Introduction To River Valley Civilization Class 3

Introduction to River valley cultures
The river valley civilizations develop from small farming villages. The civilizations
create laws, centralized governments, writing systems, and advanced
technologies. The process of trade spreads new ideas to and from these
civilizations.
AGRICULTURE’S IMPACT ON SOCIETY
•Agriculture dramatically changed Stone Age societies by providing a larger and more reliable food
supply.
•Some people began to live as nomadic pastoralists.
•Others gave up the nomadic lifestyle and formed settlements, pooling their resources.
Early Farming Societies New Technologies
•Small settlements •New tools and methods

•Villages and towns •Animals working in fields
•Increase in trade •Grindstones, pestles,
•Societies became more pottery
complex •Wool from sheep for yarn
•Social status, male authority •Spinning and weaving
•Religion, megaliths •Copper, bronze, tin
•Warfare, disease increased
EFFECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
• Rise in population Farmers began cultivating lands along river valleys and
producing surplus, or extra, food.
• Emergence of farming villages
• More available food

Surpluses helped populations expand.
• New farming tools
• More stable communities

As populations grew, some villages swelled into cities.
• More cultural developments

Advances in farming and changing economies caused villages to grow in size
and complexity, and the first cities began to appear.
Advances in Farming Changing Economies
• New methods to increase • Fewer people needed to farm

production: irrigation systems
– Began to specialize in other jobs
– Networks of canals, ditches
– Division of labor
– Link fields to water supply
– Traditional economy
– Farm more land in drier
conditions – Economic decisions based on
custom, ritual
– Plant more crops and produce more
food – Began to change with
development of irrigation
– Surplus, or excess of food
– Trade increases
CHARACTERISTICS OF CITIES
Generally larger than villages Populations more diverse than More formal than in villages
in villages
• First known city was Uruk, in • Had defined centers, with
what is now Iraq • Early villages consisted of temples and marketplaces
• Home to 40,000–50,000 extended families • Had defined boundaries
people • Early cities included many separating the cities from
• Covered more than 1,000 unrelated people surrounding villages
acres • Served as centers of trade for
surrounding villages
THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS
The development of cities gave rise to the first civilizations or
complex and organized society.
Characteristics of Early Civilizations
1. Developed cities
2. Organized government
3. Formalized religion
4. Specialization of labor: farmers, engineers, soldiers, artisans
5. Social classes
6. Record keeping or writing
7. Art and architecture
The first civilizations grew up independently along fertile river

valleys where enough food could be produced to support
a growing population.
CHANGE IN CIVILIZATIONS
Once early civilizations developed, they continued to change over time. Some changes weakened
civilizations, while others strengthened them and led to growth and expansion.
Environmental Spread of People Expansion and

Influences and Ideas Warfare
• Movement of people • Conflicts over

• Dependence on
farming • New languages, land and resources
customs • Civilizations
• Forces of nature
• Cultural diffusion expanded
• Need for resources,
such as metals, stone, • Advances spread from • Some civilizations
and timber one civilization to developed into
another states and

• Expanded trade for
kingdoms
scarce resources
THE FIRST RIVER-VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS, 3500 –1500 B.C. E.
Time Line
3000 B.C. E. City-states form 2300 B.C. E. Sargon 1792 B.C E. Hammurabi
in Sumer, Mesopotamia. established first known develops code of laws for
empire in Sumer, Babylonian Empire.
Mesopotamia.
3500 B.C. E. 1500 B.C.E.
2660 B.C. E. Egypt’sOld 1550 B.C. E, Indus

Kingdom develops. Valley civilization
declines.
THE EARLY RIVER VALLEY
CIVILIZATION
1. Mesopotamia: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
2. Egypt: Nile River
3. India: Indus and Ganges Rivers
4. China: Yellow and Yangtze Rivers

MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION
Mesopotamia an area geographically located

between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Mesopotamia means the land between two
rivers. Mesopotamia began as urban societies in
southern Iraq in 5000 BC, and ends in the 6th
century BC.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
“Egypt is wholly the gift of the Nile.”

– Herodotus
People settled and established farming villages along the Nile.

Egyptians depended on annual floods to soak the land and
deposit a layer of silt, or rich soil.
Egyptians had to cooperate to control the Nile, building

dikes, reservoirs, and irrigation ditches.
Rulers used the Nile to link and unite Upper and Lower Egypt.
The Nile served as a trade route connecting Egypt to Africa,
the Middle East, and the Mediterranean world.
THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
The Indus Valley is located on the subcontinent of India.
The mountains in the north limited contact with other lands

and helped India to develop a distinct culture. The
subcontinent is divided into three major zones: northern plain,
Deccan, and coastal plains. The rivers of India, particularly the
Ganges, are considered sacred. The monsoon, or seasonal
wind, is a defining feature of Indian life.
The Indus Valley people build planned cities with

sophisticated sewage and plumbing systems.
Archaeological evidence suggests the Indus civilization is
stable and prosperous. Indus Valley culture ends mysteriously.
CHINESE CIVILIZATION
• China was the most isolated of the

civilizations studied thus far.
• Long distances and physical barriers separated
China from Egypt, the Middle East, and India.
• Isolation contributed to the Chinese belief that
China was the center of the earth and the only
civilization.
• As in Egypt and Mesopotamia, Chinese civilization
began in a river valley, the Huang He.
Ancient Chinese civilization is ruled by powerful family

dynasties. Just rulers are believed to have divine
approval. In Chinese culture, family is central to society
and religion. Improvements are made in technology
and trade. Feudalism is established.
Assignment 2
Main factors that affected in the rise of river valley

civilization?
NEXT LECTURE – DESERT AND MOUNTAINOUS CULTURE

Introduction To River Valley Civilization Class 3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To River Valley Civilization Class 3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction To River Valley Civilization Class 3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction to River valley cultures

Early Farming Societies New Technologies

•Small settlements •New tools and methods

• More available food

• More stable communities

• More cultural developments

Advances in Farming Changing Economies

• New methods to increase • Fewer people needed to farm

Characteristics of Early Civilizations

The first civilizations grew up independently along fertile river

Environmental Spread of People Expansion and

• Movement of people • Conflicts over

another states and

3500 B.C. E. 1500 B.C.E.

2660 B.C. E. Egypt’sOld 1550 B.C. E, Indus

2. Egypt: Nile River

3. India: Indus and Ganges Rivers

4. China: Yellow and Yangtze Rivers

Mesopotamia an area geographically located

“Egypt is wholly the gift of the Nile.”

People settled and established farming villages along the Nile.

Egyptians had to cooperate to control the Nile, building

The Indus Valley is located on the subcontinent of India.

The mountains in the north limited contact with other lands

The Indus Valley people build planned cities with

• China was the most isolated of the

Ancient Chinese civilization is ruled by powerful family

Main factors that affected in the rise of river valley

NEXT LECTURE – DESERT AND MOUNTAINOUS CULTURE

You might also like