LEQs: Why did humans switch from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture? Was this humanity’s BIGGEST mistake?

 How would you define CIVILIZATION? What criteria do you feel must be met for a group to be considered civilized?  Answer in your notes & be ready to share

 Societies distinguished by reliance on sedentary agriculture, ability to produce food surpluses, and existence of nonfarming elites, as well as merchant and manufacturing groups

 Mesopotamia in the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys  Egypt in the Nile River Valley  Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in the Indus River Valley  Shang in the Yellow River or Huang He Valley  Olmecs in Mesoamerica  Chavin in Andean South America

 Agriculture & pastoralism led to increased populations  Family groups gave way to village life and eventually urban life  Led to new and more complex economic and social systems  Civilization began

Innovation vs. Diffusion

 Rivers provided:  Water supply  Transportation  Food supply from animals  Rivers provided Challenges  Flooding  Irrigation  Required organized, mass labor  Construction and repair of canals and irrigation ditches

 WHY? Surpluses in food led to specialization of labor  Not everyone had to farm; others free to build, invent, etc.  Led to social stratification  Patriarchy – rule by males/women viewed as needing protection or control

 First needed to control food surpluses  Labor, storage, dispersion  Needs become more complex:  Tax collecting  Law making  Handling public works projects  Organizing defense

 Artisans specialized in various jobs  Bricklayers  Blacksmiths  Production of luxuries (not related to survival)  Metal technology  i.e. weapons, tools  Great architecture and art created  i.e. pyramids

 Pictograms first; symbols later added to represent words and then sounds  Scribes specially trained to read, write, record information  Religion, trade, gov’t

 Generally polytheistic  Represented natural forces  Controlled human activities  Rituals and sacrifice used to gain gods’ favor  Rulers regarded as a god or gods’ agent  Temples often built to honor specific gods and goddesses

 Trade intensified within and between civilizations, as well as with nomadic pastoralists  Walls indicate some were fearful; others more peaceful  Accumulation of wealth spurred warfare between communities and/or with pastoralists  Drove development of war technologies and urban defense