World History

Mr. Timbol’sLecture Notes

Unit 1: The Ancient World

SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex

societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.

a. Describe the development of Mesopotamian societies; include the religious, cultural,

economic, and political facets of society, with attention to Hammurabi’s law code.

b. Describe the relationship of religion and political authority in Ancient Egypt.

c. Explain the development of monotheism; include the concepts developed by the

ancient Hebrews, and Zoroastrianism.

d. Identify early trading networks and writing systems existent in the Eastern

Mediterranean, including those of the Phoenicians.

e. Explain the development and importance of writing; include cuneiform,

hieroglyphics, and the Phoenician alphabet.

EQ 1 – How does one know if a society is civilized? [30, 31]

  • Six characteristics – cities, government, religion, social structure, writing, art
  • Cities – humans are social beings
  • Chief feature every civilization
  • First 4 near river valleys
  • Governments – humans need government to protection for each other
  • Food and defense
  • Maintain social order
  • Monarchy
  • Religion – ideas of self reflection of the inexpressible
  • Explanation for existence
  • Priests, rituals
  • Rule by divine right
  • Social structure – rules of behavior
  • Hiarchy
  • Food surplus = leisure time for some
  • Luxuries requires artisans
  • Writing – communication and contracts
  • Need for accurate records = religious, governmental, commercial
  • Art – reflects the values and fears of the society that creates it
  • Religious iconography
  • Expresses civilizations

EQ 2 – How did Mesopotamian societies become civilizedfrom 3500 BCE to 500 BCE? [38 – 40]

  • Tigris and Euphrates, Fertile Crescent
  • Geography affected societal development
  • Problem with flooding and food
  • Solution large scale organization
  • Live together for food surplus
  • Cities, governments flow from above
  • Sumerians
  • First Empires
  • Temple ziggurat – polytheistic, theocracy
  • Agricultural economy

EQ 3 – Why was Hammurabi important? [41]

  • Babylonian Empire – Hammurabi considered great emperor because …
  • Code of Hammurabi – most complete law code of ancient world
  • Principle of retaliation – rule of law idea
  • First Consumer laws
  • Influenced patriarchal society – family/marriage laws
  • No equality under law – social status = different justice

EQ 4 – How similar were Mesopotamian societiesfrom 3500 BCE to 500 BCE? [42 – 43]

  • All used cuneiform
  • Polytheistic religion – physical environment harsh = gods harsh
  • Inventions – wagon wheel, potters wheel, sundial, arch, number system
  • Patriarchal family structure
  • Hiearchy social structure - Nobles, commoners, and slaves

EQ5 – How different were Mesopotamian societies from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE? [42 – 43]

  • Differences in local gods
  • Conflicts over trade led to warfare
  • Different city states created different empires – Assyria, Akkad, Babylonia

EQ 6 – How did religion and politics interact in Ancient Egypt? [46 – 49]

  • Religious ideas inseparable from political system
  • Egyptian King – ‘son of Re’ considered God in earthly form
  • Belief in afterlife – necessity for pyramids and mummification
  • Building pyramids required organization i.e. government
  • Pyramids symbol of belief in afterlife and royal power

EQ 7 – How does a theocracy benefit or hurt the people under it? [47]

  • Benefits
  • Dynastic rule = stable world order
  • Hurt
  • Absolute power leads to abuse corruption[pyramids]

EQ 8 – How did the ancient Hebrews bring about the idea of monotheism? [54, 56, 58-60]

  • Hebrew Bible – Old Testament
  • One God [monotheism] Creator – not nature god
  • God just, loving, compassionate
  • Abraham – Covenant relationship
  • Moses – Ten Commandments = Universal moral truths
  • Age of prophesy – emphasis social justice, emphasis on end of evil

EQ 9 – How similar is Zoroastrianism to the ancient Hebrew’s idea of monotheism? [64]

  • Persian religion
  • Zoroaster – visions written down = Zend Avesta
  • Monotheistic – One God Ahuamazda
  • Good vs. Evil – Good Triumphs in the end

EQ 10 – How did the Phoenician alphabet develop in the Eastern Mediterranean? [56]

  • Used 22 characters – simplification, phonetic, commercial need
  • Alphabet spread to Greece to Rome to USA

EQ 11 – How did Eastern Mediterranean societies trade and economically interact?[55,56]

  • Geography – Trade across sea easier than over land
  • Phoenician prosperity inspired imitation
  • Phoenician sailing technology allowed trade

EQ 12 –Why was writing in cuneiform, hieroglyphics, or in the Phoenician alphabet important in the development of ancient civilizations?

  • Cuneiform = first ever – No history without writing / Archaology vs history
  • Hieroglyphics = Egyptian – No understanding of Egypt without hieroglyphics
  • Phoenician alphabet = phonetic vs pictogram – All modern languages derived from this alphabet

SSWH2 The student will identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian

societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.

a. Describe the development of Indian civilization; include the rise and fall of the

Maurya Empire, the “Golden Age” under Gupta, and the emperor Ashoka.

b. Explain the development and impact of Hinduism and Buddhism on India and

subsequent diffusion of Buddhism.

c. Describe the development of Chinese civilization under the Zhou and Qin.

d. Explain the impact of Confucianism on Chinese culture; include the examination

system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and

the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

EQ 13 – How did Indian civilization develop? [72 – 75]

  • Indus River Valley – site of India’s first civ.
  • Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro = city states, water and sewage systems = advanced gov.
  • Church and State – Temple and King’s Palace
  • Aryans
  • Language group not race – Hitler’s evil
  • Social classes and Castes
  • Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, Untouchables
  • Patriarchal family structure – ritual of suttee

EQ 14 – Why did the Mauryan Empire of India rise and fall? [81,82]

  • Rise
  • Chandragupta Maurya – first and centralized empire
  • Asoka – grandson of Chandragupta
  • Greatest ruler in Indian History
  • Ruled using Buddhist principles
  • India’s economy – crossroads trading center
  • After death of Asoka
  • Decline due to poor rulers
  • India becomes disunited – various small kingdoms

EQ 15 – Why was the Gupta Empire a “Golden Age” in India?[84]

  • Golden Age because of
  • Efficient Monarchs – good government/Buddhist principles
  • Prosperity – Silk Road trade, religious tourists/pilgrims
  • Gupta Rulers and economy = gold/silver mines and land

EQ 16 – How did the achievements of Emperor Asoka impact India? [86]

  • Emperor Asoka’s achievements
  • Architecture – pillar, stupa, rock chamber = spread Buddhist ideas/principles
  • Math – algebra, zero – numeric system

EQ 17 – How did the development of Hinduism impact India?[[77]

  • Hinduism
  • Origins – Aryans Religious beliefs – Vedas [oral tradition written]
  • Brahman – Single unifying force = goal/salvation merge with Brahman after death
  • Reincarnation – rebirths of individual souls in a different form after death
  • Karma – force generated by a person’s actions
  • Dharma – divine law / duty by social class
  • Idea used to justify rigid social structure
  • Polytheistic?
  • All gods and goddesses different expressions Brahman
  • Brahman, Vishnu, Siva

EQ 18 – How did the development of Buddhism impact India?[78,79]

  • Buddhism
  • Siddhartha Gautama – Buddha/Enlightened One
  • Basic principles
  • No material world – all illusions
  • Pain, suffering, poverty = attachment to things
  • Let go and Achieve nirvana
  • Four Noble Truths
  • Ordinary life is full of suffering
  • Suffering is caused by desire to satisfy oneself
  • Way to end suffering is to end selfishness
  • Way to end selfishness is to follow Middle Path
  • Middle Path
  • Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration
  • Reincarnation with no caste system
  • Philosophy rather than religion – no gods
  • Source of comfort [downtrodden] and appeal for social justice

EQ 19 – How did the Zhou Empire help in the development of Chinese civilization?

  • Contributed concept of Mandate from Heaven
  • Impersonal law of nature
  • King/Emperor focal point to maintain social order - Dao
  • Right of revolution – natural disasters, famines = Dynasty no Mandate
  • Family – sacred and symbolic, patriarchal, filial piety, male supremacy
  • Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism developed during Zhou Dynasty
  • Daoism – founder Laozi
  • Tao Te Ching [The Way of the Dao]
  • Spontaneity, go with the flow universe
  • Legalism – “School of Law”
  • Humans fundamentally evil
  • Strong ruler, strict laws and harsh punishment

EQ 20 - How did the Qin Empire help in the development of Chinese civilization?

  • Qin Dynasty – China derived from Qin
  • Unified China – single monetary system, connecting roads
  • The Great Wall
  • Adopted Legalism ideology
  • Created precedents Government – Three part division
  • Civil division, military division, censorate
  • Provinces and counties – gov officials based on merit not hereditary

EQ 21 – Under Confucianism, how did the examination system impact Chinese Culture?[101]

  • Han Dynasty introduces
  • Civil service exams – example of Confucius rather than Legalist influence
  • Exams focused on teachings of Confucius
  • Merit system not hereditary civil service positions

EQ 22 - Under Confucianism, how did the Mandate of Heaven impact Chinese Culture?

  • Mandate of Heaven – wise rule requires knowledge
  • Confucianism provided rulers {Han Dynasty} with ideological fuel for rule
  • Mandate of Heaven can only continue with wise rule – rulers must model – be compassionate
  • Rule by merit not hereditary
  • Chinese culture/society acceptance of centralized political power as long aspeople are benefitting – different from US

EQ 23 - Under Confucianism, how did the status of peasants change in Chinese Culture?

  • Peasants given importance
  • A Meaningful based on Duty
  • Duty to family members
  • Duty to landowners
  • Practical matters important

EQ 24 - Under Confucianism, how did the status of merchants change in Chinese Culture?

  • Work ethic honored
  • Rich merchants not criticized but honored if
  • Compassionate
  • Fulfills duty to others

EQ 25 – Under Confucianism, how did the patriarchal family become important in Chinese Culture?

  • Five Constant Relationships based on duty and responsibility toward each other
  • Parent – child
  • Husband – wife
  • Older sibling – younger sibling
  • Older friend – younger friend
  • Ruler – subject
  • As the family goes so does society

EQ 26 – How did Confucianism spread throughout Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea?

  • Spread by Han Dynasty conquests
  • Merchants and migration