We were gatherers and hunters most of our time on planet earth The Paleolithic Age: 99% We were gatherers and hunters most of our time on planet earth

Paleolithic Age 2 million to 8,000 BCE

In 1976, Mary Leakey uncovered in what is now Tanzania a series of footprints of three such individuals, preserved in the cooling volcanic ash about 3.5 million years ago Some 250,000 years ago, Homo sapiens emerged in Africa

Neolithic Revolution Some hunters & gatherers were advanced, but were never able to develop complex societies because they had to migrate to find food Early humans were nomadic hunters & gatherers & had to move around to find their food

Paleolithic Peoples Social organization Kinship groups 20-30 people per group Life expectancy was 20 years or less Equality between hunters/gatherers Slow population growth Follow migratory patterns of animals Need large portions of land to support themselves

Gender Roles Men hunt and/or fish; women gather fruits, etc. Egalitarian Social Stratification Everyone had to contribute to ensure survival Women as important as men Matrilineal

Fertility and Role Of Women PAST Representations of Women in Early Art

Survival Scare Resources contributed to nomadism a steady and plentiful food supply Food collectors not food producers Groups were not always self-sufficient Trade with neighboring groups was often necessary

Technological Advancements Development of spoken language Ability to make simple tools out of stone Ability to control and use fire Ability to adapt to a multiplicity of environments

Culture Polytheistic Belief in divine power(s) that controlled/influence the environment and people’s lives Practiced Animism Buried their dead Cave Paintings

Migration – Out of Africa Theory Sometime after 100,000 years ago, Homo sapiens began to migrate out of Africa Migration to new climates made possible by Fire Animal skins Climate change

Migration of Humans

Indo-European Migrations

Polynesian Migrations (3000 BCE -500 CE)

Bantu Migrations (1500 BCE-500 CE) Bantu people originated in central Africa (Cameroon) Migration triggered by the drying of the Sahara Reach South Africa by 300 CE Introduced agriculture, cattle herding, and iron (?) to Sub-Saharan Africa Become dominant ethnic and language group of Sub-Saharan Africa

Neolithic Revolution Farming changed the way humans lived: Around 8,000 B.C., the Neolithic Revolution occurred & early humans discovered how to farm & domesticate animals People no longer had to be nomads Food surpluses led to population increases Farming villages became established along river valleys for their good soil & irrigation

Neolithic Revolution Around 10000 BCE, two discoveries revolutionized human society Farming (1st crops were wheat & barley) Herding (1st domesticated animals were goats, pigs, & cattle) Domesticated animals produced a new type of society called Pastoralists Farming & herding allowed for urban development 1st cities emerged in Middle East (Turkey & Jordan) Jericho and Catal Huyuk

Invention of Agriculture Humans deliberately planned to harvest plants, grains and vegetables for later harvest – not diversified People began domesticating (raising for food) animals (pigs, sheep, goats, cattle). Overgrazing had an impact on the grasslands and led to soil erosion Metal tools were developed for planting and harvesting. Development of agriculture moved humans toward more sophisticated social and cultural patterns. Led to soil erosion and loss of fertile land

Improvements in agricultural production, trade, transportation Pottery Plows Woven textiles Metallurgy Wheel and wheeled vehicles

Origins of Agriculture

Early Villages Earliest villages located in the Middle East Population of early villages evolved from the hundreds to the thousands Probably declined due to environmental degradation Top: Artist rendering of the early village of Catal Huyuk; Bottom: statue of a goddess from Catal Huyuk

Life in Early Villages Full-time political and religious figures emerge as community leaders Specialized workers such as toolmakers, miners, and merchants Despite specialization, well-defined social stratification did not exist Farming & specialization of labor led to a decline in the role of women Farming & specialized labor led to increase in technology

Agriculture and Change

Bronze Age Metal replaces stone tools. Agricultural significance Metalworking as specialized trade Woodworking more elaborate Craft manufacturing Wheel c. 4000 B.C.E. Advancements in commerce, war

World Population Growth Intensive agriculture caused human population to jump from 5-8 million to 60 to 70 million in 5,000 years

Neolithic Revolution: Spread of Agriculture

What are the potential effects of population pressure?

World Population Growth

Negative Effects of Population Growth

Neolithic Revolution Around 3,000 B.C., some farming villages became complex civilizations. Brainstorm: What characteristics are needed to makes people a “civilization”? ? Advanced cities

Characteristics of Civilizations ? ? ? ? ?

Civilizations must have cities that are centers of trade for large areas

Civilizations must have technologies that make their lives easier

Civilizations must have writing in order to keep records of taxes, laws, or trade

Civilizations must have specialized workers that create a class system

Civilizations must have complex institutions like government & religion to keep order

What does stationary agriculture do for a society? CREATES Urban living. Law. Government officials. Writing. Military forces. Socioeconomic classes. 41

The Idea of Civilization in World Historical Perspective Fundamental differences Civilized vs. "savage," "inferior" What makes one uncivilized Greeks: barbarians = "those who cannot speak Greek" Cultural attributes (language, dress, manners) Shift did not happen until 18th–19th centuries.

What is a civilization? A society distinguished by reliance on sedentary agriculture, ability to produce food surpluses, existence of non-farming elites, and social stratification. Large societies with powerful cities and states

Despite Differences ALL: Produced agricultural surpluses that permitted: Significant specialization of labor Cities Complex institutions Political bureaucracies Armies Religious hierarchies Stratified social hierarchies Long-distance trading relationships within and between civilizations and nomadic pastoralists

As populations grew: Competition for surplus resources (esp. food) lead to Greater social stratification Specialization of labor Increased trade Development of record keeping

The first states emerged within core civilizations States were powerful new systems of rule that mobilized surplus labor and resources over large areas Early states were often led by a ruler whose source of power was believed to be divine or had divine support and/or who was supported by the military As states grew and competed for land and resources – some had an advantage

What are the four river societies where civilizations began? Mesopotamia. (Fertile Crescent) Nile River Valley. Indus River valley. Yellow River valley. 47

Pastoral Societies Nomadic peoples who herd domesticated animals Move in search of food for their animals Traditionally more stable than hunter-gatherer societies Develop on marginal land apart from areas suitable for agriculture, often semi-arid regions Interact with agricultural societies

Many pastoral nomads lived in kin-related bands numbering up to 100 Tribal membership was defined by recognizing a common ancestry among kinship groups Often called Courage Cultures Warlike males bound to each other by ties of personal loyalty tended to dominate these societies Violence between kinship groups limited the ability of clans and tribes to cooperate Most practice a form of animism or shamanism

Fringe Groups – Nomadic Societies Nomads and Civilizations Invasions Change population structure Political leadership Often peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship with agricultural societies Trade

Pastoralists/Nomads Often developers and disseminators of new weapons and modes of transportation that transformed warfare in agrarian societies Compound bows Iron weapons Chariots Horseback riding