HUMAN BEGINNINGS STONE AGE: PERIOD BEFORE WRITING BECAME ESTABLISHED. IT CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO 3 SHORT PERIODS. 1ST PERIOD. PALEOLITHIC PERIOD OR “OLD STONE” PERIOD BEGAN ABOUT 2 MILLION YEARS AGO. 2ND PERIOD. MESOLITHIC PERIOD OR “MIDDLE STONE” IS USUALLY DATED FROM 12,000 TO 8,000BC 3RD PERIOD. NEOLITHIC PERIOD OR “NEW STONE “ PERIOD LASTED FROM ABOUT 8,000 TO 5,000 BC.

1ST PERIOD. PALEOLITHIC PERIOD NOMADIC HUNTER GATHERERS LEARNED TO MAKE FIRE MADE TOOLS SUCH AS SPEARS AND SKIN SCRAPERS STARTED TO MIGRATE FROM AFRICA TO EUROPE AND ASIA

2ND PERIOD. MESOLITHIC PERIOD IT BEGAN WITH THE END OF THE LAST GLACIAL PERIOD OVER 10,000 YEARS AGO. BOW AND ARROW, BARBED SPEARS FOR HUNTING DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS (DOGS & GOATS) POTTERY REPLACED ANIMAL SKIN POUCHES FOR CARRYING WATER.

3RD PERIOD. NEOLITHIC PERIOD PEOPLE DOMESTICATED CROPS SUCH AS WHEAT, BARLEY AND RICE. INVENTED THE PLOW, AND LEARNED TO FERTILIZE THEIR FIELDS. PEOPLE STARTED TO BUILD HOUSES FROM MUD BRICKS AND WOODEN FRAMES STARTED TO SETTLE INTO VILLAGES AND COMMUNITIES.

4 MAJOR RIVER VALLEYS 1. THE NILE RIVER VALLEY - EGYPT 2. INDUS RIVER VALLEY - INDIA 3. HUANG RIVER VALLEY - CHINA 4. TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES RIVER VALLEY – IRAQ

4 MAJOR RIVER VALLEYS

EMERGENCE OF CIVILIZATION ALL EARLY CIVILIZATIONS HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON: THEY ROSE FROM AGRICULTURAL SETTLEMENTS IN RIVER VALLEYS.

The Six Characteristics of Civilization CitiesAs populations grow cities develop Central governmentsLarge number of people need a structured government ReligionEarly people developed religion to explain nature. Early rulers told the people that their right to rule came from the gods. Social & Economic ClassesA social hierarchy developed based on wealth. Arts & ArchitectureLarge buildings & palaces were erected for royalty & priests WritingWriting was developed to keep records of transactions and taxes

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS NEOLITHIC FARMERS RELIED ON RAINFALL FOR THEIR CROPS FARMERS LATER TRANSPORTED WATER TO THEIR CROPS FARMERS BUILT CANALS AND RESERVOIRS THEY THEN CONTROLLED FLOODING BY BUILDING DIKES AND DAMS THUS GIVING THEM A STEADY FLOW OF WATER SIGNIFICANCE – FARMERS COULD PRODUCE A SURPLUS OF GRAIN WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF AN ECONOMY.

SPECIALIZATION OF LABOR IMPROVEMENT IN POTTERY MAKING, TEXTILES, WEAVING, CLOTHES AND METALWORKING. PEOPLE LEARNED TO MAKE ALLOYS SUCH AS BRONZE, A MIXTURE OF COPPER AND TIN. THIS LED TO BETTER WEAPONS AND TOOLS AND EVENTUALLY TO LONG DISTANCE TRADE. SIGNIFICANCE - PEOPLE STARTED TO SPECIALIZE IN DIFFERENT CRAFTS.

LONG DISTANCE TRADE PEOPLE ORIGINALLY TRADED WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. TRADERS, ANOTHER SPECIALIZATION OF LABOR, BEGAN TO HANDLE EXCHANGE OF GOODS. THEY BEGAN BY MOVING THEIR GOODS OVERLAND BY CARAVAN AND THEN EVENTUALLY BY SEA. SIGNIFICANCE - THIS INTERACTION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES LED TO CULTURAL DIFFUSION, WHICH HELPED TO IMPROVE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.