Welcome to unit 2 where we will study early flourishing societies such as Mesopotamia, China and Egypt.
Note to teachers: I haven’t used the word civilization for many years. I prefer societies since civilization is such a loaded term (which I examine more in grade 12 history). The word ‘flourishing’ – used in the curriculum document – also requires some unpacking. Flourishing from whose perspective?
This unit only briefly introduces China for the purpose of including it in Dragon’s Den (the unit culminating activity). There is a later unit on China.
What are the pillars of civilization? (I stopped doing this activity – “civilization” seems like such an outdated term)
Activity to try to figure out which criteria (standards or reasons for making a decision) we might use to judge what is a ‘civilization.’
“Ms. G’s criteria when selecting a meal from a menu at a restaurant is that it is dairy free, has no eggs and no meat.”
CHW3M Pillars of Civilization Charts
Note to teachers: read this article I wrote in 2019 about criteria and direct instruction in an inquiry about civilizations.
MESOPOTAMIA
Mesopotamia Intro
PERSIAT for Mesopotamia
CHW3M_Mesopotamia_Intro_2020-21 (PPT overview – updated over the years)
Fill in PERSIAT for Mesopotamia handout using textbook (page #s are given on it).CHW3M_PERSIAT_Mesopotamia
Introduction to HTC of historical significance and the criteria used to determine significance (that’s why we learned the word criteria).
Note to teachers: my intent in introducing Mesopotamia so briefly, is to get to the main theme of innovation and to get students ready for the Dragon’s Den activity, which is very fun, student-centered, and collaborative. It’s also a way to focus on the first HTC: historical significance (which is not my favourite HTC).
CHINA
To introduce China, take a look at this PPT overview. It is VERY long.
Note to teachers: What I did is print out the slides (4 or 6 per page) and cut them out so that each group of students had a pile of slides that I had mixed up into a random order. Their task was to put the slides into a logical order. To do so they had to read the slides, not just look at the images (the tendency was for many kids to skip the reading part). When all groups had made their attempts, I shared the correct order of slides and students had thus gotten some kind of familiarity with China.
After this, I asked students to identify five themes that continued throughout Chinese history. We would come back to this in the China unit.
Dragon’s Den Assignment
see side page
Innovations to choose from:
- cuneiform
- agricultural improvements
- written law code (not a choice but important to note)
- the wheel
- astronomy (calendar)
- Assyrian weaponry
- ziggurats
- math
- porcelain
- silk production
- compass
- seismograph
key words:
social hierarchy (a pyramid shape of social roles, with more status assigned to those at the top than at the bottom – I call this the evil triangle; elite = top of social hierarchy), polytheistic (having many gods)
Investigating how a law code reflects the pillars of civ – Hammurabi’s Code (and Taizong’s Code).
By Milkau_Oberer_Teil_der_Stele_mit_dem_Text_von_Hammurapis_Gesetzescode_369-2.jpg: Luestlingderivative work: Fred the Oyster (talk) – Milkau_Oberer_Teil_der_Stele_mit_dem_Text_von_Hammurapis_Gesetzescode_369-2.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9812640
Hammurabi’s Code – Primary Source Documents (in handouts) – Read and answer the questions on each handout.
Hammurabi_Code_SHEG (PPT)
HTCs = primary evidence (evidence FROM the time period you’re studying, original), historical perspectives
Vocab and Concepts:
- primary source = something original from the time period being studied
- secondary source = what someone from another time period writes or says about something from a certain time period
- bias = preconceived views/judgments on things (can be positive and/or negative)
- Hammurabi’s biases:
- he thought the gods chose him to rule and gave him the laws
- he was pro-rich
- he was anti-poor to an extent (how much?)
- Hammurabi’s biases:
- context = the situation/environment at the time of an event or document
- polytheistic = a religion with many gods, not just one
- “an eye for an eye” = the principle on which the code was based (supposedly – how true was it for everyone?)
Which pillar of “civilization” is most reflected by Hammurabi’s Code?
A Closer Look at the Code of Hammurabi (Louvre Museum video) – you may want to watch this for interest.
Note to teachers: read this article I wrote in 2019 about testing hypotheses during an inquiry on Hammurabi’s Code.
Taizong PSDs link.
Note to teachers: I did not have time to do the connection to Taizong here in unit 2. But it can come in handy when the China unit is fully flushed out later in the course.
EGYPT
Intro to the Central Role of Religion in Egyptian Life – Did Religion Help Them Deal with Change?
While we will not study everything about Egypt, you should know that their long history can be divided into three main time periods:
The Old Kingdom, approx. 2500-2000 BCE – the pyramid age
The Middle Kingdom, approx. 2000-1500 BCE – prosperity, trade and foreign influence
The New Kingdom, approx. 1500-700 BCE – empire and eventual decline
- within each kingdom there were different dynasties (families of rulers; dynasties were numbered – began with the first dynasty after unification of Upper and Lower Egypt – 1st to 25th. )
TASK: Egyptian_Religion_Inquiry_Amulets
Note to teachers: I stopped using this the last few years due to time constraints. The main themes and ideas can be communicated in the overview PPT slides and in the Egyptian religion scavenger hunt linked below.
Skill: making inferences from objects
Inferences about ancient Egyptians:
- they were superstitious
- they believed in the afterlife
- they were fearful of not getting into the afterlife
ka = spiritual duplicate PLUS MORE (p. 68 in textbook)
ma’at = the concept of truth, order, harmony, balance, justice (the way things should be) (p. 69 in textbook and scavenger hunt below)
Note to teachers: for the design of my Egyptian unit, ma’at is the MOST important concept. In the last few years of teaching, I really tried to help students grasp this concept. Some of my previous student teachers did this by having students make comparisons to modern concepts.
Ma’at
For the Egyptians, Ma’at was a central principle of their lives. They tried to live according to it, as they were taught to do so from childhood. These beliefs were passed down, widely circulated, and reflected in all aspects of life from religion to government to rituals of the afterlife.
We don’t really have anything similar. However, in the past some people might have said that Canada was built on Christian values. As our society’s multiculturalism has grown and been officially recognized, Christian values have been overtaken by a wider diversity of beliefs.
Canadian historians and political scientists might claim that “peace order and good government” has been the founding principle on which Canada is based. If this were true, Canadians would live their lives around this overarching value and we wouldn’t have any problems. Perhaps not?
Some other ancient societies had central concepts but perhaps not as central as Ma’at. The Greeks highly prized the achievement of glory. Spartans in particular valued conformity to their tight military structure so much that every aspect of their lives revolved around it. The Romans valued conquest and strength. The Chinese based many of their governmental and cultural institutions on Confucianism and its emphasis on family, moderation and stability.
Ma’at was a uniquely Egyptian feature that held its society together. Not forever though…
types/evolution of tombs: pit grave, mastaba (bench-like tomb), step pyramid (mastaba stacked upon mastaba), true pyramid (a gigantic advertisement for riches), rock-carved tombs in the Valley of the Kings (they got robbed, too).
Note to teachers: I stopped emphasizing these over the years as the unit became focused on a few case studies as more time was spent in doing in-class assignments.
TASK: Do the scavenger hunt activity with your group. It contains many links to primary sources (art and other) that are fabulous – it’s like visiting a museum. CHW3M_Egyptian_Religion_Scavenger_Hunt_Oct 2021 (note: I shortened this activity in the last few years)
Family and Gender and the Case Study of a Female Pharaoh (Hatshepsut)
TASK: complete this worksheet with your group (usually done BEFORE Hatshepsut is introduced).
- we used this worksheet to analyze how equal Egyptian women were to men, 10 being equal, 0 being not equal at all. The class average seemed to be about 7/10. There is no doubt that Egyptian women had a lot of freedoms that other women in the ancient world did not enjoy. However, even Hatshepsut had to find ways to make herself accepted as a female pharaoh. That’s where ma’at comes in.
Note to teachers: Students have to be careful not to be presentist here by imposing our societal values on Egypt. BUT, they also have to be open to recognizing the agency that women had in Egyptian society. Studying history is often a balancing act
CHW3M_Hatshepsut_2020-21 (PPT) – 3 themes and HTC of continuity and change
- conservative (prefer tradition over change)
- religion is everything
- centralized state
Classes (Egyptian_Classes) and ka recitation are related. A person’s ka recitation would vary depending on what class they were in. I used to do a whole activity where each group of students would get a “class” and would learn about it. Then they’d write a ka recitation for someone in that class. It was a bit difficult since the information was all generic.
Did religion help Egypt deal with change (a female pharaoh)?
HTC = continuity and change
By now students should be familiar with the basic concepts of Egyptian religion: afterlife, ka, “Book of the Dead”, polytheism (multiple gods), ma’at.
PPT – contains video links and questions for videos) – use only the section from 22 – 27 mins. The focus is on how Hatshepsut took power by bringing her image (literally and figuratively) in line with ma’at.
Students are to identify three ways that she tried to persuade Egyptians that she was ruling within maat (the natural order of life).
Background information about Hatshepsut (not always needed)
Hatshepsut (PBS – Egypt’s Golden Empire) Hatshepsut
The Expedition to Punt (PBS – Nova)
The Queen Who Would Be King (Smithsonian)
If you’re curious, read “Hatshepsut and Thutmosis: a royal feud?” (BBC)
Follow-up question: What does Hatshepsut’s story tell us about Egyptians’ attitudes toward change? (0 = hate change, love tradition, 10= love change)
__________________________________________________________________________
0 5 10
Akhenaton and the Challenge to Egyptian Religion and Art
HTC = continuity and change, historical perspectives (different groups had different views on Akhenaton).
To understand the changes brought by Akhenaton, we need to understand how art was before him.
Task: CHW3M_Egyptian_Art_Conventions_2020-21 (PPT covers pages 75-76 in textbook). I extended this lesson to make it more directed but can’t yet find the link.
Note to teachers: make sure students understand that the study of a society’s conventions of art (unwritten rules) allows them to learn more about the society and its values. And in this case, some of its gender roles.
Akhenaton was the pharaoh who changed:
- the main god (from Amun to Aten)
- art styles
- the capital city
Task:
- In groups, fill in the T’s and V’s on the “Akhenaton: Tyrant or Visionary” sheet in your handouts. Both T and V have been defined for you. This worksheet activity is interpretive and you don’t need any further background information on Akhenaton to make these interpretations. If something is irrelevant to T or V, don’t include it in your final tally of Ts and Vs. We’ll discuss as a class where the overall interpretation seems to be leaning. You may change your mind.
2. As you watch the video, fill in the worksheet: CHW3M_Akhenaton_Video_Worksheet. The purpose here is to pay attention to how the video is portraying Akhenaton at various times. Note the music, the narration, the perspectives. Also note how YOUR interpretation of Akhenaton may change as you learn more information about him. Your views may even go back and forth.
Don’t be presentist! You must consider Akhenaton’s actions in the light of ma’at and his own time. Remember, the main thing we’re trying to reflect on is how religion helped Egyptians deal with change.
Please note that spelling differs but Amun, Amon, Amen were all the same god. Also note that Akhenaton didn’t invent the Aten (the sun disk god). He just elevated its importance. Aton and Aten are the same god – just different English spelling.
Video link: Egypt’s Golden Empire – Pharaoh’s of the Sun (this is an active link to the video on YouTube), 20:45 to 45:00
heretic = someone who goes against accepted religious beliefs
Later: feel free to read this good summary of Akhenaton’s reign: “Akhenaten: Egyptian Pharaoh, Nefertiti’s Husband, Tut’s Father” (Live Science)
Note to teachers: spiral back to Hatshepsut and have the class examine how ma’at is applied in the lives and experiences of both pharaohs.
Preparation for Unit Test
Since this is the first unit with a test at the end, I try to focus on certain key themes rather than test for regurgitation of information. Some themes obviously include the continuity (that is a question mark) of ma’at from Hatshepsut to Akhenaton, innovations (without repeating the same question as Dragon’s Den focused on).
Note to teachers:
This is how I mark questions on tests. I share this with students and even put it up on the screen while they are writing. It usually takes students until the second test to get used to the scoring method. It emphasizes the quality of evidence and argument (explanation), not just having evidence or making an argument. I carry this method over to all tests and the course exam so that students are familiar and have a chance to improve. Students should start to see the benefit of annotating their notes so they don’t have to read them fully during the test.
After I return the marked test, I like to do a ‘test wrapper‘, a student reflection on what they did well in the preparation for the test and on the test itself, and what should improve during the next unit in preparation for the next test.
KINGDOM OF KUSH (sadly I only used this once but it’s a great way to incorporate more non-Egyptian African history into the course)
Egypt’s Foreign Relations with Kush:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwaP1kyAqqo
7:50 – 11:20 The video starts with ways that Egypt and Kerma (an early Sudanese civilization) influenced each other (not just Egypt being the dominant player in the relationship).
– identify ways that Kerma’s influence has been “overlooked”?
– what were some negative relations?
– what were some positive relations?
– what is the significance and definition of cataracts?
11:20 – 13:50 The Kushites also had impactful relationships with Egypt.
– how did Egyptians refer to Kush?
– when did Kush attack Egypt?
– why was Kush so strategically located for trade?
– which Egyptian rulers wanted to re-establish trade through Kush?
13:50 – 15:55 The area of Napata had religious significance for both Kushites and the Egyptians.
– what is a religious belief associated with the south of Sudan held by both Egyptians and Kushites?
– at this time what was happening in Egypt?
15:55 -21:30 – What are some aspects of daily life from the Napata period that carry over into the present? (note spelling of kohl)
21:30 – 25:00
– what happened to Egypt by the 800s and who took over?
– how did this affect Kushites?
– what did King Kashta do as a result?
25:13 – 36:00
– how were Egyptian and Sudanese pyramids and religious rituals similar and different?
– what did Piankhi do of note regarding Egypt?
– whom did he bring back with him?
– whose attention was raised by the Kushites; military conquests?
– what did Taharqa build of significance at Karnak?
– whose defeat meant the end of the 25th dynasty of Egypt?
Decline of Egypt (not done since 2021 due to time constraints – replaced with decline of Rome in later unit)
There are certain factors that cause decline. First you will learn what they are, then you will see what actually happened in Egypt’s long decline and how it’s related to the factors.
HTC = causes and consequences (see handout package)
- Note that there are intended consequences and unintended consequences. We will not focus on these categories here.
Task: Review CHW3M_Decline_of_Egypt_2020-21 (PPT)
Get an overview of why and how Egypt declined by reading the 6 articles. Organize your information into categories (see below). This should be a jig-saw activity, with each group focusing on one article, then groups mixing up to get exposure to all of the articles.
Here’s one of them: Nat Geo TV Blogs
CHW3M_Decline_of_Egypt_Worksheet-Chart
Timeline: We are focusing on factors, not dates! But it’s important, contextually, for you to know the order of events rulers.
- Akhenaton (18th dynasty) – 1300s BCE
- Ramessides (19th dynasty) – 1200s BCE
- Sea Peoples
- Third Intermediate Period – 1000s BCE
- Nubian control (25th dynasty)
- Assyrian invasion
- Persian invasion – 525 BCE
- Greek control under Ptolemaic Dynasty – 332 BCE
- Roman control – 30 BCE
Remember that there are usually multiple causal factors that lead to something happening. It’s not usually a case of x lead to y.
Factor Categories:
- Long-term
- Medium-term
- Short-term (triggers)
- Internal
- External
- PERSIAT
- Political
- Economic
- Religious
- Social
- Intellectual
- Artistic
- Technological
To help you see the bigger picture of Egypt’s long decline, here are three clues:
“Foreigners rubbing salt into self-inflicted wounds.” (Ms. G, I think)
UDICO: unnecessary change, division, invasion, corruption, overwork
Tribute = payments made to a country for the privilege of trade and friendship of another country. Egypt had become wealthy from tribute.
Links for decline of Egypt (not checked recently):
Egypt: The End of a Civilisation – BBC History
Did Climate Change Lead to the Downfall of Ancient Egypt? Daily Mail
Climate Change May Have Brought Ancient Egypt to its Knees (PBS, Nova)
Egypt in the Third Intermediate Period (Metropolitan Museum)
Other Resources on Decline
Ramses II Colossal Statue (Digital Karnak)
Ramses II (PBS – Egypt’s Golden Empire)
Egypt in the Late Period (Metropolitan Museum)
Ramesses the Great (BBC History)
INDUS VALLEY CIV (I stopped using this activity due to time constraints but it is a very good active learning/student centered activity to introduce a very important society)
Decline of the Indus Valley Society
Pillars of civ in Indus Valley: CHW3M_Indus_Valley_Decline_Causes__Consequences_2020-21 (PPT)
Get a nice overview of the Indus Valley Civ here.
Lots of visuals here.
CHW3M Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization_Theories – These were created in 2018 so they may need some updating.
CHW3M_Unit2_Indus_Valley_Decline_Activity_2020-21
Links are inside the document.
STUDENT QUESTIONS:
1.Given all the evidence, what do you think caused the decline of the Indus Valley civ? (could be a combination of theories)
2.What physical evidence are you relying on when you make this determination? (show that you are using criteria and proof)
3.What level of certainty do you have (red light, yellow, green). Use vocabulary accordingly. Note the examples of red light vocabulary on the PPT.
Note to teachers: the last time I did this activity with students, I didn’t mark it; just for learning. That’s when students were very creative in combining theories.