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UNIT 1: AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION & EARLY CIVILIZATIONS. THE FIRST HUMANS. Homo Sapiens: modern human beings that have evolved over time starting over 200,000 years ago. The Paleolithic Age. Cultural activity first appeared 2 million years ago Known as the Paleolithic Age or the Old Stone Age
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THE FIRST HUMANS • Homo Sapiens: modern human beings that have evolved over time starting over 200,000 years ago
The Paleolithic Age • Cultural activity first appeared 2 million years ago • Known as the Paleolithic Age or the Old Stone Age • Tools were made from stone, bone, skin, and wood • People supported themselves by hunting wild animals and gathering edible plants (nomads)
The Life of a Nomad • Lived in small bands – protect each other and divide responsibility for obtaining and preparing foods (small population) • Frequently moved from one place to another • Used animal skin for clothing • Artwork was seen in cave painting • No written records • Evidence suggests the belief in afterlife • Discovery of fire
Neolithic Revolution • Also known as the Agricultural Revolution • The change from food gathering to food production • Domestication of animals and the cultivation of new food crops (farming) • It was a gradual process rather than a sudden transformation (thousands of years)
Effects of the Neolithic Revolution • Civilizations emerged • A complex society with enough economic surplus to form divisions of labor and a social hierarchy; a society sharing a set of cultural traits • First civilizations occurred in the Middle East (Mesopotamia) • Families would settle permanently near these fields creating larger populations with larger food supplies • Domesticated animals provided a greater food supply and wool for more clothing
Features of Civilizations • Cities are administrative centers • Organized Government • Job Specializations (other than food-producing activities) 4. Social Classes 5. Belief System 6. Writing system – indicator of civilization • Public Works • Arts & Architecture
Where did Civilizations first arise? • River Valley Civilizations
MESOPOTAMIA Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers • Sumer • Babylon • Assyria • Hittite Empire • Phoenicia • Israel
Ancient Sumer LOCATION • Located in the southern part of Mesopotamia GOVERNMENT • Made up of independent city-states • Self governing – urban centers and agricultural territory • Each city-state was ruled by a king • Priests played important political roles BELIEF SYSTEM • Polytheistic • Blamed gods for natural disasters • Prayed to prevent floods • Built ziggurats – massive pyramid stepped tower associated with Sumerian religion
Ancient Sumer JOB SPECIALIZATION • Farmers & people who specialized in crafts, pottery, artwork, clothing and weapons • Social classes emerged with priests and kings dominating society, followed by people specializing in a variety of jobs TRADE • Evidence of sea trade • Traded wool, barley, vegetable oil, wood, silver, gold, copper, tin
Ancient Sumer WOMEN • Became less important after the Agricultural Revolution • Could own property and maintained control over some of the finances • Most helped with farming, planted gardens, cooked, cleaned, fetched water, sewed CONTRIBUTIONS • Irrigation systems • Cuneiform writing – first writing system • Produced scribes • Architecture – ziggurats • Advancements in mathematics and science
Babylon LOCATION • Located northwest of Ancient Sumer • Conquered Ancient Sumer GOVERNMENT • Most famous king was named Hammurabi and created a code of laws
HAMMURABI’S CODE • Was a significant contribution because it was the first ever collection of laws • Established rules of procedure for courts of law and regulated property rights and the duties of family members, setting harsh punishments for crimes
Assyria CONTRIBUTIONS • Superior military organization and technology MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS • Extended the empire through military conquest • Power was held by the King (military leader) • Polytheistic - Chief god was Ashur • Religion and temples were overseen by the king
Hittites MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS • Located in Asia Minor, present day Turkey • Used their rich supply of metals to trade CONTRIBUTIONS • Horse drawn war chariots • Developed iron making which was used to make tools and weapons
Phoenicians MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS • Established trading networks throughout the Mediterranean • Became known as the “carriers of civilization” • Founded many cities, including Carthage, and established many colonies CONTRIBUTION • Developed the first alphabet PHOENICIA
Hebrews MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS • Located in present day Israel • Abraham & Moses were the founders of the Israelite nation • Patriarchal – male dominated CONTRIBUTIONS • Founded the first monotheistic belief system – JUDAISM • Major Beliefs: • Ten Commandments ethical code of conduct • Personal morality and social justice
EGYPT “Gift of the Nile” NILE RIVER • Located in Northeast Africa • Flows northward into the Mediterranean Sea • Annual flood deposited rich soil for farming • A means of trade and communication
EGYPT Relationship with Nubia • Nubia is located South of Egypt • Egyptians traded and fought with Nubia • From Nubia, Egyptians acquired ivory, cattle, and slaves
EGYPT: OLD KINGDOM 2700 – 2200 B.C.E. • Dynasties – ruling family • Pharaohs – organized strong government; had absolute power; owned and ruled all the land in the kingdom • Viziers – supervised business of government (tax collection & farming • Pyramids – built to preserve the lives of Egyptians for the afterlife; represented the strength of ancient Egyptian civilization
EGYPT: MIDDLE KINGDOM 2050-1800 B.C.E. • Was a turbulent period (power struggles, crop failures) • Invaded by Hyskos • Hyskos had horse-drawn chariots • Egyptians finally drove out the Hyskos and set up the new kingdom
EGYPT: NEW KINGDOM 1550-100 B.C.E. • Pharaohs created large Egyptian Empire • Contacts were made with Southwest Asia • Hatshepsut – woman pharaoh • Ramses II – most powerful pharaoh, battled against the Hittites • Conquered Nubia and acquired ivory, cattle, and slaves
Egypt GOVERNMENT • The leader of Egyptian civilization was the pharaoh • Levels of government – central government, and also at the village and district levels • Collected taxes • Hatshepsut and Ramses II BELIEF SYSTEM • Polytheistic • Believed the king was a manifestation of the gods • Believed in the afterlife • Royal tombs - pyramids
Egypt JOB SPECIALIZATION • King, priests, artisans, farmers • The majority of the population were farmers • Social classes were based on occupation TRADE • Traded with cities along the Nile River, such as Nubia, and parts of the Middle East • Exported grain, papyrus, and gold WOMEN • Could own property • Could inherit from parents • Could divorce and retain rights over her dowry • Treated respectively
Egypt CONTRIBUTIONS • Pyramids • Mummification • Hieroglyphics – Egyptian system of writing • Calendar – to keep track of flooding • Papyrus – used to produce paper
INDIA: INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION • Located in present day Pakistan • Two major cities: Harappa and MohenjoDaro • Peoples were technologically advanced, well-planned, and well organized • Polytheistic
INDIA: WHO ARE THE ARYANS? • Aryans were a group of people who lived along the Ganges River (Northeastern India) • Rajah – skilled war leader who governed over Aryan tribes • Vedas – collection of prayers, hymns, and religious teachings • Caste – social class • Social classes were divided based on occupation ARYAN CIVILIZATION
INDIA: ARYAN CASTE SYTEM • A basic form of Hinduism • Polytheistic • Believe in Brahman (a single spiritual power beyond the many gods) • People were born into castes in which they could not change • Untouchables – outcastes
CHINA: HUANG HE & YANGZI RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS • Huang He River is also known as the Yellow River • Located in Eastern China • Two early civilizations and dynasties were established in this region: • Shang Dynasty (1750 – 1045 B.C.E.) • Zhou Dynasty (1045 – 221 B.C.E.)
Early China: Zhou Dynasty • Overthrew the Shang dynasty • Responsible for the “Mandate of Heaven” theory • The claim that a Chinese emperor has divine right • DIVINE RIGHT: the belief that a ruler was given the right to rule by God • DYNASTIC CYCLE: the rise and fall of dynasties
Chinese Dynastic Cycle • Refers to the rise and fall of dynasties • Dynasty = ruling family
Chinese Dynasties • Shang • Zhou • Qin • Han • Tang • Song • Mongols (Yuan) • Ming • Qing