Crossroads of the World

Crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe

Hub of major trade routes (both land and sea)
Cultural Diffusion is inevitable result
Spread ideas, inventions, and achievements
Today Middle East serves same purpose (oil main export though)

Major Regions:

Northern Tier:
Stretches across present day Turkey and Iran
Consists of mountains and plateaus
Anatolian Plateau (Asian Minor):
Has fertile soil and therefore a large population
Surrounded by the Taurus and Pontic Mountains
Iranian Plateau (East):
Surrounded by the Elburz and Zagros mountains
Small population due to poor soil
Arabian Peninsula:
1/3 the size of the US
Borders the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf
Small population due to lack of water
Live around oases
Oasis-fertile desert area that has enough water to support the plant
and animal life
Huge amounts of oil located underneath surface
Birthplace of Islam (Mecca)
Fertile Crescent:
Arc shaped region stretching from the Mediterranean along the Tigris
and Euphrates to the Persian Gulf
Rich soil and abundant water caused large population
Few natural barriers
Home to Mesopotamia
Nile Valley:
Possesses natural boundaries (deserts)
Linked Egypt to Middle East

The Maghreb
Includes mother African countries of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco

Means "western isle"

Islam introduced in 600s and 700s
Sahara and Atlas Mountains
Most live along Med. Coast

Climate and Resources

Nearly entire regions in desert
People forced to live in areas along the coasts and in the river
valleys
Lack of rainfall and water
Only 10% of land receives enough water to make farming
possible
Irrigation systems built in response to scarcity
Shaduf-water hoist
Drip Irrigation-method of irrigation which delivers a measured
amount of water to each plant
Desalination Plants built to convert slag water into fresh water
Resources:
Oil-most valuable and unevenly distributed
Copper
Phosphate-used in fertilizers
Salt-desert
People
Major languages:
Greek
Arabic
Turkish
Hebrew
Kurdish
Persian
Armenian

Religions
Christianity-divided into different sects (Coptic, Maronite, Greek
Orthodox)
Islam- majority of people are Muslims; divided into different
sects
Judaism-most ancient in region (predominantly in Israel)
Ethnicities:
Arab (classical sense)- one who speaks Arabic and practices
Islam
Arab (today's definition)- anyone whose native language is
Arabic
Turks
Iranians
Kurds
SECTION 2
summerian Civilization
Summer- 1st civilization in the Middle east; located i the Tigris,
Euphrates delta
Religion:

Believed that gods were al powerful

If gods angry then disaster and vice versa
Priest were elevated to a position of power
Only they knew the prayers, hymns, and rituals that kept the
gods happy
Chief building in each city-state was the ziggurat
Ziggurat- huge, many tiered temple
Home to schools, tax collections, priests
Scribes- those who the temple record
System of Writing
Sumerians developed written language
At first in the form of pictographs
wrote to clay tablets with a stylus (sharp reed)

 Romans called this writing cuneiform (wedge shaped writing

of Sumerians)
Cuneiform spread across fertile crescent
Other achievements
Many advances which influence later peoples
1st people down to have used the wheel
Invented the sail
Invented the plow
Developed accurate calendar
Used arithmetic and geometry to survey fields
Set up system of measurement based on the number 60 (60
sec, minute, 60 minute hour, 360 degree circle)
Warfare and trade Spread Culture
Because of the few natural boundaries surrounding the Fertile
Crescent a pattern emerged: warfare
CODE OF LAWS
1700 B.C.- Babylonians and King Hammurabi conquered F.C.
Hammurabi created code of law to maintain justice in cast
empire
Consisted of 282 laws
Regulated social economic and moral affairs
Purpose of the code was (pg 559)
Code distinguished between minor and major crimes
Try to make the punishment fit the crime
Spread of Iron
1500 B.C.- Hittites came from Asia Minor, adopted cuneiform,
absorbed other ideas and brought it back to Asia Minor and the
Greeks
Known for their mastery of iron which eventually spread
throughout the region
Phoenician Alphabet:
Under Hittite reign, the Phoenicians in Lebanon began creating
colonies throughout the Mediterranean
Known as the Carriers of civilization

Developed an alphabet which evolved into the once used today

Used only 22 symbols
800 B.B.- Greeks adopted alphabet and added 4 symbols
Hebrew, Persians and Arabs all adopted alphabet
the Persian Empire
500 B.C.- Persians conquered region and established empire
for Asia Minor to the indus Valley
Bed by Darius I
GOVERMENT
Darius divided empire into 20 provinces (Satrapy) (each
corresponding roughly to the homeland a particular group of
people)
Persians tolerated diversity (allowed them to keep language,
custom, and religion)
Satrap- governor of province
Responsible for collecting taxes and keeping order
The eyes and ears of the king sent regularly to inspect and
report back about satrap

Communication and Trade:

Improved and expanded road system
Connected the 4 capital cities (Sardis, Babylon, Susa, and
Persepolis) and was equipped with relay stations which
supplied fresh houses
Trade prospered with peace and good roads
Universal of coinage set up
SOROASTER AND TEH FORCES OF GOOD AND EVIL GOOD
VS EVIL
Zoroaster- founder of soroastrianism
Concerned with the question and suffering
polytheistic
magi- priests
teaches dualism:
Good vs. Evil (Ahura Mazda vs. Ahriman)

 recorded in the Zend- Avesta

GREEK AND ROMAN INFLUENCES
334 B.C.- Alexander the Great conquers Persian Empire
Dies in 323 B.C.
Greatest contribution was Hellenistic civilization
Alexandria, Egypt center of Hellenistic civilization
Rome controlled the Middle east
and the peace allowed for increased trade
ideas about law and government and engineering spread
Christianity flourished
395- Rome split into 2 empires
Byzantine empire- controlled east
Roman empire- controlled west
SECTION 3: Judaism and Christianity
The kingdom of Israel
1025 B.C.- kingdom of Israel formed
Flourished Under David and Solomon
David united Israel made it a power in the Middle East \
Solomon- reign was marked by peace
Transformed Jerusalem into a magnificent capital
Taxed people heavily to fund building projects
Revolts in 930 B.C. weakened kingdom and forced the Hebrews
into exile (Babylonian Captivity)
500 B.C.- Persian conquered the Fertile Crescent and allowed
the Hebrews to return to Israel
Rebuilt solomons temple
A.D. 70- Jews revolted against Roman rule and were forced out
of Palestine
diaspora- scattering of Jews throughout the world
Jews reserved their religion and traditions
Made contributions to science, medicine, business and the arts
TEACHING OF JUDAISM
Monotheistic- belief in 1 god called YHWH

 Tora (the Law)- book of the Jews that recorded their history as
well as the moral and religious laws of God
IMPORTANCE:
Hebrews believed that God has chosen them
Records the 10 commandments and other laws that outline
standards of conduct
Similar to the Hammurabi Code but different on certain issues
(slavery)
ETHICAL WORLD VEIW
Religious beliefs of the Hebrews became known as Judaism
Major feature of Judaism is its ethical world view- belief that
people and their rulers should lead moral lives
Prophets- religious leaders
Reminded Jews of their duties; warned them of Gods Judgment
Taught that people were responsible for their actions, people
chose between good and evil
RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
Christianity grew out of Jewish traditions
JESUS
Founder of Christianity; born in Palestine under roman rule
most jews do nto believe Jesus to be the Messiah
A.D. 33- Jesus was arrested and crucified
SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY
Following Christs death, Christianity began to spread through
the efforts of missionaries like Peter and Paul
Roman rule aided tis growth by providing peace and a well kept
road system
A.D. 313- constantine converted to Christianity and ended
persecution
A.D. 395- Christianity became official religion of Rome
THE CHURCH
At first bishops were the head o the Church; later became the
pope- father of the church

 Emperor of E. Roman Empire refused to recognize the pope as

had of the Church and instead controlled much of the Church
Resulted in a schism- seperation of the Church
formation of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox
Church