The Legacy of the Western World

The Legacy of the Western World Chapter 1

The Legacy of the Western World Chapter 1 Section 1: The First Civilizations

What is civilization? The word "civilization" comes from the Latin word for townsman or citizen, civis, and its adjectival form, civilis. To be "civilized" essentially meant being a townsman, governed by the constitution and legal statutes of that community

The rise of civilization Civilization is defined as: highly organized society marked by advanced knowledge of trade, government, arts, science and often time written language The Parthenon in Athens is an example of classical Greek Civilization. The ruins of Machu Picchu, "the Lost City of the Incas," has become the most recognizable symbol of the Inca civilization.

What is culture? Culture - has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behaviors and systems of belief.

What is the first know society The earliest known civilizations (as defined in the traditional sense) arose in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq, Persia in modern-day Iran, the Nile valley of Egypt. The inhabitants of these areas built cities, created writing systems, learned to make pottery and use metals, domesticated animals, and created complex social structures with class systems.

Asia Minor • This is the area were most civilization began in prehistory and history. • With many water ways and food source the fertile crescent became the center of the universe to its people. • It is believed that this area was an abundant food source to the hunters and gathers. • With farming a bigpopulation of people emerged out of the land

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA • Oldest known civilization • Cradle of Human Civilization • Hammurabi-powerful ruler

Political:Mesopotamian Law • Code of Hammurabi = 282 laws • Retaliation “eye for an eye tooth for a tooth” fundamental to the code • Punishment different between classes of society

Patriarchal Society • Dominated by men • Woman’s duties were in the home • Children must be obedient

Egyptian civilization • Egyptian civilization arose a bit after Mesopotamia. • Geography: It was centered around the Nile River.

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Political:Egyptian Pharaohs • Egyptians were led by Pharaohs. • They were priest-kings • King Tut is the most famous • Using computers, this image was reconstructed using his remains

Solomon’s Kingdom Split into two kingdoms after Solomon’s death: Israel and Judah

Judaism a monotheistic (one god) religion arose from the region. They believed they had a covenant with God and prophets spoke for God.

Indus Valley Civilization3000 B.C.

Indus Economy • Just like the other river valley civilizations, the Indus river valley people were mostly farmers. • Traditional economy • They did trade with Chinese and with Sumerians (Mesopotamians).

Indus River Valley • First people were displaced by the Aryans. • Developed a caste system based on occupation and extended family networks.

The Caste System

Two major religions of Hinduism and Buddhism emerged from the Indus civilization

Siddhartha Gautama(563-483 BCE) • Born in NE India (Nepal). • Raised in great luxuryto be a king. • At 29 he rejectedhis luxurious life toseek enlightenmentand the source ofsuffering. • Lived a strict,ascetic life for 6 yrs. • Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found nirvana. • Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.

ANCIENT CHINA Began 2000 B.C.

As in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and along the Indus River, Chinese civilization began within a major river valley. Modern China itself is a huge geographical expanse. Around 4000 BC, this huge area contained an almost infinite number of ethnic groups and languages. This history, in which a vast area populated by diverse ethnic groups became, over time, a more or less single culture, began in the Yellow River Valley.

China • Confucianism: humanity, learning, family, peace and justice - Confucious • People were naturally good • Obedience to leaders was important Confucius: sixth century teacher and philosopher

The Legacy of the Western World Chapter 1 Section 2: The Civilization of the Greeks

Polis = City-State Greece was divided into city-states, each known as a polis. The two main city-states were Sparta and Athens. The greatest of these was Athens which was a center of intellectual and cultural development - “the nursery of western civilization.”

Geography In History The ancient Greek city-states never united because the land was very mountainous and hilly making travel difficult. This is one case where geography influenced history.

Structure of the Polis Each polis was built around an acropolis, a fortified hill with the temple of the local god at the top.

Structure of the Polis At the foot of the acropolis was the agora, an open area used as a marketplace. By 700 B.C. this inner part of the polis had become a city. With the villages and farmland around it, it made up a city-state.

TYRANT Rulers who seized power by force and were not subject to the law. A PERSON WHO RULES A NATION WITH ABSOLUTE POWER

Political: Athens was the first democracy. • Democracy: type of government where people vote. • Athens was a direct democracy where people vote on everything. • The U.S. today is a representative democracy, where we vote for people to make decisions for us.

Political terms • All of Greece wasn’t a democracy. • Most of Greece was a monarchy type of government ruled by a king or queen.

Sparta • Sparta was an isolated city-state that was culturally and politically different from Athens. • Sparta was an oligarchy, government ruled by a few. They had 2 kings. • During the Peloponnesian Sparta sacked Athens.

Political: Sparta was an oligarchy. • oligarchy : rule by a few. • Sparta had two kings who led the army. • Five citizens were elected yearly as ephors to supervise education and conduct of the polis . • Council of Elders: Two kings and 28 citizens over age 60 who decided what issues the assembly of all citizens could vote on with no debate allowed.

Spartan Goal Sparta tried to become the strongest state in Greece. They also disliked change. This would later prove to be a weakness for them. Spartans preferred actions to words. A “Spartan lifestyle” both then and today is one that is simple and highly disciplined with few luxuries.

Now that’s tough! There is a story about a Spartan boy who, in order to conceal a fox which he had stolen, hid it beneath his cloak and allowed the fox to gnaw him rather than let the theft be revealed. He died of the wounds. If he had been discovered, the disgrace would not have been in the stealing, but in allowing it to be detected. The boy's action illustrates the main purpose of the Spartan educational system, which was to produce men capable of showing such bravery as soldiers. Military strength was felt to be necessary to Sparta for their very survival.

Sparta Sparta was known for its great army and was a rival of Athens. Their army was known for holding off the Persian army of 250,000 at Thermopylae for three days with only 7000 soldiers. This gave the people of Athens time to escape before the Persians invaded there.

Sparta • Spartan society was obsessed with war. • Boys were sent to military school at a young age. • Boys who are born deformed are left to die on mountainsides

Direct participation was the key to Athenian democracy. In the Assembly, every male citizen was not only entitled to attend as often as he pleased but also had the right to debate, offer amendments, and vote on proposals. Every man had a say in whether to declare war or stay in peace. Basically any thing that required a government decision, all male citizens were allowed to participate in. Athens

Government & Education Athenian democracy was for free, male Athenians only. Education for men was highly valued. Only boys of wealthy families attended schools. The term academy comes from Athens.

Direct Democracy All male citizens debate and vote on issues in an open assembly

Pericles • Reformed Athenian democracy by introducing pay for elected officials. • Helped to make Athens the “school of Greece.”

Classical Greek Philosophy

Socrates470-399 BC • Simple man • Stonemason “The unexamined life is not worth living.” • Believed in a single, all powerful God • Used dialectics (Socratic Method) to find ultimate truth

Socrates • Socratic Method • Posed questions and then questioned the answers • Searched for the ultimate nature of qualities • What is Duty? • What is Truth? • What is Evil?

Socrates • Accused and convicted of “corrupting the youth” by encouraging critical thinking. • He did not put on a defense • Sentenced to death • Drank hemlock (Poison)

Plato427-347 BC • Student of Socrates • Born an aristocrat • Founded the Academy • First university • Purpose-thinking about deeper meanings • Wrote dialogues of Socrates, his own political theory and works of ethics

Plato • The Republic • Ideal society of three groups • Rule by the philosopher-kings • Warriors to protect society • Masses • Believed women should be educated and have access to all positions in society.

Aristotle384-322 BC • Son of a physician • Born in Macedonia • Attended the Academy • Became Plato’s foremost student • Left the Academy when Plato died • Founded the Lyceum in Athens • More focused in natural science

Aristotle • Aristotelian Scientific Method • Used for 2000 years • Basic assumptions based on reasoning • Deductive method • Observations used to confirm the assumptions • Example: Elements of earth (4) and heavens • Example: Qualities of things • Did not employ experimentation • Disturbs nature

The Legacy of the Western World