Foundations of Ancient Civilizations: Agriculture, Urbanization, and Rise of Empires

1. UNIT 1 & 2 Foundations: 8000 B.C.E.- 600 C.E. UNIT 1:– Agricultural Revolution & Urbanization (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India) UNIT 2: Rise and Fall of Empires (Assyrian, Phoenicia, Greece, Rome, Persia, Han, Africa) Why and where do civilizations arise?Why and how do they endure and flourish?Why do they fall?

2. Role of Climate and Geography in Early Societies • Nomadic peoplemoved from Africa to other areas: plentiful food source , livable climate, water source, tools - small kinship CIVILIZATION: • Earliest societies lived near rivers • If the rivers were difficult, IRRIGATION

3. Birth of New Technologies • Fire • Bronze • Iron Societies with access to iron could rule with compound bows and weapons

4. Population and DEMOGRAPHY • What factors influence population growth and decline?

5. Rise of Agriculture • Spontaneous separate development – why, where and when?New Civilizations = Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India (river valley systems) • Diffusion of specific plants and techniques New Civilizations = irrigation, grains (wheat, barley, rice) or yams

6. What is a Civilization? • Standard criteria:- Cities as centers of administration- Political system based on territory- Specialization of labor (including advances in arts & sciences) - Division of classes in society (wealth/elites)- Monument building and urban planning- Record keeping (used to be writing)- Long distance trade Use of term? Skill: Analysis/historical argumentation

7. Fertile Crescent: Mesopotamia

8. Mesopotomia: Tigres & Euphrates River (unpredictable) Few natural resources, open to invasion – SO…wars, trade, mobilized resources Warriors became leaders – lugal Technology – arithmetic, geometry, ramps, cuneiform, ziggurats, columns, arches Gave way to BABYLONIAN Empire --- Peak is Hammurabi & Hammurabi’s Code

9. Egypt

10. Egypt • Geography: desert is a natural barrier, isolated SO…less emphasis on war, trade, aggression • Upper & Lower Nile • Government: Pharoahs (Gods on earth) = theocracy (govt. based on religion), rule after death, polytheistic • Technology: Hieroglyphics and papyrus • Gave way to: NUBIAN KINGDOM

11. Mesopotamia __________ flooding secular ruler from army __________writing Settled cities/vulnerable to invasion bc. of open space Women held few rights Set of laws - ___________ . Egypt Predictable Flooding ________– Gods on earth hieroglyphics More rural – focus on trade not territory/protected Women had _____ rights: hold, inherit, will property No laws – Pharoah is law Compare & Contrast Egypt & Mesopotamia SIMILARITIES: Monumental architecture (ziggurauts, pyramids), class system (3 diff. classes), slaves, irrigation, polytheistic

12. China • SHANG – Many wars, writing, walled cities, used oracle bones • ZHOU - Mandate of Heaven (justified rule of Emperor) • roads, canals, irrigation • Confucianism vs. Legalism • 3-generational family, Dynastic Cycle

14. Shared Features of Earliest States: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, MesoamericaSkill: compare/contrast Settled population Bronze metallurgy Irrigation and near rivers Dominated by a leader Polytheism (except China) Patriarchal society Labor specialization

15. Unique characteristics CHINA: Empire did not fall – continued through Dynastic CycleMandate of Heaven – to some extent, people gave ruler powerVery independent – did not need to tradePhilosophy, but not a religion MESOAMERICA: isolated and not influenced by other empires Few technologies (no levers and pulleys, little metallurgy)llamas (for transportation), corn, beans, squash, yams INDIA: Writing system, but undecipherableMohenjo-daro & Harrappa – central authority (standardization)

16. Empire Building (from State to Empire – Unit 2) • How does an empire rise? • What does an empire require to exist? city center for trade, religion & political administrationSocial hierarchies • What do its subjects expect? • Symbols of legitimacy • Why do empires fall? (Conrad-Demerest Model)

17. Achievements in Classical Age of EmpiresPersian, Phoenician, Roman, Greek, Qin, Han, Mauryan and Gupta • Greek science and philosophy- Plato, Aristotle • Roman law and architecture • Political organization in Han China • Spiritual, artistic developments in Gupta India

18. Skill: continuities and change • Continuities of (early) civilizations to empires: • Patriarchy • Slavery • Hierarchical/caste system • Changes in (early) civilizations to empires: • Development of Empires with city centers • Government systems with legal codes • Technology and ideas • Belief systems (Axial Age) • More Interactions (networks of trade)

19. MONUMENTAL ARCHECTURESymbols of Legitimacy in States/Empires

20. Interregional Networks of People by 600 C.E. • Silk Roads • Mediterranean trade • Indian Ocean trade • Meso and Andean American trading

21. Axial Age Thinkers

22. Origins of World Belief Systems • Polytheism

23. Origins of World Belief Systems • Hinduism

24. Origins of World Belief Systems • Judaism

25. Origins of World Belief Systems • Confucianism

26. Origins of World Belief Systems • Daoism

27. Origins of World Belief Systems • Buddhism

28. Origins of World Belief Systems • Christianity

29. Origins of World Belief Systems • Islam

30. Diffusion of Belief Systems