Emperor Hammurabi receives a code of laws from the god Shamash, patron of justice.

The region’s history includes Fertile Crescent and Egyptian civilizations, the birth of three major religions, and the spread of Muslim empires.

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North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and Times

Physical GeographySECTION 1

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

SECTION 2

Ancient EgyptSECTION 3

Birthplace of Three ReligionsSECTION 4

Muslim EmpiresSECTION 5

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North Africa and Southwest Asia: Place and Times

Section 1

Physical GeographyWater and the lack of it has shaped this region of flooding rivers, little rainfall, and surrounding seas.

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Rivers and Deserts

Water’s Importance• Little rain falls, so water and lack of water

shapes region- in area’s deserts, water is only found in oasis areas

• Annual river flooding makes some areas’ soil fertile—productive- fertile soil has nutrients to help plants grow

Physical Geography1SECTION

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From Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers• Hunter-gatherers hunt, fish, and gather wild

grain, fruit, nuts- humans have been hunter-gatherers 99% of their time on Earth

• Hunter-gatherers eventually settle, raise animals, crops- first areas settled include Nile, Tigris, Euphrates river valleys

• Nile flows from east central Africa through Egypt• Tigris, Euphrates flow from southeast Turkey

into Persian Gulf

Three Rivers

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1SECTION

Continued . . .

How Rivers Enrich the Soil• Rivers allow farming in region’s salty, sandy soil• Melted snow from Ethiopian mountains floods Nile• Melted snow in Turkish highlands floods Tigris,

Euphrates• Floods leave behind fertile soil

continued Three Rivers

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1SECTION

Irrigation• To get water from rivers to farms, farmers develop

irrigation- irrigation—methods of bringing water to dry land

Trade Routes• Mild climate of land around Mediterranean Sea

attracts settlers- early civilizations form on eastern shores

• Red Sea is historically an important trade route for goods, ideas

• Persian Gulf also important trade route- important today because it is in the middle of oil-rich region

Surrounding Waters

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1SECTION

Continued . . .

Energy from an Ancient Sea• Huge sea covered region millions of years ago• Sea creatures’ bodies sank to bottom, were

covered by mud, sand• Over time, heat and pressure turn dead matter

into petroleum, or oil

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1SECTION

continued Surrounding Waters

Turkey• Turkey is cooler then rest of region, gets more

rain• Has grasslands, forest areas

Section 2

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile CrescentAncient Mesopotamia’s complex civilization, based on city-states, develops a code of laws and a written language.

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2SECTION

The Mesopotamian City-State

The Fertile Crescent• Hammurabi—ancient Mesopotamian emperor,

ruled 1792–1750 B.C.• Mesopotamia—Greek for “land between the

rivers”• Covers area of Iraq, parts of Syria, Turkey• Region called Fertile Crescent due to shape,

fertile soil

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

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Continued . . .

2SECTION

City-States• Sumerians—first inhabitants form city-states

around 3000 B.C.• City-state—city and areas it controls• Three challenges influence development of city-

states:- high walls protect from hostile invaders- irrigation canals provide water to area with little rainfall- allow safe trading of grain, dates, cloth for stones, metals, timber

continued The Mesopotamian City-State

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Continued . . .

2SECTION

Government by Priests and Kings• Each city-state builds temple to specific guardian

god- temple is built on ziggurat—pyramid-shaped tower

• City-states are first ruled by temple priests, then elected leaders- leaders later become kings

• Kings control politics, military; priests control religion, economy

continued The Mesopotamian City-State

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Continued . . .

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From Kings to Emperors• Sometimes kings conquer other city-states

- let conquered city-states keep gods, local control• Some kings build empires from conquered lands

- empire—group of countries under one ruler’s control- force conquered people to worship emperor as god

continued The Mesopotamian City-State

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The Three Classes• Mesopotamia has class system—society

divided into social groups- each group, or class, has certain rights, protections

• Top class: kings, priests, rich property owners• Middle class: skilled workers, merchants,

farmers• Bottom class: slave workers

- some captured in wars, others sold into slavery to pay debts

The Class System

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Cuneiform• Cuneiform—one of first systems of writing,

developed by Sumerians- used to write lists, records, histories, religious beliefs, science

• Most Sumerians cannot write; scribes trained to keep records

A Culture Based on Writing

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Continued . . .

Educating Scribes• Most scribes are children of rich officials,

priests, merchants• Boys, some girls attend “tablet houses”—scribe

schools• Memorize 600 wedge-shaped characters

2SECTION

Scribes Played Many Roles• Scribes also write own literary, scientific works

- some women write lullabies, love songs• Traveling scribes share writings from other

countries• Scribes read works out loud to audiences• Stories include tales from The Epic of Gilgamesh

continued A Culture Based on Writing

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Section 3

Ancient EgyptThe civilization of the ancient Egyptians developed in response to both its desert environment and the flooding waters of the Nile River.

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Ancient Egypt and the Nile

The River in the Sand• Greek historian Herodotus calls Egypt “the gift of

the Nile”• Most of Egypt is desert, which discourages

invaders- Nile is called “the river in the sand”

• Egyptians, farmers plan their year around Nile flooding- but cannot predict amount of flooding each year- low floods limit crops; high floods destroy fields, homes

Ancient Egypt

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Continued . . .

3SECTION

Taming the Nile• Build canals to carry water from river to dry areas• Strengthen riverbanks to prevent overflow• Use Nile to travel between cities; build boats,

harbors, ports• Nile made trade profitable, removed need for

many roads

continued Ancient Egypt and the Nile

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The Nile’s Gifts• Nile mud used for pottery, bricks• Papyrus—paperlike material from papyrus plant

found in Nile marshes

3SECTION

The Pyramids• Idea of afterlife important to life, culture• Build huge temples, monuments, pyramids—

four triangular sides• Pyramids built as afterlife palaces for pharaohs

—kings

The Great Builders

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Materials and Labor• Pyramids built with large blocks of stone, capped

with gold• Builders use hieroglyphics—write with

pictographs for words, sounds• All families help with dangerous work, as laborers,

food providers

3SECTION

Religion in Daily Life• Pharaoh considered to be son of sun god Re,

linked to sky god Horus- Pharoah is Egypt’s main judge, commander, religious figure

• Temples built to honor major gods, local gods, pharaohs- only priests carried out temple rituals

• Most citizens pray, make offerings in other buildings, home shrines

The Pharaoh and the Gods

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Continued . . .

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Preparing for the Afterlife• Average citizens are not buried in pyramids• Family members bury relatives, tend to their

spirits- preserve bodies from decay by mummifying them- fill tombs with items for dead to use- decorate tombs with art- make regular offerings to honor dead

continued The Pharaoh and the Gods

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Section 4

Birthplace of Three ReligionsSouthwest Asia was the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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Three Religions

Jerusalem• City has been home for centuries to Jews,

Christians, Muslims• Each group believes in only one god—

monotheism- Sumerians, Egyptians believe in many gods—polytheism

• Each religion was begun by single person, has sacred writings

Birthplace of Three Religions

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4SECTION

Yahweh and Abraham• Hebrews, first monotheists, believe Yahweh spoke to

Abraham- has him leave Mesopotamian Ur, settle in Canaan (now Israel)

• Abraham’s descendants are Jews; religion is Judaism

Abraham and the Origin of Judaism

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Continued . . .

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How Judaism Adapted over Time• In 586 B.C., Babylonians destroy Jews’ First

Temple in Jerusalem- Jews are exiled to Babylon

• Persians take over Mesopotamia 50 years later- Jews return to Jerusalem, rebuild Temple

• Jerusalem, Temple destroyed when Jews fight Roman rule in A.D. 66

• Most Jews live outside Jerusalem for next 1,800 years

continued Abraham and the Origin of Judaism

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Early Life• Around 8 to 4 B.C., Jewish boy Jesus born in

Bethlehem, Palestine• According to Bible’s Gospels, written decades after

his death:- grew up in Galilee, baptized at age 30 by cousin John the Baptist- for 3 years, preaches love, forgiveness; performs miracles- 12 disciples, other followers believe he is Jewish Messiah—savior- called Christ—Greek for messiah; followers called Christians

Jesus and the Birth of Christianity

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Continued . . .

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Final Days• Some government, religious leaders feel Jesus,

followers are threat- in Jerusalem, Jesus betrayed by disciple, Judas Iscariot- arrested, tried, crucified; disciples believe he was resurrected

continued Jesus and the Birth of Christianity

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Beginnings of Christianity• Disciples spread Jesus’ teachings and belief he

was Jewish Messiah• Christianity develops from Jewish roots, spreads

around world• Today, few Christians live in Southwest Asia

4SECTION

The Region’s Third Monotheistic Religion• Muhammad born in Mecca around A.D. 570

- founder of Islam—religion with one god, whose prophet is Muhammad- Muslim—believer in Islam

• Muslims believe that around 610, Muhammad is commanded by a voice

Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam

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Continued . . .

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Muhammad’s Teachings• Muhammad believes angel Gabriel tells him the will

of God- Gabriel sends him revelations over next 22 years

• Revelations later collected into Qur’an—sacred text of Islam

• Muhammad shares divine messages, criticizes rich of Mecca

• Mecca’s leaders try to kill Muhammad• In 622, Muhammad, followers escape to nearby

Medina

continued Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam

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Section 5

Muslim EmpiresIslamic beliefs and culture spread out Southwest Asia and much of the world

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The Five Pillars of Islam

Religious Duties• Five Pillars of Islam—Muslims’ important

religious duties- these duties unite Muslims around the world

Muslim Empires

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Conquest, Trade, and Learning• After Muhammad’s death, a caliph is chosen to

succeed him• Caliphs form caliphate—empire—as theocracy,

ruled by religious leader• Caliphate’s vast trading system spreads Islamic

ideas, artwork• In early Middle Ages, Muslims save important

books, papers- preserve ancient world’s knowledge, later studied by Europeans

Muslim Empires

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Islam in Europe• Muslims conquer Spain, but stopped in 732 at

Tours by Charles Martel

Suleiman, “The Magnificent”• Muslim Ottoman Empire controls Turkey, other

parts of region- ruled by sultans from capital Constantinople (now Istanbul)

• Sultans tolerate other religions• In 1500s Suleiman I creates code of laws for

system of justice- called “The Magnificent” by Christians, “The Lawgiver” by Muslims

• Under Suleiman I, Empire is richest, most powerful in region, Europe

The Ottoman Empire

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The Janissaries• Many male slaves in Empire are soldiers• Janissaries—special group of soldiers loyal to

sultan- developed in late 1300s out of slave forces

• So powerful by 1660s, sultans feared them• Attacked sultan in 1826

- 6,000 Janissaries are killed; sultan disbands force

Slaves and Soldiers

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Weakening in the 1800s• Empire constantly fights wars, grows weak

- cannot compete with industrialized trade- comes close to bankruptcy in 1800s

• Sultan Mehmed V on losing side of WWI, gives up Arab lands

• By 1924, Ottoman Empire is replaced by modern Turkey

The Decline of the Ottoman Empire

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