January, 2006 - p. 3
January Issue
Newsletter-p.1
Future Fun Stuff
Cool Links
Gabrielle's Grab Bag
Page 2
Book Review
Poetry Corner
Math Challenge
Page 3
History-Anct. Civilizations
Page 4
Happy Birthday, Mozart
I have been studying the early history of humans in the Fertile Crescent and Middle Eastern Region. I have been working on a timeline of some of the important events.
8000-5000BCE
Farmers began to settle in Mesopotamia in the region known as the Fertile Crescent. It was between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. This is the beginning of the New Stone Age in this region of the world.
4000BCE
The first settlements appear in Egypt. They are in lower Egypt near the fertile ground of the Nile Delta.
3500BCE
Sumerians build cities in the Mesopotamian region. One of the largest city-states was Ur. Each city-state was independent, and had a temple and its own god to protect the city. Also at this time, the Sumerians began to mix copper and tin into bronze metal and were probably the first humans to enter the Bronze Age.
3100BCE
The Sumerians begin using a system of picto-graphs for permanent writing. This system develops into the writing style called, "cuneiform" which is made with wedge-shaped patterns. Also at this time are examples of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.
3000BCE
The first Nubian communities begin to grow in the Upper Nile region(which is found south of Egypt.)
3000- 2800BCE
The Egyptian state begins to grow and the capital city, Memphis, is built. Around 2800, the step pyramid at Saqqara is built. It is probably the first large building to made out of stone instead of mud or clay bricks.
2700 - 2200BCE
Time of the Old Kingdom in Egypt. This is from the 4th to 8th Dynasties.
2600BCE-2500BCE
Slaves in Egypt begin working on the great pyramids of Giza. These are smooth sided pyramids built out of large limestone blocks. At this time, they may also have begun building the statue of a Sphinx at Giza, although no one is exactly sure when it was built.
2100-2000BCE
The great ziggurat of Ur is built. The ziggurat was a building with three levels constructed of mud brick, and baked clay bricks. Many archeologists believe the ziggurats were built to hold a temple to the local god. Much of the ziggurat of Ur is still standing today in Southern Iraq.
2000-1800BCE
Reading, writing and art flourish in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, which includes the 11th - 14th Dynasties.
1900BCE
The Amorites conquer most of Mesopotamia and place their kings to rule in Babylon. At the same time, The Egyptians conquer and take over Lower Nubia.
1800BCE
A famine forces the Israelites to leave Canaan and move to the land of Egypt. They lived well in Egypt for 600 years until one pharoah feared they were becoming too powerful and wealthy and enslaved them.
1792-1750BCE
Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon and makes the first written laws for his subjects. This set of laws is known as "The Code of Hammurabi" and has over 280 laws that were meant to bring order and justice to the kingdom of Babylon.
1570-1085BCE
The New Kingdom of Egypt which includes the 18th - 20th Dynasties. These kings abondened the Memphis area and built their tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes. The tombs were no longer made as large pyramids.
1503BCE
Hatshepsut declares herself Queen of Egypt. She was a powerful queen who led Egypt into battle to destroy armies at their borders.
1334-1325BCE
The boy pharoh, King Tutankhamun, rules over Egypt. Very little is actually known about him or his reign. He is thought to have been crowned at age 9 and died between 17 and 18 years old. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings.
1290-1224BCE
The king of Egypt, Ramses II expands the territory of Egypt. He battled the Hittites and then signed and International Peace Treaty with them. It is believed to be the world's first peace treaty and a copy of it hangs at the United Nations!
1000-962BCE
During this time, King David ruled over Israel and he is credited with uniting the twelve tribes of Israel. He makes Jerusalem the capital city of the united Israel.
747-716BCE
Egypt is conquered by the Nubians and ruled by a Nubian king.
722-680BCE
The Assyrians begin to grow stronger. They were able to overtake Babylon, defeat Israel and conquer Egypt which was then abandoned by the last pharoah of the Nubian Dynasty.
665-612BCE
The Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians formed a very strong country and invented many weapons, like the battering ram, which they used with strong war tactics to take over much of the land in the middle east.
612BCE
The Medes and Babylonians join together to overtake the main Assyrian city of Ninevah. This brings the fall of the Assyrian Empire and the rebirth of the Babylonian Empire.
605-562BCE
King Nebuchadnezzer rules over the kindgom of Babylon. He was a great builder, architect and built temples, palaces and streets within the capital city. His wife missed her homeland of Medes and King Nebuchadnezzer built gardens within the city to remind her of Medes. These "Hanging Gardens of Babylon" would become one of the "seven wonders of the ancient world."
587BCE
King Nebuchadnezzer defeats the Kingdom of Jadah and captures the capital, Jerusalem. The Jews are exiled to Babylon.
568BCE
Nebuchadnezzer attacks and conquers Egypt.
562BCE
King Nebuchadnezzer dies and the Babylonian empire quickly loses power as three different kings ruled in just five years. Each one was weaker than the last.
539BCE
The Persians easily conquer Babylon.
525-520BCE
The Persians conquer Egypt and then occupy Jerusalem.
404-343BCE
Egypt becomes independent again after the Assyrians and Persians end their occupations of Egypt.
332-323BCE
The Greek ruler, Alexander the Great, conquers Eqypt as well as the Persians in Babylon. The Egyptians saw him as freeing them from the rule of the Persians. Alexander built the great city Alexandria at the mouth of the Nile. He was also able to take over most of the middle east and into India. He died in Babylon in323 BCE and his kingdom lost most of its power soon after his death.
