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Chapter 1:The Early Civilizations . AP World History I. The Basics…. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): Until about 14,000 years ago (12,000 BCE) Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): 12,000 BCE – 8000 BCE Neolithic (New Stone Age): 8000 BCE – ca. 3500 BCE Followed by Bronze Age and Iron Age.
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Chapter 1:The Early Civilizations AP World History I
The Basics… • Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): Until about 14,000 years ago (12,000 BCE) • Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): 12,000 BCE – 8000 BCE • Neolithic (New Stone Age): 8000 BCE – ca. 3500 BCE • Followed by Bronze Age and Iron Age
Characteristics… Paleolithic: Simple tool creation Fire tamed around 750,000 years ago 1.5 million people around 100,000 years ago Homo Erectus emerges between 500,000 and 750,000 years ago
Characteristics… Mesolithic: Improved tool making skills Better weapons and cutting edges Use of bone for needles. Improved fishing
Characteristics… Neolithic: Invention of Agriculture Creation of cities Domestication of Animals Concept of “civilization”
The Development of Agriculture… • Human beings are able to settle in one spot • Allows humans the ability to focus on economic, political, and religious goals • Spawns a great increase in the number of people in the world • 6 to 8 million people during early Neolithic to about 100 million some 3000 years later!
The end of the Ice Age • Population increases • Big game animals retreat…causes a decline in the effectiveness of hunting • Increased dependence on wild grains, berries, and nuts sets the stage for the deliberate planting of seeds, and the ultimate improvement of crops through natural selection.
The Neolithic "revolution" • Combined old systems of hunting and gathering with new concepts of Agriculture. • Early agriculture could support many people…far more than hunting and gathering ever could. • Agriculture requires more regular work than Hunting and Gathering. • Larger populations freed some people for other specializations. • Basket-making • Pottery • Knowledge of science (weather…flooding, etc)
The Neolithic "revolution" • The Development of agriculture is driven by the following process… • End of Ice Age • Ice melts, flooding the earths oceans, seas, rivers • Under ice, for thousands of years has been soil enriched by thousands of years of fertilization…untouched! • Floods cause this highly fertilized soil (silt) to overflow the river banks • This silt becomes the highly charged and energized soil necessary for agricultural experimentation!
The Bronze Age • Development of agriculture causes faster development • By 4000 BCE we see the development of metal tools. • Copper at first… • Bronze (more resilient) later • Improved Farming • Caused greater specialization • We still live in metal ages today • Bronze Age • Iron Age
Civilization • Tribes contained anywhere from 40-60 people • Slash and Burn Agriculture existed in parts of the American South and other parts of the world • Farm soil until it’s depleted • Advantages to staying in one place… • Houses can be built • Wells can be built for water • Irrigation systems
Civilization • Economic surplus to form divisions of labor • Formal states • Cities • Development of Writing
The 8 features of Civilization • Cities • Well-Organized Central Government • Complex Religions • Job Specialization • Social Classes • Arts and Architecture • Public Works • Writings
Mesopotamia • The World’s first “civilization” • Founded in the valley of Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • An example of completely independent social creation • Only occurs in China and Mesoamerica • Wheel had been invented for transportation, well established pottery industry, interesting artistic forms, farming needed irrigation, gave basis for complex political structures. • By 3500 BCE, the SUMERIANS developed a system of writing known as CUNEIFORM
Mesopotamia • Arts: statues and frescoes adorned the temples of gods • Science: founding of astronomy, and improved mathematical knowledge • Developed a number system based on units of 10, 60 and 360. • What do those numbers represent for us? • Complex Religious rituals • Ziggurats: monumental architecture • Polytheistic • Divine force was present in many natural objects • Belief in an afterlife of punishment
Mesopotamia • Organized City-States ruled by a king who claimed divine authority. • The King, noble class, and the priesthood controlled land which was worked by slaves. • Farmers learned about fertilizers, and adopted silver as a means of exchange. • Constant warfare in the region. • Sumerians • Akkadians • Babylonians
Mesopotamia • Babylonians • King Hammurabi introduces the Code of Hammurabi, an early codified law. • Established rules of procedure for courts of law • Regulated property rights • Set harsh punishments for crimes • Continual warfare by Semitic peoples, then Assyrians, and later the Persians
Egypt • Second civilization to spring up…around the NILE River forming by 3000 BCE • Less susceptible to invasion • Benefited from trade with Mesopotamia, but produced a unique culture due to some degree of isolation • The king, or pharaoh possessed immense power. • Influential in controlling the economy • Built tombs for themselves…the pyramids • Control of Egypt spread up and down the Nile • The kingdom of Kush (southern Nile) invaded and ruled
Indus River and Chinese Civilization • Indus River Valley Civilization • Civilization emerges by 2500 BCE • Many large cities, including Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro • Houses had running water • Writing has yet to be deciphered • Infiltration by Indo-Europeans and natural calamities result in destruction of civilization • Chinese Civilization (Huang He River) • Developed in considerable isolation • Extensive government that regulated the irrigation projects • By 2000 BCE, evidence of advanced technology and elaborate intellectual life. • Writing system of ideographic symbols • By 1500 BCE a line of Kings called the SHANG ruled
Heritage of RVC's • Monuments • Wheel • Taming of the horse • Usable alphabets • Writing implements • Key mathematical concepts • Well-organized monarchies • Bureaucracies • Calendars
Heritage of RVC's • Most RVC’s were in decline by 1000 BCE • Phoenicians: Around 1300 BCE produced a simplified alphabet with 22 letters, which was the predecessor of Greek and Roman alphabets • The Lydians introduce coined money • A Semitic group of people, the Jews, influenced by Babylonian Civilization settled near the Mediterranean around 1200 BCE and introduced monotheism. • Single god: Jehovah guided the destiny of the Jewish people. • Forms the basis of the Hebrew Bible • Domination by foreign rulers from 772 BCE . Romans seize the state in 63 BCE