1. Early Civilizations

2. I. Civilization
Permanent settlements, such as Catal Huyuk, led to emergence of civilization
Societies that rely on agriculture, produce food surpluses
Have formal political organization, other long-lasting institutions
Characterized by groups of non-farming elites, merchant and manufacturing groups, other specialized workers
Writing
Essential to civilization for communication, record keeping, establishment of law and order
Cuneiform – first known system of writing, emerged in Middle East (Sumer) around 3500 B.C.E.

3. II. Tigris-Euphrates Rivers
Located in modern-day Iraq
Often called Mesopotamia (“land between the rivers”)
First example of human civilization
Began B.C.E.
Complex religious beliefs
Sumerians erected shrines and massive monuments/towers, called ziggurats, to honor gods
Some ideas (gods’ creation of earth, floods) can be found in various proto-religions
Judaism – earliest monotheistic religion

4. II. continued… Highly organized
Relied on city-states – small, autonomous regions ruled by a king, with developed urban center
Developed strict class systems – kings, noble class, priests controlled most land
Regulated system of laws and courts
Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, set early code of law in stone

5. II. Nile River Located in northern Africa, modern-day Egypt
Began around 3000 B.C.E.
Ruled by a pharaoh, or god-king
Considered to be directly descended from the gods
Complex religious and political rituals
Polytheistic
Theocracy – ruled through laws based on religious beliefs/through religious leaders
Development of writing
Hieroglyphics – comes from Greek words meaning “sacred carving”
More complex than cuneiform
Used papyrus reeds to make a paper-like writing surface

6. IV. Indus River Located in modern-day Pakistan, near India’s border
Began around 2500 B.C.E.
Known for its advanced cities
Sophisticated city planning (grid-like patterns), running water
Harappa, Mohenjo Daro
Limited trade with Mesopotamia, but developed independently
Developed system of writing, but never been translated
Thought to be a theocracy, religion a precursor to Hinduism
Environment and invasions a factor in disappearance
Monsoons, floods
Nomadic invaders took over, abandoned cities

7. V. Huanghe (Yellow River)
Located in northern half of modern-day China
Began about 2000 B.C.E.
Developed independently from other civilizations
Largely cut off from contact with outside world by geography (desert, mountains, ocean)
Developed sophisticated irrigations systems
Controlled flooding of Yellow River
Early pioneers in science and weapon/tool-making
Developed unique written language based on ideographic symbols
Early religious beliefs based on spirits, centered around respect for elders
Social classes divided society
Established system of feudalism – nobles owned all the land that peasants worked
Rigid political system develops – paves way for dynasty system
Shang dynasty was earliest – 1500 B.C.E.