1
2

See Ancient Egypt

Chapter 2

Persian
Gulf 5 Western Wall

See Ancient Israelites

Chapter 3

Ruled c. 12791213 B.C . c. 1100 B.C . Ruled c. 1000970 B.C .

Egyptian ruler Israelite women King of Israel
Chapter 2, page 66 Chapter 3, page 99 Chapter 3, page 88

3
(t to b)Sylvain Grandadam/Getty Images, Timothy Kendall/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Gary Cralle/Getty Images, (l to r)O. Louis Mazzatenta/National Geographic Society Image Collection, SuperStock,
Bettmann/CORBIS
 Georg Gerster/Photo Researchers
The First
Civilizations
Ruins of a ziggurat in Iraq

3000 B.C. 2000 B.C. 1000 B.C.

c. 3000 B.C. c. 1792 B.C. 612 B.C.
Bronze Age Hammurabi Nineveh captured;
begins rules Assyrian Empire
Mesopotamia crumbles
Chapter Preview Chapter Overview Visit
jat.glencoe.com for a preview
Some of the first civilizations arose in southwest Asia. The of Chapter 1.
people of these civilizations gradually learned how to farm
and developed systems of government, writing, and religion.
View the Chapter 1 video in the World History: Journey
Across Time Video Program.

Early Humans
The earliest humans hunted animals and gathered
plants for food. When farming developed, people
settled in towns and cities.

Mesopotamian Civilization
In early Mesopotamian civilizations, religion and
government were closely linked. Kings created
strict laws to govern the people.

The First Empires

New empires arose in Mesopotamia around 900 B.C.
These civilizations included the Assyrians and the
Chaldeans. They used powerful armies and iron
weapons to conquer the region.

Compare and Contrast Make this foldable to help you compare and contrast
the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia.

Step 1 Fold a sheet of paper Reading and Writing

Step 2 Turn the paper and
in half from side to side. As you read the chapter,
fold it into thirds.
write notes under each
appropriate tab of your
Fold it so the left foldable. Keep in mind
edge lies about that you are trying to
1
2 inch from the compare these
right edge. civilizations.

Step 4 Label as shown.

The First Civilizations
Step 3 Unfold and cut
Early Mesopo- Empires
the top layer only along Humans tamia
both folds. This will make
three tabs.

5
Previewing

Get Ready to Read!

Before you read, take time to preview the chapter. This will give you
a head start on what you are about to learn. Follow the steps below
to help you quickly read, or skim, Section 1 on page 9.

2The 1Read
under each main
head tells you the
Early Humans the main
headings
big picture. It Paleolithic people adapted to in large red
summarizes the their environment and invented many tools type. They
main point of to help them survive. show the
what you are Reading Focus What do you view as the main topics
about to read. greatest human achievement? Sending people to covered in
the moon, perhaps, or inventing the computer? the section
Read to learn about the accomplishments of or chapter.
3The Reading people during the Paleolithic Age.
Focus helps you to
make a connection
between what you History is the story of
might already humans . . .
know and what you
are about to read.
Tools of Discovery

4Under each main

head, read the sub-
heads in blue type.
o Subheads break down
kim, als
As you s tures, each main topic into
pic
look at ts. smaller topics.
nd char
maps, a
Preview by Skimming Read to Write
Use each main head,
the main ideas, and the
subheads in Section 2
of this chapter to create
a study outline.

The
First Empires

Skim all of the main heads and main ideas in Section 3

starting on page 26. Then, in small groups, discuss the
answers to these questions.
Which part of this section do you think will be most
interesting to you?
What do you think will be covered in Section 3 that
was not covered in Section 2?
Are there any words in the Main Ideas that you
do not know how to pronounce?
Choose one of the Reading
Focus questions to discuss
in your group.

Skim Section 2 on your own. Write

one thing in your notebook that you
want to learn by reading this chapter. 7
 Early Humans
Whats the Connection? Building Your Vocabulary
Today people live in towns and historian (hih STOHR ee uhn)
cities of various sizes and make their archaeologist
living in different ways. Read to find (AHR kee AH luh jihst)
out how early humans lived by artifact (AHR tih FAKT)
moving from place to place, forming fossil (FAH suhl)
settlements, and exploring different anthropologist
ways to provide for themselves and (AN thruh PAH luh jihst)
their families.
nomad (NOH MAD)
technology (tehk NAH luh jee)
Focusing on the
Paleolithic people adapted to their domesticate (duh MEHS tih KAYT)
environment and invented many specialization
tools to help them survive. (page 9) (SPEH shuh luh ZAY shuhn)
In the Neolithic Age, people started Reading Strategy
farming, building communities, Determine Cause and Effect Draw
producing goods, and trading. a diagram like the one below. Use it
(page 13) to explain how early humans adapted
to their environment.
Locating Places Cause: Effect:
Jericho (JEHR ih KOH)
atal Hyk Cause: Effect:
(chah TAHL hoo YOOK) Cause: Effect:

8000 B.C. 6000 B.C. 4000 B.C. 2000 B.C.

Catal
Huyuk c. 8000 B.C. c. 6700 B.C. c. 3000 B.C.
Jericho atal Hyk Bronze Age
founded settled begins
Jericho

8 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

Early Humans Tools of Discovery What we know about
the earliest people comes from the things
Paleolithic people adapted to their they left behind. Scientists have worked
environment and invented many tools to help them to uncover clues about early human life.
survive. Archaeologists (AHR kee AH luh jihsts)
Reading Focus What do you view as the greatest hunt for evidence buried in the ground
human achievement? Sending people to the moon, where settlements might once have been.
perhaps, or inventing the computer? Read to learn They dig up and study artifacts (AHR tih
about the accomplishments of people during the FAKTS)weapons, tools, and other things
Paleolithic Age.
made by humans. They also look for fossils
(FAH suhls)traces of plants or animals
History is the story of humans in the
that have been preserved in rock.
past. It tells what they did and what hap-
Anthropologists (AN thruh PAH luh jihsts)
pened to them. Historians (hih STOHR ee
focus on human society. They study how
uhns) are people who study and write about
humans developed and how they related
the human past. They tell us that history
to one another.
began about 5,500 years ago, when people
Historians call the early period of
first began to write. But the story of people
human history the Stone Age. The name
really begins in prehistorythe time before
comes from the fact that people during this
people developed writing.
time used stone to make tools and weapons.

Archaeological Dig
Archaeologists use special techniques and tools when carrying
out a dig. Artifacts are photographed or sketched and their
locations are mapped and noted. Soil is passed through a mesh
screen to collect small fragments of tools or bone. What types
of artifacts do archaeologists look for?

PRESERVING
Archaeologists may use plaster LOOKING FOR FRAGMENTS
to make a form or an imprint of This scientist uses a wire mesh
something they have found. screen to sift the soil to
BELOW THE SURFACE discover small fragments
Layers of soil are of artifacts.
deposited one on
top of another. In gen-
eral, the farther the
layer is below the sur-
face, the older its soil
and artifacts are.

GRIDS CLEANING
Grids like these help archaeologists Artifacts must be handled and
record and map any artifacts found. cleaned carefully, often with soft
brushes or other instruments.
 who regularly move from place to place.
Paleolithic They traveled in bands of 30 or so members
because it was safer and made the search
Cave Paintings for food easier.
The oldest examples of Paleolithic art are Men and women did different tasks
cave paintings found in Spain and France.
within the group. Women stayed close to the
Most of the paintings are of animals.
The paintings show that Paleolithic artists campsite, which was typically near a stream
often used several colors and techniques. or other water source. They looked after the
They sometimes used the uneven surface of children and searched nearby woods and
the rock to create a three-dimensional effect. meadows for berries, nuts, and grains.
Men hunted animalsan activity that
sometimes took them far from camp. They
had to learn the habits of animals and make
tools for the kill. At first, they used clubs or
drove the animals off cliffs. Over time,
Paleolithic people invented spears, traps,
and bows and arrows.

Adapting to the Environment The way

that Paleolithic people lived depended on
where they lived. Those in warm climates
Painting of bison in Spanish cave
needed little clothing or shelter. People in
cold climates sought protection from the
weather in caves. Over time, Paleolithic
What does this cave painting tell us about people created new kinds of shelter. The
life in the Paleolithic Age? most common was probably made of ani-
mal hides held up by wooden poles.
Paleolithic people made a life-changing
The earliest part of the period is the discovery when they learned to tame fire.
Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Paleolithic Fire gave warmth to those gathered around
means old stone in the Greek language. it. It lit the darkness and scared away wild
Paleolithic times began roughly 2.5 million animals. Food cooked over the fire tasted
years ago and lasted until around 8000 B.C. better and was easier to digest. In addition,
smoked meat could be kept longer.
Who Were the Hunter-Gatherers? Try to Archaeologists believe that early humans
imagine the world during the Stone Age, started fires by rubbing two pieces of wood
long before any roadways, farms, or vil- together. Paleolithic people later made drill-
lages existed. Early humans spent most of like wooden tools to start fires.
their time searching for food. They hunted
animals, caught fish, ate insects, and gath- What Were the Ice Ages? Fire was a key
ered nuts, berries, fruits, grains, and plants. to the survival of Paleolithic people during
Because they hunted and gathered, the Ice Ages. These were long periods of
Paleolithic people were always on the move. extreme cold. The last Ice Age began about
They were nomads (NOH MADS), or people 100,000 B.C. From then until about 8000 B.C.,

10 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

Michael Holford
 thick ice sheets covered parts of Europe,
American Museum of Natural History

Asia, and North America.

The Ice Age was a threat to human life.
People risked death from the cold and also
from hunger. Early humans had to adapt
by changing their diet, building sturdier Tools One of the most important
shelters, and using animal furs to make advances of prehistoric people was the
warm clothing. The mastery of fire helped creation of stone tools. Tools made
people live in this environment. hunting, gathering, building shelter,
and making clothing much easier.
Language, Art, and Religion Another
The first tools were made of
advance in Paleolithic times was the devel-
opment of spoken language. Language made stones. Early humans quickly learned
it far easier for people to work together and that grinding, breaking, and shaping
to pass on knowledge. the stones to create sharp edges
Early people expressed themselves not made them more useful.
only in words but in art. They crushed yel- As technology advanced, people
low, black, and red rocks to make powders began making specific tools such as
for paint. Then they dabbed this on cave food choppers, meat scrapers, and
walls, creating scenes of lions, oxen, pan- spear points. In time, people learned
thers, and other animals. that hitting a stone in a particular
Historians are not sure why these cave way would produce a flakea long,
paintings were created. They may have had sharp chip. Flakes were similar to
religious meaning. Early people also might knives in the way they were used.
have thought that painting an animal would
bring good luck in the hunt.
The Invention of Tools Paleolithic people
were the first to use technology (tehk NAH
luh jee)tools and methods to help humans
perform tasks. People often used a hard
stone called flint to make tools. By hitting
Stone
flint with a hard stone, they could make it tools
flake into pieces with very sharp edges. To
make hand axes or hunting spears, they
tied wooden poles to pieces of flint that
were the right shape for the tool.
Over time, early people grew more
Flaking tools from
skilled at making tools. They crafted smaller a larger stone
and sharper tools, such as fishhooks and
needles made from animal bones. They
used needles to make nets and baskets and
Connecting to the Past
1. Why do you think early people chose
to sew hides together for clothing. stones to make their first tools?
Contrast How are fossils 2. How were flakes created?
and artifacts different?

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 11

 TZ00I . T. HE ICEMAN
c. 33 BC
between
In A.D. 1991 two hikers near the border
body of a man.
Austria and Italy discovered the frozen
tztal Alps, the
The man was called tzi after the
ntists studied
mountains where he was found. Scie
s found with him
tzis body, his clothes, and the item
th. One of the
to uncover clues about his life and dea
was that tzi
first amazing facts scientists learned
lithic Age.
lived 5,300 years ago, during the Neo Scientists created this
the cold
tzi was dressed warmly because of reproduction to show what
a long grass cloak.
climate. He was wearing a fur hat and ade but
tzi may have looked like.
that was well-m
Under the cloak was a leather jacket
To kee p his feet warm, he had
had been repaired several times. ls and supplies
ffed gra ss in the bot tom of his leat her shoes. Scientists studied the too
stu for many months.
he planned to be away from home
tzi was carrying and decided that is
ws, copper ax, and bac kpa ck wer e among the supplies found near tz
A bow and arro bably
erts bel ieve tz i was a she phe rd who traveled with his herd. tzi pro
body. Exp
year.
returned to his village only twice a is life.
ned more about the last hours of tz
From recent tests, scientists have lear cker, an herb or
e of flat bread that is similar to a cra
Shortly before he died, tzi ate a typ t he ate his last
found in tzis stomach showed tha
other green plant, and meat. Pollen headed up
the valley, sou th of wh ere he was found. When tzi finished eating, he
meal in r, he died. Scientists
into the mountains. Eight hours late
lent ones. When
believe that tzis last hours were vio
t hand. Wounds on
found, he clutched a knife in his righ
to fight off an
his right hand suggest that he tried
deeply pierced by an
attacker. His left shoulder had been
y have wandered
arrow. Some scientists think tzi ma
now displayed at
into another tribes territory. tzi is
gy in Bolzano, Italy.
the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeolo

overed
If scientists 5,300 years from now disc
e, what
the remains of someone from our tim
This copper ax, along with the ?
bow and arrows that you can see might they conclude about our society
above, were tzis main weapons.

(tr)Giansanti Gianni/CORBIS Sygma, (bl)Kenneth Garrett

Neolithic Times This change in the way people lived
marked the beginning of the Neolithic Age,
In the Neolithic Age, people started or New Stone Age, which began about
farming, building communities, producing goods, 8000 B.C. and lasted until about 4000 B.C.
and trading.
Reading Focus Did you know that, today, more than a Why Was Farming Important? Historians
third of the worlds people work in agriculture? Read to call the changes in the Neolithic Age the
learn how farming began and how it changed the world. farming revolution. The word revolution
refers to changes that greatly affect many
After the last Ice Age ended, people areas of life. Some historians consider the
began to change their way of life. They began farming revolution the most important
to domesticate (duh MEHS tih KAYT), or tame event in human history.
animals and plants for human use. Animals Farming did not begin in one region and
provided meat, milk, and wool. They also spread. People in different parts of the
carried goods and pulled carts. world discovered how to grow crops at
In addition, people also learned how to about the same time. In Asia, people grew
grow food. For the first time, people could wheat, barley, rice, soybeans, and a grain
stay in one place to grow grains and vegeta- called millet. In Mexico, farmers grew corn,
bles. Gradually, farming replaced hunting squash, and potatoes. In Africa, they grew
and gathering. millet and a grain called sorghum.

Early Farming 70002000 B.C. In

Motion
90W 30W 30E 90E 150E
TS E
OA RY
60N

NORTH
AMERICA EUROPE ASIA
PACIFIC ATLANTIC PACIFIC
OCEAN OCEAN OCEAN
30N
TROPIC OF CANCER
AFRICA
EQUATOR SOUTH N
EQUATOR
0
AMERICA
W E
TROPIC OF CAPRICORN
S AUSTRALIA 30S
0 2,000 mi.
INDIAN OCEAN
0 2,000 km
Mercator projection

KEY
60S
Barley Maize Potatoes Sweet potatoes
Farming developed in many regions of the world. Beans Millet Rice Tea
1. According to the map, what crops were grown Cocoa OA
TS Oats RY
E
Rye Tomatoes
in North America? Coffee Olives Soybeans Vanilla
2. On which two continents did barley and Cotton Onions Squash Wheat
wheat grow?
Emmer Peanuts Sugarcane Yams
Find NGS online map resources @
www.nationalgeographic.com/maps Flax Peppers Sunflowers

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 13

 Comparing the Neolithic and Paleolithic Ages
Paleolithic Age Neolithic Age

Description Paleolithic people painted cave Neolithic people made pottery and
of Art and walls. They usually painted carved objects out of wood. They
Crafts animals. also built shelters and tombs.
How Humans People hunted animals and People began to farm in permanent
Obtained Food gathered nuts, berries, and grains. villages. They continued to raise
and herd animals.

How Humans People learned to make fire, People built mud-brick houses and
Adapted created a language, and places of worship. They specialized
made simple tools and in certain jobs and used copper and
shelters. bronze to create more useful tools.
Work of Women Women gathered food and cared Women cared for children and
and Men for children. Men hunted. performed household tasks.
Men herded, farmed, and protected
the village.

Humans made great advances from the

Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age.
1. How did the work of men change from the
Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age? Mexico. The earliest known communities
2. Describe What advances were made in have been found in the Middle East. One of
toolmaking between the Paleolithic and the oldest is Jericho (JEHR ih KOH) in the
Neolithic Ages? West Bank between what are now Israel and
Jordan. This city dates back to about 8000 B.C.
Another well-known Neolithic commu-
The Growth of Villages People who nity is atal Hyk (chah TAHL hoo
farmed could settle in one place. Herders YOOK) in present-day Turkey. Little of it
remained nomadic and drove their animals remains, but it was home to some 6,000 peo-
wherever they could find grazing land. ple between about 6700 B.C. and 5700 B.C.
Farmers, however, had to stay close to their They lived in simple mud-brick houses that
fields to water the plants, keep hungry ani- were packed tightly together and decorated
mals away, and harvest their crops. They inside with wall paintings. They used other
began to live in villages, where they built buildings as places of worship. Along with
permanent homes. farming, the people hunted, raised sheep
During the Neolithic Age, villages were and goats, and ate fish and bird eggs from
started in Europe, India, Egypt, China, and nearby marshes.

14 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

(l)Michael Holford, (r)Ron Sheridan/Ancient Art & Architecture Collection
The Benefits of a Settled Life The shift cloth. These craftspeople, like farmers,
to settled life brought Neolithic people also took part in trade. They exchanged
greater security than they had ever known. the things they made for goods they did
Steady food supplies meant healthy, grow- not have.
ing populations. With a bigger population, In late Neolithic times, people contin-
there were more workers to produce a ued to make advances. Toolmakers created
bigger crop. better farming tools, such as the sickle for
Because villagers produced more than cutting grain. In some places, people began
enough to eat, they began to trade their to work with metals. At first they used cop-
extra foodstuffs. They traded with people per. They heated rocks to melt the copper
in their own communities and also with inside and then poured it into molds for
people who lived in other areas. tools and weapons.
People began to practice specialization After 4000 B.C., craftspeople in western
(SPEH shuh luh ZAY shuhn), or the develop- Asia mixed copper and tin to form bronze.
ment of different kinds of jobs. Because not Bronze was harder and longer lasting than
everyone was needed for farming, some copper. It became widely used between
people had the time to develop other types 3000 B.C. and 1200 B.C., the period known as
of skills. They made pottery from clay to the Bronze Age.
store their grain and other foods. They used Compare How did the
plant fibers to make mats and to weave Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages differ?

Study Central Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. Who are archaeologists and
what do they study?
4. Explain Why were Paleolithic
people nomads?
Review the
2. How did domesticating animals 5. Compare Compare the tech-
Early humans were nomads who help the Neolithic people? nology of the Paleolithic Age
moved around to hunt animals with that of the Neolithic Age.
and gather food. They built
Critical Thinking
3. Determine Cause and 6. Analyze Why was the ability
shelters and used fire to survive.
Effect Draw a diagram like the to make a fire so important?
In time, they developed language
and art. one below. List some of the 7. Previewing
effects that farming had on Create a three-column chart.
During the farming revolution, peoples lives. In the first column, write what
people began to grow crops you knew about early humans
Effect:
and domesticate animals, Cause:
before you read this section.
which allowed them to settle Farming Effect: In the second column, write
in villages. begins what you learned after reading.
Effect: In the third, write what you
still would like to know.

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 15

 Mesopotamian
Civilization
Whats the Connection? Meeting People
In Section 1, you learned about Sargon (SAHR GAHN)
early humans settling in towns. Hammurabi (HA muh RAH bee)
Some settled in Mesopotamia, an
area called the cradle of civilization. Building Your Vocabulary
civilization
Focusing on the (SIH vuh luh ZAY shuhn)
Civilization in Mesopotamia began irrigation (IHR uh GAY shuhn)
in the valleys of the Tigris and city-state
Euphrates Rivers. (page 17) artisan (AHR tuh zuhn)
Sumerians invented writing and cuneiform (kyoo NEE uh FAWRM)
made other important contributions scribe (SKRYB)
to later peoples. (page 20) empire (EHM PYR)
Sumerian city-states lost power Reading Strategy
when they were conquered by Sequencing Information Use a
outsiders. (page 23) diagram to show how the first empire
in Mesopotamia came about.
Locating Places
Tigris River (TY gruhs) city-states formed
Euphrates River (yu FRAY teez)
Mesopotamia
(MEH suh puh TAY mee uh)
Sumer (SOO muhr)
Babylon (BA buh luhn)

3000 B.C. 2250 B.C. 1500 B.C.

3000 B.C. c. 2340 B.C. c. 1792 B.C.
City-states Sargon conquers Hammurabi rules
arise in Sumer Mesopotamia Mesopotamia
Babylon
Uruk

16 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

Mesopotamias Civilization easy to feed large numbers of people. The
rivers also provided fish and freshwater,
Civilization in Mesopotamia began in and made it easy to travel and to trade.
the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Trade provided a way for goods and ideas to
Reading Focus Do you live in a region that receives move from place to place. It was no accident,
plenty of rain or in a region that is dry? Think about then, that cities grew up in these valleys and
how that affects you as you read how the Sumerians became the centers of civilizations.
environment affected them. As cities took shape, so did the need for
organization. Someone had to make plans
Over thousands of years, some of the and decisions about matters of common
early farming villages developed into civi- concern. People formed governments to do
lizations. Civilizations (SIH vuh luh ZAY just that. Their leaders took charge of food
shuhns) are complex societies. They have supplies and building projects. They made
cities, organized governments, art, religion, laws to keep order and assembled armies to
class divisions, and a writing system. fend off enemies.
With fewer worries about meeting their
Why Were River Valleys Important? The basic needs, people in the river valleys had
first civilizations arose in river valleys more time to think about other things. They
because good farming conditions made it developed religions and the arts. To pass on

Ancient Mesopotamia In
Motion

30E 40E 50E

C asp
KEY
Fertile Crescent
A SI A M I NO R
ian
Se a
M
Me ES
dit Eu
O Nineveh
err ph
r
ane
PO e s R

an S Byblos
at

Tigr i
TA

ea
Sidon . A S I A
MI
sR

NILE
A

Tyre SYRIAN
.

DELTA DESERT
Jerusalem Jordan R. Babylon Susa
30N
EGYPT Dead Uruk
Giza Sea Ur Persian
Eridu Gulf
N

W
Ancient
E Shoreline
Ni
le

S
R.

A number of great civilizations

Red

ARABIAN
developed in Mesopotamia. DESERT
Sea

1. Into what body of water do the 0 500 mi.

Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers flow? 0 500 km
2. Why do you think the region of Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
Mesopotamia was so well suited
for the growth of civilization? Sculpture of chariot
from Mesopotamia

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 17

Hirmer Verlag
information, they invented ways of writing. Mesopotamia had a hot, dry climate.
They also created calendars to tell time. In the spring, the rivers often flooded,
Early civilizations shared another fea- leaving behind rich soil for farming. The
turethey had a class structure. That is, problem was that the flooding was very
people held different places in society unpredictable. It might flood one year, but
depending on what work they did and how not the next. Every year, farmers worried
much wealth or power they had. about their crops. They came to believe
they needed their gods to bless their
The Rise of Sumer The earliest-known civ- efforts.
ilization arose in what is now southern Iraq, Over time, the farmers learned to build
on a flat plain bounded by the Tigris River dams and channels to control the seasonal
(TY gruhs) and the Euphrates River (yu floods. They also built walls, waterways,
FRAY teez). Later, the Greeks called this area and ditches to bring water to their fields. This
Mesopotamia (MEH suh puh TAY mee uh), way of watering crops is called irrigation
meaning the land between the rivers. (IHR uh GAY shuhn). Irrigation allowed the
Mesopotamia lay in the eastern part of the farmers to grow plenty of food and support
Fertile Crescent, a curving strip of land that a large population. By 3000 B.C., many cities
extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the had formed in southern Mesopotamia in a
Persian Gulf. region known as Sumer (SOO muhr).

Sumerian Ziggurat
The top of the ziggurat was considered to be a holy place, and the area around
the ziggurat contained palaces and royal storehouses. The surrounding walls
had only one entrance because the ziggurat also served as the citys treasury.
How did people reach the upper levels of the ziggurat?

Statues of Sumerians
praying

18
Scala/Art Resource, NY
What Were City-States? Sumerian cities waterproof bricks were used for walls, as
were isolated from each other by geography. well as homes, temples, and other buildings.
Beyond the areas of settlement lay mudflats Gods and Rulers The Sumerians believed
and patches of scorching desert. This terrain in many gods. Each was thought to have
made travel and communication difficult. power over a natural force or a human activ-
Each Sumerian city and the land around ityflooding, for example, or basket weav-
it became a separate city-state. It had its ing. The Sumerians tried hard to please the
own government and was not part of any gods. Each city-state built a grand temple
larger unit. called a ziggurat (ZIH guh RAT) to its chief
Sumerian city-states often went to war god. The word ziggurat means mountain of
with one another. They fought to gain glory god or hill of heaven.
and to control more territory. For protec- With tiers like a giant square wedding
tion, each city-state surrounded itself with a cake, the ziggurat dominated the city. At
wall. Because stone and wood were in short the top was a shrine, or special place of
supply, the Sumerians used river mud as worship that only priests and priestesses
their main building material. They mixed could enter. The priests and priestesses
the mud with crushed reeds, formed bricks, were powerful and controlled much of the
and left them in the sun to dry. The hard land. They may even have ruled at one time.

A portion of the Royal

Standard of Ur, a deco-
rated box that shows
scenes of Sumerian life

These ruins are from the

Sumerian city-state of Uruk.
What was a city-state?

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 19

(l)Nik Wheeler/CORBIS, (r)Michael Holford
 Later, kings ran the government. They
led armies and organized building projects.
A Skilled People
The first kings were probably war heroes. Sumerians invented writing and made
Their position became hereditary. That is, other important contributions to later peoples.
after a king died, his son took over. Reading Focus Do you like to read? If so, you owe a
debt to the Sumerians, because they were the first to
What Was Life Like in Sumer? While
invent writing. Read about this achievement and others.
Sumerian kings lived in large palaces,
ordinary people lived in small mud-brick The Sumerians left a lasting mark on
houses. Most people in Sumer farmed. Some, world history. Their ideas and inventions
however, were artisans (AHR tuh zuhns), or were copied and improved upon by other
skilled workers who made metal products, peoples. As a result, Mesopotamia has been
cloth, or pottery. Other people in Sumer called the cradle of civilization.
worked as merchants or traders. They trav-
eled to other cities and towns and traded Why Was Writing Important? The people
tools, wheat, and barley for of Sumer created many things that still affect
copper, tin, and timberthings our lives today. Probably their greatest
that Sumer did not have. invention was writing. Writing is impor-
People in Sumer were tant because it helps people keep records
divided into three social and pass on their ideas to others.
classes. The upper class People in Sumer developed writ-
included kings, priests, and ing to keep track of business deals and
government officials. In the other events. Their writing was called
middle class were artisans, cuneiform (kyoo NEE uh FAWRM). It
merchants, farmers, and fish- consisted of hundreds of wedge-
ers. These people made up shaped marks cut into damp clay
the largest group. The lower tablets with a sharp-ended reed.
class were enslaved people Archaeologists have found thousands
who worked on farms or in of these cuneiform tablets, telling us
the temples. Sumerian
much about Mesopotamian life.
Enslaved people were cuneiform Only a few peoplemostly boys from
forced to serve others. wealthy familieslearned how to write.
Slaveholders thought of them as property. After years of training, they became scribes
Some slaves were prisoners of war. Others (SKRYBS), or record keepers. Scribes held
were criminals. Still others were enslaved honored positions in society, often going on
because they had to pay off their debts. to become judges and political leaders.
In Sumer, women and men had separate Sumerian Literature The Sumerians also
roles. Men headed the households. Only produced works of literature. The worlds
males could go to school. Women, however, oldest known story comes from Sumer. It is
did have rights. They could buy and sell called the Epic of Gilgamesh (GIHL guh
property and run businesses. MEHSH). An epic is a long poem that tells the

Explain How did Mesopo- story of a hero. The hero Gilgamesh is a

tamians control the flow of the Tigris and king who travels around the world with a
Euphrates Rivers? friend and performs great deeds. When his

20 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

Scala/Art Resource, NY
friend dies, Gilgamesh searches for a way to Sumerians developed many mathemati-
live forever. He learns that this is possible cal ideas. They used geometry to measure
only for the gods. fields and put up buildings. They also
created a number system based on 60. We
Advances in Science and Math The have them to thank for our 60-minute hour,
Mesopotamians creativity extended to 60-second minute, and 360-degree circle.
technology too. You read earlier about In addition, Sumerian people watched
Sumerian irrigation systems. Sumerians the skies to learn the best times to plant
also invented the wagon wheel to help crops and to hold religious festivals. They
carry people and goods from place to place. recorded the positions of the planets and
Another breakthrough was the plow, which stars and developed a 12-month calendar
made farming easier. Still another invention based on the cycles of the moon.
was the sailboat, which replaced muscle Identify What kind of writ-
power with wind power. ten language did the Sumerians use?

Education
Students today
In ancient Mesopotamia, only boys from
wealthy and high-ranking families went to the
edubba, which means tablet house. At the
edubbathe worlds first schoolboys
studied reading, writing, and mathematics
and trained to be scribes. For hours
every day, they copied the signs of the
cuneiform script, trying to master
hundreds of words
and phrases.

Today, both boys and girls

go to school. They study reading,
writing, and mathematics, but also
many other subjects. As students
advance in their education, they have
a great number of career choices and are
able to choose the career that fits their talents.
In what way is education different today than
Mesopotamian cuneiform tablet it was in Mesopotamia?

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 21

(l)Mesopotamian Iraq Museum, Baghdad, Iraq/Giraudon/Bridgeman Art Library, (r)Will Hart/PhotoEdit
 HAMedM URABI
c. 17921750 . . BC
Reign
he succeeded
Hammurabi was a young man when
ylon. When
his father, Sinmuballit, as king of Bab
already a
Hammurabi became king, Babylon was
his reign,
major power in Mesopotamia. During
ylon from
however, Hammurabi transformed Bab
l state.
a small city-state into a large, powerfu
one rule.
He also united Mesopotamia under
g of Babel.
Hammurabi called himself Strong Kin
the ruling of
Hammurabi was directly involved in
projects, such as
his kingdom. He personally directed
s, and digging and
building city walls, restoring temple
l of planning
cleaning irrigation canals. A great dea
for example, were
went into his projects. City streets,
ted at right
arranged in straight lines and intersec
are planned today. Hammurabi
angles, much like the way our cities
trol the
One of Hammurabis goals was to con
water for
Euphrates River because it provided
cargo ships.
Babylons farms and trade routes for rivals in
trol of the river. One of Hammurabis
However, other kings also wanted con 14 years
-Sin of Larsa. During Hammurabis last
the battle for the Euphrates was Rim rabi
he and his sold iers fou ght aga inst Rim-Sin and other enemies. Hammu
as king, by
ly use d wat er to def eat Rim -Sin and his people. He sometimes did this
act ual hholding
sudden flood, and sometimes by wit
damming the water and releasing a
ps.
water needed for drinking and for cro
rabi ruled briefly over a unified
After defeating his enemies, Hammu k over
ame ill, and his son, Samsuiluna, too
Mesopotamia. Hammurabi soon bec great
dut ies and was cro wn ed king afte r his death. Because of Hammurabis
his
efforts, however, the center of power
in Mesopotamia shifted from Sumer
in the south to Babylon in the north, es that
ained for the nex t Do any nations currently have law cod
wh ere it rem rnet and
resemble Hammurabis? Use the Inte
1,000 years. es with law
your local library to identify countri
fair but
codes that you think are somewhat
somewhat cruel.

akg-images
Sargon and Hammurabi In the 1800s B.C., a new group of people
became powerful in Mesopotamia. They
Sumerian city-states lost power when built the city of Babylon (BA buh luhn) by
they were conquered by outsiders. the Euphrates River. It quickly became a
Reading Focus Have you heard of the Roman Empire, center of trade. Beginning in 1792 B.C., the
the Aztec Empire, or the British Empire? The rise and fall Babylonian king, Hammurabi (HA muh RAH
of empires is an important part of history. Read on to bee), began conquering cities to the north and
learn about the first empires in the world. south and created the Babylonian Empire.
Hammurabi is best known for his law
Over time, conflicts weakened Sumers code, or collection of laws. (See pages 24 and
city-states. They became vulnerable to attacks 25.) He took what he believed were the best
by outside groups such as the Akkadians (uh laws from each city-state and put them in
KAY dee uhnz) of northern Mesopotamia. one code. The code covered crimes, farming
The king of the Akkadians was named and business activities, and marriage and
Sargon (SAHR GAHN). In about 2340 B.C., the familyalmost every area of life. The
Sargon conquered all of Mesopotamia. He set code forced everyone in Babylon to follow
up the worlds first empire. An empire (EHM the same laws. It also influenced later laws,
PYR) is a group of many different lands under including those of Greece and Rome.
one ruler. Sargons empire lasted for more Explain Why was Sargons
than 200 years before falling to invaders. empire important?

Study Central Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. What is a civilization? 4. Geography Skills How was
2. What was the Code of the geography of Mesopotamia
Review the
Hammurabi? suited for the growth of
In time, farming villages devel- population and creation of
oped into civilizations with Critical Thinking a civilization?
governments, art, religion, writ-
ing, and social class divisions. 3. Summarize Information 5. Science Link Why did the
The first city-states developed Draw a chart like the one below. Sumerians record the positions
in Mesopotamia. Use it to list the achievements of stars and planets and
of Mesopotamian civilization. develop a calendar?
Many important ideas and inven- 6. Persuasive Writing Imagine
tions, including writing, the wheel, Achievements of
Mesopotamian Civilization you are living in a city-state
the plow, and a number system
in ancient Sumer. Write a letter
based on 60, were developed in
to a friend describing which
the region of Mesopotamia.
Mesopotamian idea or invention
Several empires, including the you believe will be the most
Babylonian Empire, took control important to humanity.
of Mesopotamia.

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 23

 Runion des Muses Nationaux/Art Resource, NY
Hammurabis Laws:
Fair or Cruel?

Fair B.C ., K in g H a m murabi

Some o
fairness.
f th e la w s reflect that

Around 1750 v er n th e p eo p le of
: If a ju dge makes an
error
to g o a w 5 g
wrote 282 law
s
a n d sc h o la rs agree L
h h is ow n fault when tryin
torians throu g be
Babylon. His la w s w er e the first to se , h e m u st pay a fine,
cien t a ca ,
that these an so ci et y. H owever, ed fr o m the judges bench
ects o f remo v se.
cover all asp h o la rs d o not agree n ev er ju dge another ca
d sc a nd
historians an b is laws were fair
or
so meone gives
some-
a m m u ra a w 1 2 2 : If
whether H L for safe-
. a n d th ing to someone else uld
cruel
w h o se e th e laws as just p in g , th e transaction sho
Those ns. They k ee ntract
g iv e th e fo llowing reaso be w it n essed and a co ies.
fair
w s a d e b et w ee n the two part
say the la ed to m
ate d w h a t a ll people need w 2 33: If a contra
ctor
st f th ei r L a
e rules o for
know about th builds a house
the
society
e to so ci ety someone and
and ju st ic ll,
brought order s, w alls start to fa
ctivit ie er
ny different a then the build
regulated ma contracts to crime.
from busines
s must use his
in tr o -
rabi wrote an own money
King Hammu th a t
is list of la w s. In and labor to
duction to h th e la w s
make the
he says that
introduction, is in ten tio n
walls secure.
to be fair. H
were written e ru le o f
ng about th
was to bri e land to des
, troy
u sn es s in th
righteo , so that
e w ic ke d a nd evil-doers e
th
n g sh o u ld not harm th
the st ro
weak. . . .

Stone monument showing

Hammurabi (standing)
and his code
24 24
Louvre, Paris/Bridgeman Art Library

Cuneiform tablet with the text of the

introduction to the Code of Hammurabi

Cruel and scholars thin

k
ne is caught in the
Law 22: If someo he shall be put
en
Some historians d act of robbery, th
m ur ab is la w s were cruel an to death.
Ham ,
unjust. They say
the laws
w 195: If a son strikes his father
ten La
olen t punishments, of all be cut off.
ca lled for vi the sons hands sh
lent crimes ne strikes a man
death, for nonvio for Law 202: If someo he shall be
fferent punishments en
re qu ired di of higher rank, th
of different social in public.
accused persons whipped 60 times
classes
ation from an
allowed no explan
accused person. .
m e of the la w s reflect this cruelty Checking for Understanding
So
falsely accuses 1. Why do some people think
Law 3: If someone ain crimes, then Hammurabis laws were fair?
cert
someone else of 2. Why do others think the laws
to death.
he shall be put were cruel?
3. Were the laws fair or cruel? Take
the role of a historian. Write a
brief essay that explains how
you view Hammurabis laws.
Be sure to use facts to support
your position. You can compare
Hammurabis laws to our
modern laws to support your
argument.
25
 The
First Empires
Whats the Connection? Meeting People
In Section 2, you learned about the Nebuchadnezzar
empires of Sargon and Hammurabi. (NEH byuh kuhd NEH zuhr)
Later empiresthose of the Assyrians
and the Chaldeansused their Building Your Vocabulary
military power in new ways. province (PRAH vuhns)
caravan (KAR uh VAN)
Focusing on the astronomer
Assyrias military power and well- (uh STRAH nuh muhr)
organized government helped it
build a vast empire in Mesopotamia Reading Strategy
by 650 B.C. (page 27) Compare and Contrast Complete
The Chaldean Empire built important a Venn diagram like the one below
landmarks in Babylon and developed listing the similarities and differences
the first calendar with a seven-day between the Assyrian Empire and the
week. (page 29) Chaldean Empire.

Locating Places
Assyria (uh SIHR ee uh)
Assyrians Chaldeans
Persian Gulf (PUHR zhuhn)
Nineveh (NIH nuh vuh)
Hanging Gardens

900 B.C. 700 B.C. 500 B.C.

Nineveh c. 900 B.C. 612 B.C. 539 B.C.
Assyrians control Nineveh captured; Persians conquer
Babylon Mesopotamia Assyrian Empire Chaldeans
crumbles

26 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

The Assyrians Why Were the Assyrians So Strong? The
Assyrian army was well organized. At its
Assyrias military power and well- core were groups of foot soldiers armed
organized government helped it build a vast empire with spears and daggers. Other soldiers
in Mesopotamia by 650 B.C. were experts at using bows and arrows. The
Reading Focus Today, many countries have armed army also had chariot riders and soldiers
forces to protect their interests. Read to find out how who fought on horseback.
the Assyrians built an army strong enough to conquer This fearsome and mighty force was the
all of Mesopotamia. first large army to use iron weapons. For
centuries, iron had been used for tools, but
About 1,000 years after Hammurabi, a it was too soft to serve as a material for
new empire arose in Mesopotamia. It was weapons. Then a people called the Hittites
founded by a people called the Assyrians (HIH TYTZ), who lived northwest of Assyria,
(uh SIHR ee uhns), who lived in the north developed a way of making iron stronger.
near the Tigris River. Assyria (uh SIHR ee They heated iron ore, hammered it, and
uh) had fertile valleys that attracted outside rapidly cooled it. The Assyrians learned
invaders. To defend their land, the Assyrians this technique from the Hittites. They pro-
built a large army. Around 900 B.C., they duced iron weapons that were stronger
began taking over the rest of Mesopotamia. than those made of copper or tin.

The Assyrians at War

When attacking a walled city, the Assyrians used massive war machines.
The wheeled battering ram was powered by soldiers. It was covered to
protect the soldiers inside, but it had slits so they could shoot arrows out.
What other methods did Assyrian soldiers use to attack cities?
 east to Egypts Nile River in the west. The
Assyrian Empire
capital was at Nineveh (NIH nuh vuh) on
40N
0 300 mi.
40E the Tigris River.
0 300 km
Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
Assyrian kings divided the empire into
ASIA provinces (PRAH vuhn suhs), or political
MIN O R M
ESO Eup Nineveh districts. They chose officials to govern
each province. These officials collected
PO

Mediterranean
TA

Sea hr Ti g taxes and enforced the kings laws.

MI

Tyre at ri s
Assyrian kings built roads to join all
A

s R
Jerusalem R.
e

.
Babylon parts of their empire. Government sol-
EGYPT
N diers were posted at stations along the
ARABIAN
Nile

W DESERT KEY
way to protect traders from bandits.
E
R.

Thebes Red Assyrian Empire Messengers on government business used

S Sea
the stations to rest and change horses.
The Assyrians lived muchLife in Assyria
The Assyrians conquered lands like other Mesopotamians. Their writ-
from Mesopotamia to Egypt. ing was based on Babylonian
1. What major rivers were part of writing, and they worshiped
the Assyrian Empire?
2. What geographical features may many of the same gods. Their
have kept the Assyrians from laws were similar, but lawbreak-
expanding their empire to the ers often faced more brutal and
north and south? cruel punishments in Assyria.
As builders, the Assyrians
showed great skill. They erected
The Assyrians were ferocious large temples and palaces that
warriors. To attack cities, they tun- they filled with wall carvings
neled under walls or climbed and statues. The Assyrians also
over them on ladders. They produced and collected litera-
loaded tree trunks onto mov- Assyrian ture. One of the worlds first
able platforms and used them winged bull
libraries was in Nineveh. It held 25,000
as battering rams to knock tablets of stories and songs to the gods.
down city gates. Once a city was captured, Modern historians have learned much about
the Assyrians set fire to its buildings. They ancient civilizations from this library.
also carried away its people and goods. Assyrias cruel treatment of people led
Anyone who resisted Assyrian rule was to many rebellions. About 650 B.C., the
punished. The Assyrians drove people from Assyrians began fighting each other over
their lands and moved them into foreign who would be their next king. A group of
territory. Then they brought in new settlers people called the Chaldeans (kahl DEE
and forced them to pay heavy taxes. uhns) seized the opportunity to rebel. They
A Well-Organized Government Assyrian captured Nineveh in 612 B.C., and the
kings had to be strong to rule their large Assyrian Empire soon crumbled.
empire. By about 650 B.C., the empire stretched Explain Why were the
from the Persian Gulf (PUHR zhuhn) in the Assyrian soldiers considered brutal and cruel?

28 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

Boltin Picture Library
 The Chaldeans could pass on the road on top. Built into the
Gianni Dagli Orti/CORBIS

wall at 100-yard (91.4-m) intervals were

The Chaldean Empire built important towers where soldiers kept watch.
landmarks in Babylon and developed the first calen- Large palaces and temples stood in the
dar with a seven-day week. citys center. A huge ziggurat reached more
Reading Focus What landmarks exist in your town than 300 feet (91.4 m) into the sky. Another
or the nearest city? Read to learn some of the special marvel, visible from any point in Babylon,
landmarks that made the Chaldean capital of Babylon was an immense staircase of greenery: the
famous. Hanging Gardens at the kings palace.
These terraced gardens showcased large
The Chaldeans wanted to build an trees, masses of flowering vines, and other
empire. Led by King Nebuchadnezzar (NEH beautiful plants. A pump brought in water
byuh kuhd NEH zuhr), they controlled all of from a nearby river. Nebuchadnezzar built
Mesopotamia from 605 B.C. to 562 B.C. the gardens to please his wife, who missed
The City of Babylon Most of the Chaldeans the mountains and plants of her homeland
were descendants of the Babylonian people in the northwest.
who made up Hammurabis empire about
1,200 years earlier. They rebuilt the city of
Babylon as the glorious center of their
Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com and click
empire. on Chapter 1Student Web Activity to learn
Babylon quickly became the worlds more about the first civilizations.
largest and richest city. It was surrounded
by a brick wall so wide that two chariots

Hanging Gardens
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were
considered one of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World. A complex irrigation
system brought water from the Euphrates
River to the top of the gardens. From there,
the water flowed down to each of the
lower levels of the gardens. What other
sights made Babylon a grand city?

Ruins of the
Hanging Gardens
 the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean
Sea, it became rich from trade.
Babylon was also a center of science.
Like earlier people in Mesopotamia, the
Chaldeans believed that changes in the
sky revealed the plans of the gods. Their
astronomers (uh STRAH nuh muhrs)peo-
ple who study the heavenly bodies
The Ishtar Gate was at the main entrance mapped the stars, the planets, and the
to ancient Babylon. Describe the wall that phases of the moon. The Chaldeans made
surrounded Babylon. one of the first sundials and were the first to
have a seven-day week.
One Greek historian in the 400s B.C.
described the beauty of Babylon. He wrote, Why Did the Empire Fall? As time passed,
In magnificence, there is no other city that the Chaldeans began to lose their power.
approaches it. Outside the center of They found it hard to control the peoples
Babylon stood houses and marketplaces. they had conquered. In 539 B.C. Persians
There, artisans made pottery, cloth, baskets, from the mountains to the northeast cap-
and jewelry. They sold their wares to pass- tured Babylon. Mesopotamia became part
ing caravans (KAR uh VANZ), or groups of of the new Persian Empire.
traveling merchants. Because Babylon was Identify What were the
located on the major trade route between Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

Study Central Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. Why was the Assyrian army
a powerful fighting force?
4. Analyze How did the
Assyrians set up a well-
Review the
2. What were some of the organized government?
Using cavalry and foot soldiers accomplishments of Chaldean 5. Conclude Why do you think
armed with iron weapons, the astronomers? the Assyrians took conquered
Assyrians created a large empire peoples from their lands and
that included all of Mesopotamia Critical Thinking
3. Summarize Information moved them to other places?
and extended into Egypt.
Draw a chart like the one 6. Science Link What different
The Chaldeans built a large below. Use it to describe types of knowledge and skills
empire that included Babylon, the city of Babylon under would the Babylonians need
the largest and richest city in the Chaldeans. to build the Hanging Gardens?
the world at that time.
Babylon under Chaldeans 7. Descriptive Writing Write a
paragraph that might be found
in a travel brochure describing
the beauty of ancient Babylon.

30 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

S. Fiore/SuperStock
 Study anywhere, anytime!
Download quizzes and flash cards
to your PDA from glencoe.com.
Section Early Humans
Vocabulary Focusing on the
historian Paleolithic people adapted to their environment and invented many tools
archaeologist to help them survive. (page 9)
artifact In the Neolithic Age, people started farming, building communities, produc-
fossil ing goods, and trading. (page 13)
anthropologist
nomad
technology
domesticate
specialization

Section Mesopotamian Civilization

Vocabulary Focusing on the
civilization Civilization in Mesopotamia began in the
irrigation valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
city-state (page 17)
artisan Sumerians invented writing and made other
cuneiform important contributions to later peoples.
scribe (page 20)
empire Sumerian city-states lost power when they
were conquered by outsiders. (page 23)

Sumerian figurines

Section The First Empires

Vocabulary Focusing on the
province Assyrias military power and well-organized government helped it build a
caravan vast empire in Mesopotamia by 650 B.C. (page 27)
astronomer The Chaldean Empire built important landmarks in Babylon and developed
the first calendar with a seven-day week. (page 29)

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 31

Scala/Art Resource, NY
Review Vocabulary Section 2 Mesopotamian Civilization
1. Write a brief paragraph that describes and 7. Where were the first civilizations in
compares the following terms. Mesopotamia?
historian archaeologist artifact 8. How did Sumerian city-states lose power?
fossil anthropologist Section 3 The First Empires
9. What helped Assyria build an empire in
Indicate which of the following statements are Mesopotamia?
true. Replace the word in italics to make false
10. What scientific advancement did the
statements true.
Chaldeans make?
___ 2. An artisan kept records in cuneiform.
___ 3. Assyrian kings divided their empire Critical Thinking
into political districts called provinces. 11. Explain Why do you think Mesopotamia
___ 4. A civilization is a group of many differ- is sometimes called the cradle of
ent lands under one ruler. civilization?
12. Analyze Why was the switch from hunt-
Review Main Ideas ing and gathering to farming important
Section 1 Early Humans enough to be called the farming
5. How did Paleolithic people adapt to their revolution?
environment? 13. Describe What rights did women have in
6. What were the major differences between the city-states of Sumer?
people who lived in the Paleolithic period 14. Predict How successful do you think the
and those who lived in the Neolithic Assyrian army would have been if it had
period? not learned how to strengthen iron?

Previewing Get Ready to Read!

Choose the best answer.
15. In this textbook, to make a connection 16. What is the purpose of a subhead?
between what you know and what you are a. to break down a large topic into
about to read, you should look at the ___. smaller topics
a. Reading Tip b. to show the main topic covered in
b. Reading Focus a section
c. main head c. to summarize the big picture
d. subhead d. to help you study for a test

To review this skill, see pages 67.

32 CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations

 Self-Check Quiz To help you prepare for
Geography Skills the Chapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com
Study the map below and answer the follow-
ing questions.
17. Location On what continent was the Using Technology
earliest fossil evidence of humans found? 22. Using the Internet Use the Internet
18. Movement Based on fossil evidence, to locate a university archaeology
where did early humans go first, Europe department Web site. Use the information
or Australia? on the site to create a summary that
describes current research. Include
19. Analyze Which three continents are not
location of archaeological sites and
shown on this map? How do you think
relevant discoveries.
early humans reached those continents?

Linking Past and Present

Spread of Early Humans 23. Analyzing Information Imagine you are a
30E 90E 150E nomad who travels from place to place to
25,000 hunt and gather food. What things would
60N
40,000 years ago you carry with you to help you survive?
years ago
Make a list of items to share and discuss
ASIA with your classmates.
EUROPE
100,000
30N years ago

AFRICA
150,000200,000 50,000
EQUATOR
0 years ago years ago

Analyze
30S AUSTRALIA
N The following passage is from a poem
0 2,000 mi. called The Mesopotamian View of
W E
0 2,000 km KEY Death that was written by an unknown
Mercator projection S Movement of Mesopotamian mother.
early humans
Hark the piping!
My heart is piping in the wilderness
Read to Write where the young man once went free.
20. Persuasive Writing Suppose you are a He is a prisoner now in deaths kingdom,
merchant in atal Hyk. A new group of lies bound where once he lived.
people wants to trade with you and the The ewe gives up her lamb
other merchants in the village. You think and the nanny-goat her kid.
trading with them is a good idea, but other My heart is piping in the wilderness
merchants are not so sure. Write a short an instrument of grief.
speech you could give to convince them. The Mesopotamian View of Death,
21. Using Your Use your Chapter 1 Poems of Heaven and Hell from Ancient
Mesopotamia, N.K. Sanders, trans.
foldable to create an illustrated time line.
Your time line should extend from the
date Jericho was founded to the fall of
the Chaldean Empire. Create drawings or 24. To what does the mother compare
photocopy maps, artifacts, or architecture deaths kingdom?
to illustrate your time line. Use your time 25. What is the instrument of grief?
line as a study tool for the Chapter Test.

CHAPTER 1 The First Civilizations 33