Chapter 1 – From Human Prehistory to Early Civilizations

A long time ago, on a continent far, far away… Paleolithic Age/ Old Stone Age (250,000 BCE-c. 8000 BCE) Humans migrated from Africa to Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, -Small hunting-foraging bands Basic tools: made from stone and wood; spear, the bow and arrow, club, and stone axe Religious practice: animistic- attributed sacred powers to events in nature Trade of goods and technology occurred between bands of hunter-foragers -Hunting animals and gathering edible plants -Use of fire: to aid in hunting, protection against predators, and adapt to cold environments -Paintings on cave walls from about 17,000 yers ago in France show people hunting with the tools -The burials were an indication that the dead were not left to wild animals but instead carefully placed in graves with flowers and other objects showing that the living expected an afterlife. -when they encountered each other, may have fought over herds of animals and other times hunted together for animals, grains, and fruit; exchanged weapon and tool-making tech and religion.

Migration mapping

Neolithic Revolution Neolithic Revolution (Agricultural Revolution) c. 8,000 B.C.E. Humans began to plant crops on purpose in areas of rich soil and abundant water; river valleys SW Asia Mesopotamia (between the rivers) Planting on purpose= Agriculture Permanent shelters developed in the fertile areas Nile R. in N. Africa, Yellow R. Valley in E. Asia, and the Indus R. Valley in S. Asia -Mesopotamia- 1st civilization purposely planted seeds and harvested their crops instead of constantly roaming around looking for fruits, grains and nuts -eventually ended their hunting foraging ways -Other areas of civilization Mesoamerica S. Mexico and the Andes mountains of Peru -Neolithic Revolution did not occur globally and concurrently, people did not start planting crops all over the world at exactly the same time -China about 2000 yrs after Meso and Mesoamerica in the Andes about 2500 BCE

Neolithic Revolution Animals were domesticated Protection, food, and to help in hunting Diseases increased due to close contact Technological developments increased food production Wooden plows, wheels, sickles, traps clay pots, and large baskets more efficient planting and harvesting More food availability and increased populations Irrigation canals -Dogs, cats, goats, sheep, cattle, horses, chickens, and pigs were the most important domesticated animals in Afro- Eurasia. -Horses brought by Europeans in the 15 century Chavin in Andes mountains region domesticated llamas and alpacas -brought water from the rivers to their crops increasing the amount of food.

Neolithic Revolution Humans figured out how to melt metals; to create cooking utensils; cups, pots, religious figurines and weapons Bronze metallurgy Longer life expectancy and more child births thus creating cities Writing system used for food storage count Specializations of labor and social structure Work tasks and jobs; craftspeople, warriors, religious leaders and gov. officials -Iron, gold, silver, tin, and copper -Metallurgy Bronze, a mixture of tin and copper was valued because it could hold a sharp edge, unlike most others -Iron also refined made weapons. -With agr revo steady food supply people tended to stay in one place -gov officials kings and scribes; craft people- construction workers built storage facilities for reserves, warriors- protected their food supplies, religious leaders asked their gods to supply good harvest, scribes kept records of food on hand, kings told them all what to do

Early Urban Societies Civilization- societies that have cities 1st cities Mesopotamia and the Nile Valley, made of stone and human made brick Ziggurats- tall buildings of religious import Mesop. Pyramids- in Egypt Elites had palaces built for themselves- monumental structures Cities had both pol and religious leaders working to maintain order Sometimes same person -Cities with permanent building structures developed out of agriculture settlements -They discovered that by stacking bricks into an arch, multi-story buildings could be created Arch root world Architecture -Kings commissioned statues, carvings on buildings and walls, and elaborate tapestries and paintings to decorate -difficult to question the authority of a leader who was also a god.

Early Urban Societies Kings imposed taxes to pay for construction of protective walls Cuneiform in Mesop. and hieroglyphics in Egypt Legal codes were written and enforced by courts to maintain order Code of Hammurabi- Mesop. Cities that had close proximity, common lang. and religious beliefs united to form empires. Led by kings with god authority Babylonians and Egyptians whom lived beyond the borders -To keep records of stored grain supplies writing systems developed -The roots of the English alphabet came from the Phoenicians of SW Asia, who passed it to the Greeks then Romans

Early Urban Societies The Epic of Gilgamesh- Mesop. Addressed questions about life and death and explored human relationships The Rig Veda- Indus Valley and the Book of the Dead- explained religious themes; Origin of Earth and its peoples and the destiny of humans after life ends Pastoralists- nonsettled groups transferred technology, goods, and ideas among settled societies Religion- Hinduism Indus Valley; oldest Aryan peoples of Central Asia Sacred text Vedas One deity many forms -The 1st literature emerged in the era of the early civilizations. Written stories explaining the world’s creation and the meaning of life was a common theme -Nomadic peoples whom had domesticated animals and did not participated in agriculture. Agents of change across long distances mostly peaceful but often times raided stored materials

Early Urban Societies Monotheism Hebrew faith SW Asia Zoroastrianism Central Asia Social pyramids: Rulers and Religious leaders Craftspeople, merchants, laborers Slaves Patriarchal- Male dominated -Polytheistic- belief in many gods or many representations of god -Monotheism- -Women attained pol power through marriage or by supervising their young sons

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia means “land between rivers.” Refers to this area being between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Also referred to as the “Fertile Crescent” Farming in this area required communication & coordination between communities, thus leading to beginnings of complex political structure. Mesopotamia was familiar w/ bronze and copper (metals); also had invented the wheel for transportation

Mesopotamia Sumerians were first to invade this region Developed a cuneiform alphabet (first known case of human writing) alphabet used pictures to represent objects; later shifted to geometric shapes to symbolize spoken sounds.

Cuneiform Writing

Mesopotamia Sumerians: Developed complex religious rituals Massive towers were the first monumental architecture for this civilization Sumerians were polytheistic – they believed in multiple gods. (monotheistic = belief in one god). They believed in the divine force of “natural” objects (nature; examples: trees, mountains, rivers), also known as animism.

Mesopotamia Sumerians: Political structure: tightly organized city-states ruled by a king who claimed divine authority. Sumerian states had strict boundaries. Government helped regulate religion. This region was hard to defend from outsiders

Mesopotamia Babylonians: Extended their own empire into the Middle East. King Hammurabi introduced the most famous early “code of law” (Hammurabi’s Code). Hammurabi’s Code established rules of procedure for courts of law, regulated property rights, and regulated the duties of family members. Example: “If the slave of a free man strikes the cheek of a free man, they shall cut off the slaves ear.” Other examples on page #18 of your textbook

Hammurabi’s Code

Babylonian Numbers

Egyptian Civilization Northeast Africa along the Nile River Civilization formed by 3000 B.C.E. Egyptians benefited from the trade and influence of Mesopotamia  DIFFUSION of ideas/technology! Egypt not as open to invasion as Mesopotamia.

Egyptian Civilization – cont. Political strutcure: Pharaoh (king) had immense power = “god-like” status Pharaoh’s built tombs for themselves (The Pyramids!) Government controlled the economy Egyptian science or alphabet was NOT as elaborate as Mesopotamia, though mathematics was more advanced. Egyptians produced the idea that a “day” was divided in to 24 hours.

Ancient Egyptian Pyramids

Indian & Chinese Civilizations Civilization emerged along the Indus River by 2500 B.C.E. Several large cities, including Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Trading with Mesopotamia Had own alphabet and art forms Invasions by Indo-Europeans resulted in destruction of this culture, so we know little about their ancient nature or influence on India! 

Indian & Chinese Civilizations China: Civilization along the Yellow River (Huang He River) Isolated from the rest; though there was some trading w/ India & Mesopotamia Learned how to ride horses and were skilled in pottery. Already were using bronze (metal) and by 1000 B.C.E. were using iron. Most people lived in small houses made of mud bricks. By 1500 B.C.E. the Shang dynasty ruled over this area.