6^th grade

Ch 6 Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia: Greek for land between rivers
Mesopotamia: land between Euphrates River and Tigris River, region not a country or nation
Sumerians of Mesopotamia:

religion and government combined
Gilgamesh, warrior king, defeated the fearsome Huwara recorded in the first epic poem about a hero
Cuneiform, “wedge- shaped”, writing with symbols
Pictographs, pictures stand for words or ideas
Phoenicians invented alphabet

Assyrian Empire

Covered much of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Middle East and Turkey
Forced conquered people to move from homes to prevent rebellion
Took from conquered slaves, silver, gold iron, crops and livestock
Rebellion overthrew empire

Babylonia:

Wise ruler and great military commander, Hammurabi, first ruler of all Mesopotamia
Achievements recorded in Code of Hammurabi

Code was the laws dealt with trade, slaves, property and crime
Important advance

Great king Nebuchadnezzar rebuild sacred ziggurat, planted elaborate, hanging gardens (one of the 7 wonders of the world) and vast walls

Display of wealth and might of the Babylonian empire
Took over for the fallen Assyrian empire
Center of learning for astronomy and mathematics, great mapmakers
Divided time into hours of 60 minutes
Introduced place value for math

Ch 7 Egypt

Nile source of life, water, irrigation, worshiped, food (animals), flooding assisted in crops

Papyrus (reed grown by Nile) harvested for baskets, sandals, and writing materials

Upper and Lower Egypt: ruled by 2 kings until one king Menes united into one empire
Imhotep, chief advisor to king built for King Zoser the first stone pyramid instead of mud royal tomb
Egyptians believed in afterlife, life continues in another world
Hieroglyphics was earliest Egyptian writing

Egyptians left many written texts, literate culture
“Learn to write, for this will be of greater advantage to you than all the trade.” (father to son)

Class system: king and priests, then officials and scribes, followed by artisans and farmers with slavery last.
Rulers called pharaoh
Hatshepsut regent for son, but took over ruling Egypt

Improved life at home not expanding the empire
Responsible for public projects (restoring temples) and promoted trade

Rulers to follow conquered more countries which paid tribute and Egypt grew in land and wealth
Egyptian contributions:

Better calendar, created lunar calendar, more accurate than Babylonian
Oldest scientific document describing injuries and treatments
Paintings and sculptures

Kush conquers Egypt but did not last

Ch 8 Ancient India

India called subcontinent
Indus is main source of water and irrigation, origins of early culture
Aryan invaders to Indus Valley
Aryans from Eastern Europe (Black And Caspian seas) warrior nomads with chariots
The Vedas collection of sacred Aryan hymns and poems
Caste system:

People ranked like steps
Can’t climb the ladder, once born into a caste always there
Must marry and work within caste

Nature based religion: Indra most powerful Aryan god
Buddhism:
Prince who led sheltered life but found about pain and suffering of the people and sought answers

In his wanderings, he wore a simple yellow robe, owned nothing
Begged for his food
Sought out great religious leaders and found no answers
After meditations found a way to escape suffering

Given title of Buddha, “enlightened one”
Dharma, law or teachings of Buddha:

Freed people from priests control, everyone could find peace without aid of priests
Did not accept the caste system, all people were equal, should try to live a better life
Against religious rituals in which animals put to death, wrong to take a life

4 Noble Truths:

human life is full of suffering and sorrow
suffering and sorrow are caused by people’s greedy desires for power, pleasure, and possession
suffering sorrow will end when people overcome their greed
people can overcome their greed and uncontrolled desires by adopting the Eightfold Path. This path gives eight steps for living a correct or right life.

Eightfold Path: live and follow the 4 truths, never speak in anger, don’t harm others, earn a living without harming others, be responsible, meditate to solve problems or seek answers
Live in moderation
Rebirth or reincarnation, next life soul will continue to struggle in order to reach enlightenment
Deeds a person performs in lifetime called karma or destiny
Three Jewels:

1^st is Buddha
2^nd is dharma
3^rd is religious community or sangha

Asoka was first great Buddhist Ruler of India
Sent out missionaries to convert others to Buddhism
Hinduism
Major religion of India
No central figure in religion (like Jesus or Allah) but a combinations of religious thinking
Linked closely to the class and caste system
Reincarnation: major part of belief
Karma: determines whether you move up the caste ladder in the next life or not; must fulfill all caste responsibilities as part of karma
Life’s 4 stages

For males in upper 3 classes only could read the Vedas
1^st studies Veda with guru
2^nd marries becomes householder
3 put aside material possessions to live in forest and meditate
4^th man or woman gives up everything to wander as a holy person

2 popular gods were Shiva (“death” or “time”) and Vishnu (has appear 9/10 times in various incarnations)
Contributions:

Poetic tales or epics
Astronomer Aryabhata determined world was sphere
Mathematicians gave number system and decimals
Metal work highly praised

Ch 9 China

Zhou dynasty said emperor ruled by mandate of heaven (ruler as descendant to gods)
Confucius
Born to nobility, high rank but poor
Central idea was jen
5 basic relationships

husband and wife
father and son
older and younger brother
friend and friend
ruler and subject

family unit was most important
respect for family crucial
used family as a model for how ruler should relate to subjects
subjects never questions ruler just as children never questions parents
went back to traditional Chinese values
Government:

1^st Should be based on virtue or goodness not on laws and punishments
2^nd argued that government officials should earn jobs through education and talent not family connections

100 hundred years after Confucius died, Mencius , disciple, helped spread Confucianism
Opponents of Confucianism
Moists believed in universal love for all people
Legalists thought people were bad by nature and only strong government with strict laws with harsh punishment could keep it under control
Daoists insisted human nature was neither good or bad – should live a simple and thoughtful life, in harmony with nature
Qin dynasty: Legalist and tyrant

Set up bureaucracy
Set standards for measurements, written character
Ruler took land away from all noble families
Ended feudal systems
Strengthened government by instituting censorship through book burning
Public works products like the Great Wall

Han Dynasty
1^st ruler illiterate but valued education and brought in Confucianism for country
Combined Confucianism and legalism
Believed in balance or Yin (dark side – weakness) and Yang (bright or joy)
Emperor Wudi expanded empire

Explorer discovered trade route outside China leading to it later called Silk Road

Advances:

Skilled in silk making – guarded state secret
Seismograph invented
Chinese astronomers learned how to predict eclipses and calculate length of year
Doctors studied herbal medicine and created acupuncture
Invented paper
Brilliant works in math, medicine and poetry
First Chinese dictionary

Ch 10 Ancient Israelites

Israelites first monotheists or believers in one god
Torah is composed of five books for Judaism, religion of the Jewish people

Composed to the basic laws of Judaism and the history of the Israelites
Later became the Old Testament of the Bible
Canaan was homeland of the Hebrews
Torah teaches how bitter Jews resents slavery in Egypt for 430 years

Moses, strong leader was sent by god to persuade Egyptian ruler to release slaves

God sent terrifying plagues on Egyptians: water to blood, frogs, lice, insects, hail, thunder, locusts, darkness. 10^th plague worst, death of first born child in Egypt
Hebrew slaves smeared lambs blood over their doorway and the final plague passed over their homes, not killing their children.
Finally freed and Moses led them across the sea into the long journey or Exodus
Journey lasted 40 years searching for the new home
The Exodus is celebrated with Passover

Moses climbed Mount Sinai and God gave him a message about special agreement or covenant
God promised love and protection in exchange Israelites agreed to love God and follow God’s laws
10 Commandments first laws about how to lead a good and just life

Formed the basis of much of the Western world’s ideas about law and justice

David began the first Israeli dynasty which lasted 400 years

David brought together all tribes of Israel
Defeated Philistines
Captured Jerusalem and made it the capital

David’s son Solomon was skilled as diplomat and build many buildings such as the main temple in Jerusalem
Israel fell to Assyrians and other section Judah fell to Babylonians

Life looked bleak for Jews with destruction of capital and fall of empire
Prophets taught them God had power over all people not just Jews

Ezra priest and scribe returned by exile in Babylon with collection of holy writings that had been preserved

Torah contains books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy

Jews reclaimed Torah and rebuilt temples

Looking for a messiah or “anointed one” who would bring peace and justice

Revolt of the Maccabees

Syrian king ordered land offerings from Jews which they refused
Led by Judah Maccabee, rebels fought for 2 years against Syrian soldiers
Maccabee means “hammer” rebels fought hit-and-run tactics
Their victory in driving out Syrians celebrated with Chanukah

Parables are stories that teach moral lessons
Scattering of Jewish settlements was called the Diaspora kept strong religious ties to homeland
Story of Jesus is New Testament as told by the disciples

Mary and Joseph were Jews and had a son named Jesus
He learned the laws and customs of Judaism and the Torah
Became a religious teacher when he grew older
Stressed that people should obey the 10 commandments and teachings of the prophets
Jesus called for a new covenant in his Sermon on the Mount
People should act with kindness and love towards each other even their enemies
Taught that the day of judgment by God was nearing
God would forgive all people who sincerely turned to God
Some claimed Jesus was the messiah while others did not believe
The Greek word for Messiah is Christ
Gained followers or disciples
Went to Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus arrested by Romans, tried by Pilate as claiming to be a king when Roman’s forbade this
Was crucified by being nailed to the cross
3 days after body laid to rest in tomb, body disappeared
Many called this the resurrection or rose from the dead
Spread the gospel or “good news” about Jesus and teachings
These were called Christianity

Zealots, group of Jews, rebelled against Romans

Drove Romans out for awhile but they came back
Titus came to Jerusalem with 60,00 against 25, 000 Jews
Jews held out behind walls for 5 months before falling
Romans destroyed entire city but one wall, now known as “Wailing Wall” where many still mourn

Last fort of opposition was Masada

Romans slowly built ramp to enter steep plateau fortress after 7 months but all inside committed suicide rather than be captured

Rabbis teach the torah

Rabbi is master or teacher
Jews worship in synagogues

Chapter 11 Ancient Greeks

Masterpiece in literature: Homer’s Odyssey, adventures of Odysseus
Greece is on Peloponnesus peninsula, on Aegean Sea

Formed into city-states
Greeks created democracy, government by the people
During the Dark Ages of Greece, had oligarchy, government of a few people holding power over a larger group
Rule by a leader who seizes power and rules single-handedly is a tyrant

In 510 Athens became first democracy after overthrowing a tyrant Hippias

Citizenship was a privilege reserved for few people
Only men 18 years or older
Later man could only be citizen if both father and mother’s father were citizens
Wives and children not citizens
Women had no political rights
Metrics (craftspeople, traders, shopkeepers) were protected by law but not citizens
Slaves made up most of population, no rights, no vote, few ever earned enough to buy freedom

Trading was through barter until 570 B.C. when government made gold and silver coins for exchange

Wealthy citizens were expected to contribute to government, so was difficult to remain very wealthy

Olympic Games were to honor Zeus, father of Greek gods
All Greeks worshiped Zeus and family of gods

Thought gods controlled both the world of nature and the human world

Some of the gods

Zeus head of family, set rules for gods and humans
Poseidon, god of the sea
Hera, Zeus’ wife, goddess of marriage
Ares, god of war
Apollo, sun god, god of health and more

Greeks built sacred places or sanctuaries to honor their gods: Olympia, Delphi, Delos and Eleusis
Greek Drama:

Plays telling about great heroes or about the gods
Combined religion and history for entertainment
Tragedies were sad stories
Comedies or funny plays

Sparta and Athens were largest city-states
Sparta, concerned over large population of slaves uprising built strong army

Most Spartan men spent most of adult life in military service
Sparta was a monarchy, with 2 kings at once
Senators proposed laws or ephors
Power remained most in a few families
Each Spartan citizen received land, Helots, with state issued slaves
Only strong babies allowed to live
From 7 years and older boys lived in barracks with others their age
Trained to read and write, running, boxing, jumping and wrestling
Conditions harsh and discipline strict

Athens

Only boys from wealthy families got formal education
At 18 years old joined army
Became part of reserve called up in times of war

Allies against Persia

Great threat to Greek city states
Athens defeated Persians at the Bay of Marathon

Years later Xerxes brought 200,000 soldiers against Athens

City states banded together under Spartan general to fight them
Sacrificed 300 Spartan soldiers at battle of Thermopylae, but saved the bulk of Greek armies as they withdrew
Final battle Greeks sank half Persian fleet and they escaped back to Persia

Chapter 12 Classical Greeks

Persuasive speaker Pericles convinced citizens of his ideas
Pericles set 3 goals for Athens

1^st Military to protect Athens

built a new barrier to support old wall
built up powerful navy

2^nd Artistic to make Athens beautiful

new public works projects
built Acropolis, Parthenon

3^rd to strengthen the democracy

spreading power more evenly among poor and rich
government employees received a salary

Golden Age of Athens
“school of Greece” center for art, literature and ideas
Noncitizens
Metrics

Paid monthly tax
Could not own property
Allowed to attend theater and religious festivals
Rights in court
Considered second class or inferior

Slaves

No legal rights, most treated well, dressed and fed
Mining slaves mistreated, had worst lives

Peloponnesian Wars

Sparta declares war on Athens
People came into Athens for protection, overcrowding led to plague and many deaths
Siege on Athens by Sparta lasted 27 years
Pericles died of plague
Sparta destroyed Athens democracy ruled as tyrants

Socrates, philosopher and teacher put on trial

Penalty was death by drinking hemlock, juice from poisonous plant

Alexander the Great and his influence

Macedonia large state north of Greece
King Philip, military genius
Full time professional army
New weapons such as catapults, machines to hurtle spears, battering rams
Became ruler of Greece but preserved it, kept Athens in tact
Philip died and Alexander took over
Alexander the Great because of vast empire he accumulated
Military genius and well educated
Aristotle was his teacher
Modeled his new conquered cities after Greece
Greek influence spread throughout his kingdom, period known as Hellenistic or “Greek-like”
Greece was teacher to the western world in science, art, literature and philosophy
Conquered countries did not give up their cultures
New city in Egypt called Alexandria
Center of learning, magnificent museum
Mathematicians, poets, philosophers and astronomers gathered
Alexander died suddenly of fever
In 13 years created largest empire in the western world

Greek contributions

Lyric poems: Homer and Sappho
Literature such as plays, tragedy and comedy
Art showed human body as beautiful and flawless
Greeks wrote accurate history: Herodotus was “father of history” and word history comes from Greek; Thucydides wrote account of Peloponnesian War
Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
Science: Aristarchus (earth revolved around sun); Pythagoras (mathematician) ; Euclid (father of geometry); Hippocrates (doctor looked at natural causes and wrote Hippocratic Oath
Legacy of Greece: democracy

Chapter 13 Rise of Rome

Romulus and Remus, twins, said to have founded Rome

Early kings advised by Senate (Latin for “old men”)

Etruscans: lived north of Rome

Traded with Rome and exchanged culture
Older more advanced civilization
Introduced Rome to alphabet and taught them new building techniques

Most of central Italy known as Latium, part of Latium Plain, people called Latins and spoke Latin
Rome adopted new government called a republic, citizens elect leaders to run government
Consuls were the leaders
Two classes: patricians (small number of wealthy families) and Plebeians (bulk of population: artisans, shopkeepers, and peasants)
The poor who have to borrow end up in debt bondage a servant to the man until debt paid
Further class division: citizens and slaves

Men could vote and own property
Women were limited, no vote, could not participate in government but were protected by Roman law
Slaves or war captives had no rights

In 494 Plebeians demanded more rights wanted their own council or assembly

Patricians had to give in or no one would do the work
Plebeians wanted laws changed, because of this laws were finally written down called 12 Tables
Debt bondage eliminated, could enter priesthood, won rights to be in Senate
Finally Plebeians were given equality and with that government became more democratic

Consuls senators and tribunes citizen assemblies
Early Expansion was not always successful, defeated by Gauls but did unite all of Italian peninsula into one nation/ empire
Punic Wars: Rome vs. Carthage

Struggle over who owned Sicily both had settlements
Punic comes from Punici, Roman word for people of Carthage
Rome had stronger army but few ships
Carthage had a stronger navy
Romans invented a boarding ramp called “crow” because claws pulled ship close and plank came down like bridge
First Punic War lasted 23 years
Rome won first war
Second Punic Wars led by Hannibal of Carthage
Hannibal invaded Italy from the north over the Pyrenees Mountains with soldiers, horses and elephants
Hannibal defeated all Roman troops but those led by Scipio Africanus
Scipio attacked Carthage and Hannibal had to return to save it
Hannibal was defeated at Zamas
Third Punic War Carthage rebelled against Rome and was destroyed
All survivors were sold into slavery, city leveled

Rome continued conquering soon controlling most countries along the Mediterranean Sea

Chapter 14 Roman Empire

Chapter 15 Christianity and Fall of Rome