The Epic of Gilgamesh has been read in the modern world for a little longer than a century, and, in that time, this oldest of stories has become a classic college text.
The area of the fertile crescent is where civilization, and our course, begins. This unit will examine the achievements of Mesopotamia that have had such an lasting and profound impact on humanity, that it is considered the cradle of civilization
WHY STUDY HISTORY?
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Ancient History Game:
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Introductory Task: "Ancient History to Me Means..."
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Understanding Culture
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Culture is very important for human beings. It gives the tribe of humans their identity. It provides them with the rules and regulations to live in their society, how they celebrate, how they communicate, how they behave, how they greet, how they show their anger etc.
Culture has impact on existence of humans and their thinking. It is necessary to develop a society" and understanding people of other societies and thus can bring harmony between civilizations. It is said that to make a society weak, their culture should be the first to be attacked. Culture is so central a source of society that without it stability and progress are impossible, for all social existence and activities are marked by cultural characteristics. But these relations go in two directions, on the one hand between society and persons, on the other side between society and nature.The content of one’s culture constitutes one’s "social nature". |
Becoming Human
Becoming Human is an interactive documentary experience that tells the story of our origins. Journey through four million years of human evolution with your guide, Donald Johanson.
Your task is to explore this interactive documentary and answer the following questions linked below. Link:Notes:
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Life in the Stone Age
Download:
living_stone_age_20122.pdf | |
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MESOPOTAMIA
Mesopotamia is a Greek word meaning 'between the rivers'. The rivers are the Tigris and Euphrates which flow through modern Iraq. The Euphrates also flows through much of Syria. Mesopotamia is made up of different regions, each with its own geography. The geography of each area and the natural resources found there affected the ways that people lived.
Northern Mesopotamia is made up of hills and plains. The land is quite fertile due to seasonal rains, and the rivers and streams flowing from the mountains. Early settlers farmed the land and used timber, metals and stone from the mountains nearby.
Southern Mesopotamia is made up of marshy areas and wide, flat, barren plains. Cities developed along the rivers which flow through the region. Early settlers had to irrigate the land along the banks of the rivers in order for their crops to grow. Since they did not have many natural resources, contact with neighbouring lands was important.
Northern Mesopotamia is made up of hills and plains. The land is quite fertile due to seasonal rains, and the rivers and streams flowing from the mountains. Early settlers farmed the land and used timber, metals and stone from the mountains nearby.
Southern Mesopotamia is made up of marshy areas and wide, flat, barren plains. Cities developed along the rivers which flow through the region. Early settlers had to irrigate the land along the banks of the rivers in order for their crops to grow. Since they did not have many natural resources, contact with neighbouring lands was important.
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A Crash Course in Mesopotamia:
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Mesopotamia, Egypt and Israel
Geographic Influences: MESOPOTAMIA, EGYPT and ISRAEL Echoes (textbook) p. 39, 40, 55, 83
Resource 1: Geography of Mesopotamia Resource 2: Geography of Egypt Resource 3: Mesopotamian Geography (prezi) Resource 4: British Museum: Mesopotamia |
1. FOCUS ON MESOPOTAMIA
a) Describe the land and climate of Mesopotamia . Why was it called the "Fertile Crescent"? b) Explain the importance of natural levees and irrigation to the survival of Mesopotamia. c) What geographic dangers existed in Mesopotamia? d) How did the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers support agriculture? e) How did Mesopotamians cope with the lack of resources? f) Why was trade so important to Mesopotamia? |
The Epic Story of Gilgamesh
The most completely preserved version dates back to the 7th century BCE, consisting of 12 incomplete tablets, all in the Akkadian language, found at Nineveh. Fragments of other compositions of the Gilgamesh Epic have been found in other places in Mesopotamia and as far away as Syria and Turkey. Many of the gaps from the Nineveh tablets have been filled in with textual information from these.
Moreover, there are 5 shorter poems discovered in the Sumerian language, more than 1000 years older than the Ninevite tablets. These are "Gilgamesh and Huwawa," "Gilgamesh and the Bull of Heaven," "Gilgamesh and Agga of Kish," "Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld" and "Death of Gilgamesh."
Gilgamesh relates ancient folklore, tales and myths. It is believed that there were many different smaller stories and myths that over time grew together into one complete work.
Moreover, there are 5 shorter poems discovered in the Sumerian language, more than 1000 years older than the Ninevite tablets. These are "Gilgamesh and Huwawa," "Gilgamesh and the Bull of Heaven," "Gilgamesh and Agga of Kish," "Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld" and "Death of Gilgamesh."
Gilgamesh relates ancient folklore, tales and myths. It is believed that there were many different smaller stories and myths that over time grew together into one complete work.
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Unit 1 Review
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Test Outline:
Unit 1 Test: Archaeology and Ancient Tribes of the Near East
Test Outline
PART A: Multiple Choice (Knowledge/ Understanding) (15-20marks)
PART B: Short Answer (Communication / Application) (8-12 marks)
PART C: ESSAY (Thinking/ Inquiry) 10 marks
Test Outline
PART A: Multiple Choice (Knowledge/ Understanding) (15-20marks)
PART B: Short Answer (Communication / Application) (8-12 marks)
PART C: ESSAY (Thinking/ Inquiry) 10 marks
ANCIENT EGYPT
The legacy of the Ancient Egyptian culture has left its mark through the centuries. From religion to architecture to fashion, its influence is epic and our fascination with this ancient civilization, so exotic and mysterious, remains strong even today.
Key Question:
Why was the Egyptian Civilization so advanced compared to others?
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ancientegypt.ppt | |
File Size: | 2964 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
The Old Kingdom:
The Old Kingdom (c.2850-2190 B.C.E.) Egyptian civilization started much as Mesopotamian civilization did, with the rise of independent city-states, called nomes, organized around irrigation projects. These city-states often fought each other for land and power. Bit by bit, different nomes absorbed each other in these wars until there were only two kingdoms left: Upper Egypt in the south, and Lower Egypt in the north. Finally, a king of Upper Egypt, known variously as Menes or Narmer, conquered Lower Egypt and united the land. Soon afterwards, the period of Egyptian history known as the Old Kingdom began. Generally, during periods of prosperity such as the Old Kingdom, Egypt would be united under one pharaoh. However, during times of turmoil, it would split back into Upper and Lower Egypt until a strong ruler reunited the land.
The Old Kingdom was a peaceful and prosperous period. It was also the great age of building pyramids, massive tombs to preserve and protect the dead for the afterlife. Tied in with this was the involved and expensive process of mummification, which preserved the body for the next world. Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were not built using slave labor, but rather the labor of peasants who were free for such work during the flood season. At this time, the pharaoh was seen as a god who embodied all of Egypt and was the only one entitled to an afterlife. However, Egyptian peasants could feel that they were sharing in some of that afterlife by working on the pyramids. Pyramid building also provided peasants with employment and some income from the pharaoh during the flood season when they could do little else anyway.
There were about eighty of these monumental structures built. The largest of these, the Great Pyramid at Gizeh, contained some 2.3 million limestone blocks, each weighing several tons. Even in the best of times, building such structures would be a huge burden on the economy. In times of low floods, such as started around 2250 B.C.E., the strain proved to be too much. As a result, the Old Kingdom went into a period of decline.
The Old Kingdom was a peaceful and prosperous period. It was also the great age of building pyramids, massive tombs to preserve and protect the dead for the afterlife. Tied in with this was the involved and expensive process of mummification, which preserved the body for the next world. Contrary to popular belief, the pyramids were not built using slave labor, but rather the labor of peasants who were free for such work during the flood season. At this time, the pharaoh was seen as a god who embodied all of Egypt and was the only one entitled to an afterlife. However, Egyptian peasants could feel that they were sharing in some of that afterlife by working on the pyramids. Pyramid building also provided peasants with employment and some income from the pharaoh during the flood season when they could do little else anyway.
There were about eighty of these monumental structures built. The largest of these, the Great Pyramid at Gizeh, contained some 2.3 million limestone blocks, each weighing several tons. Even in the best of times, building such structures would be a huge burden on the economy. In times of low floods, such as started around 2250 B.C.E., the strain proved to be too much. As a result, the Old Kingdom went into a period of decline.
Write Your Name in Hieroglyphics
Egyptian History:
Hieroglyphics (skhai en neter tur - writing of sacred words) are composed of signs representing objects of the physical world; these were always sculptured or painted and the linear generally used on the earlier papyri containing funeral rituals. There are four classes being: 1. Representational or ikonographic 2. Symbolic or tropical 3. Enigmatic 4. Phonetic How to Read Hieroglyphics The hieroglyphs could be read either starting at the left or the right. In order to determine the direction to begin reading is to look for a human or animal symbol. The symbol will always face in the direction that the reading should start at. Reading is always done from top to bottom (such as with columns). |
Ancient Gods & Deities
A Pharaoh was the most important and powerful person in the kingdom. He was the head of the government and high priest of every temple. The people of Egypt considered the pharaoh to be a half-man,half-god. The first true pharaoh of Egypt was Narmer (sometimes known as Menes),who united Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt.He was the first king of the First Dynasty,the beginning of the Old Kingdom.Egypt was once divided into two kingdoms.The kingdom of Lower Egypt was represented by the red crown and thekingdom of Upper Egypt was represented bythe white crown.Around 3100 BC Egypt became united. Narmer founded the first capital of Egypt where the two lands met called Memphis (Thebes [Luxor] became the next capital of Egypt and then Amarna was made the capital during the reign of King Akhenaten [Thutmoses IV])
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Resource:
BBC ANCIENT EGYPTIAN GODS
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