What IS World History???

1. What IS World History??? • A connectedness (maybe of people, cultures) • However, not necessarily people individually. Focus here is NOT on individuals – this is concept based, not content based • West & Rest??? What does that mean? • Do we focus on the East at all • Focus on people, not the person

4. Chapter 1 From Human Prehistory to Early Civilizations

5. Chapter Outline Human Life in the Era of Hunters and Gatherers Human Life before Agriculture The Neolithic Revolution – 8000 to 3500 B.C.E.

6. Introduction: Definitions of Civilization Elements: urban, monumental building, writing, specialized occupations (division of labor), SURPLUS Human Life in the Era of Hunters and Gatherers. 2 to 2.5 million years for human species 1/4000th of earth’s existence What have we accomplished in that short amount of time? (Broad accomplishments) Spread to every landmass Taken control of other species Homo sapiens by 10,000 B.C.E. larger brain tools, weapon Developments by 12,000 B.C.E.: Hunting-gathering Art Spread to Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas Chapter 1

7. Human Life in the Era of Hunters and Gatherers What are drawbacks of humans? Unusually aggressive against own kind Human babies are dependent for a long time (affect women?) Back problems We know we’re going to die…. Chapter 1

8. Chapter 1 The Spread of Human Populations, c. 10,000 B.C.E.

9. 2.Human Life Before Agriculture Paleolithic Culture Old Stone Age – 2 Million + to 14,000 Y.A. Simple tool use Fire = 750,000 Y.A. Homo sapiens sapiens c. 240,000, Y.A Africa Constraints on this society? What was greatest achievement of Paleo peoples? 2. Human Life Before Agriculture (cont’d) Late Paleolithic Developments Variety Bands of hunter-gatherers Agricultural settlements Gender division of labor Men: hunting, fishing, defense Women: gathering, making medicine Spread from Africa c. 750,000 Y.A. Why move? Find food Fire and skins allowed this Chapter 1

10. 3. The Neolithic Revolution – 8000 to 3500 B.C.E. Sedentary agriculture Animals domesticated Development of towns Increase in worldwide population 6-8 million during early Neolithic to 100 million 3000 years later Causes? Climatic shifts from Ice Age’s end More people = more food Retreat of big game animals; yield declines The Domestication of Plants and Animals Plants slow development; probably accidental planting Animals from 12,000 B.C.E.: dogs, sheep, goats, pigs Chapter 1 The Spread of Agriculture Farming initially developed in Mid-East, in Fertile Crescent arc of territory from Turkey to Iraq and Israel

11. Chapter 1 • Was this change from H/G to Agricultural a relatively slow or fast change? Was it really a “revolution?” • Slow, but WHY? • Knowledge spread slowly • People may not have wanted to change • New system was difficult to learn • Requires more regular work • Role of the “man” diminishes…. • Revolution? • Not so much; took a 1000 years to develop, and several thousand more to spread. Why, then, do we use the term? • Magnitude of the change involved • Why did it eventually succeed? • Support more people per square mile; build houses • As farmers cleared land, H/G were driven out or converted • Disease • Denser pop in settled societies, so diseases set in • H/G lack resistance • Ag sets basis for more rapid change in societies • Greater wealth & larger pop freed people for other specializations • Remember, we’re still in “pre-history” at this point. Why? • Writing not invented

12. The Neolithic Revolution – 8000 to 3500 B.C.E. The Spread of the Neolithic Revolution. Hunting-and-gathering persists Pastoralism Sub-Saharan Africa root and tree crops Northern China Millet Rice Southeast Asia, to China, India, islands Mesoamerica, Peru Maize, manioc, sweet potatoes Bronze Age Metal tools date to 4000 BCE, w/ copper, then bronze (3000 BCE) Chapter 1 The Spread of Agriculture

13. Civilization Settlements, villages slash and burn agriculture (some people still moved around) Irrigation – what did this do? Çatal Hüyük c. 7000 B.C.E., southern Turkey Large complex - roofs Agriculture, commerce Produce everything it consumes SOME trade conducted, but for what reason? Economic or peace? Shrines Occupations by 3000 B.C.E., civilization Aspects of civilizations? cities writing political organization surplus Writing Cuneiform Nomads & Civilizations Distinction??? Chapter 1

14. Chapter 1 • What does it mean to be a “civilization?” • Surplus • Forms a div of labor and a social hierarchy involving significant inequalities • Formal political organizations as opposed to dependence on tribes • Depend on cities • Amass wealth and power; rapid exchange of ideas which encourages intellectual thought and artistic expression • Writing • Starts w/ cuneiform • Can organize more elaborate political structures b/c of sending messages and keeping records • Record past and build on it • Division of Labor

15. Chapter 1 • Are civilizations a “good” thing? • Distinctions based on social class and wealth increase • Firmer class or caste divisions • Greater separation b/t ruler and the ruled • Frequently warlike • Greater inequality b/t men and women • Civilization have patriarchal societies

16. 4.Civilization (cont’d) Tigris-Euphrates Civilization Develops from scratch; no examples to follow Mesopotamia Sumerians from 3500 B.C.E. alphabet Ziggurats religion Priesthood polytheism City-states Very defined boundaries Akkadians Babylonians Hammurabi code Indo-Europeans from 2100 B.C.E. Chapter 1 Tigris Euphrates

18. 4.Civilization (cont’d) Egyptian Civilization Formed by 3000 BCE Less open to invasion Pharaoh Immense power Gov’t control of economy Due to complexity of Nile pyramids from 2700 B.C.E. Kush Indian and Chinese River Valley Civilizations Indus River 2500 BCE Harappa, Mohenjo Daro Indo-Europeans invade and destroy, so we still no little Huanghe (Yellow) River P'an Ku ideographs Shang dynasty from 1500 B.C.E. Chapter 1

21. Huang He Indus River

22. 5.The Heritage of the River Valley Civilizations Decline by 1000 B.C.E. Invasions Legacy? China great continuity Zhou from 1000 B.C.E. Mesopotamia more rupture view of nature persists Phoenicians alphabet from 1300 B.C.E. enduring culture Jewish monotheism Most were polytheistic Distinction: firm belief that single God guided destinies of their people Concept of God became less humanlike, more abstract Jewish God orderly and just Was a way of life, not just rituals…. The First Civilizations Division among peoples Contacts increase with time Chapter 1

23. Chapter 1 • What was legacy of River Valley Civilizations? • Monuments • Pyramids • Invention of wheel, taming of horse, usable alphabets, writing implements, math concepts, functional calendars • So, beside these vital achievements, what legacies were left behind for later ages? • India - ??? • China – Zhou & continuity • Meso & Egypt

24. A Pattern of Division Among the World’s Peoples: Diffusion of Homo sapien sapiens set initial stage Small groups spread to almost every corner of world, but maintain little contact Separate languages and culture develop widely Rise of ag stimulates new links Spread of farming and new tech begins to cut into local isolation Trade soon enters Some routes travel great distances Basic Theme of World History: Steadily proliferating contacts against a background of often fierce local identity Rise of Civilization Further reduces local autonomy Kings and priests try to spread trade contacts and cultural forms War to gain new territory Integrating force at larger regional level, but smaller identities persist, esp. in the Mid East Civilization and considerable diversity coexisted hand in hand Egypt and Mesopotamia Change Over Time

25. Egypt Not isolated, but more self contained What else? Pg. 27 Mesopotamia Flat, w. few natural barriers to recurrent invasions from the north What else? Pg. 27 Compare/Contrast