Civilization Notes!

What Neolithic sites are being studied by archaeologists today?

TURKEY Catal Hoyuk Aleppo FERTILE CRESCENT (in white) Jericho Aleppo and Jericho: Two of the world’s earliest cities located in the Fertile Crescent, a region in the Middle East with rich soil for farming.

Aleppo Why did they build this city on top of a hill?

Catalhoyuk: An example of a large Neolithic settlement currently under excavation in Anatolia (present- day Turkey)

Stonehenge an example of an archaeological site located in England. It was begun during the Neolithic and completed during the Bronze Age.

Civilization Writing – record keeping Advanced technology (metal tools, irrigation systems, architecture)

What is a civilization?

Civilization: A culture with cities, writing (record keeping), a system of government, religion, specialized workers, and advanced technology.

What is the key feature to the emergence of civilization?

The growth of cities The first revolution -- farming -- led to the SECOND GREAT REVOLUTION in history. This revolution also occurred in MESOPOTAMIA and was THE BIRTH OF THE CITY. More people were located in clusters. They had a somewhat stable supply of food and a roof to sleep under. Tasks could become more specialized. There was enough stability that a variety of arts could be produced. People could think about trading with other regions.

What caused cities to grow?

Farming Technology Technology (better tools, plows, and irrigation) improved to the point that in fertile areas people were able to produce more food then they needed. Over thousands of years farming technology improved to the point that in fertile areas humans were able to produce more food then they needed.

Agricultural Surplus Caused population to grow and trade to develop (extra food) Caused population to grow and trade to develop

What were the characteristics of early civilizations?

1. System of Government 1. System of Government: Written Laws!!! City-states, kingdoms, and empires Power was often based on religious authority Necessary to build and run large irrigation systems and other public works and to provide law and protection for the people.

Written Law Codes Ten Commandments Code of Hammurabi

2. Stable Food Supply! Extra food led to trade!

peasants 3. Social Classes merchants artisans scribes Very small upper class: king, nobles, priests Small middle class: artisans, scribes, merchants Huge lower class: peasant farmers and laborers Slavery at the bottom! king priests nobles merchants artisans scribes peasants

Slavery developed in most cultures

4. Job Specialization: An abundant food supply allowed this: people became expert at jobs besides farming (artisans, scribes, and merchants) Goldsmithing above; brick laying below. Development of Specialized Occupations Artisans, merchants, scribes, and government. Officials led to new skills and knowledge. New ideas came from people trading with other people from other places.

Characteristics of Early Civilizations 5. Highly developed culture This includes a system of writing, cities, religion, metal tools and weapons Writing – record keeping Advanced technology (metal tools, irrigation systems, architecture)

Written Language/ Record keeping Written language developed from pictures Pictograms – earliest written symbols Writing developed to keep records as government, religion, and trade got more complex. Almost all ancient civilizations came up with some form of writing.

Polytheism Belief in many gods Practiced by most early civilizations

Metal Tools and Weapons Bronze and iron Bronze smelted from copper and tin Egyptian Sword

The wheel and the sail allowed traders to transport more goods over longer distances.

Review A complex society with cities, writing, government, religion, and advanced technology is called a culture or civilization? What caused population to grow and trade to develop? The earliest written languages developed from sounds or pictures? Early civilizations learned how to make tools from bronze and iron or stone and wood? City-states, kingdoms and empires are examples of job specialization or centralized governments?