1. Early Discoveries

2. Stages of Early Human Development
1. 4,000,000 BCE – 1,000,000 BCE
Paleolithic Age: ( Old Stone Age )
2,500,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE
2. 1,500,000 BCE ,000 BCE
,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE
4. 30,000 BCE -- 10,000 BCE

3. The Paleolithic Age “Paleolithic” --> “Old Stone” Age
2,500,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE
Made tools
hunting (men) & gathering (women)  small bands of humans
NOMADIC (moving from place to place)

4. Stage Three
200,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE
HOMO SAPIENS ( “Wise Human Being” )
Neanderthals ( 200,000 BCE – 30,000 BCE )
Cro-Magnons ( 40,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE )

22. Stage Four – The Neolithic Age
“Neolithic”  “New Stone” Age
10,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE
Gradual shift from:
Nomadic lifestyle  settled, stationery lifestyle
Hunting/Gathering  agricultural production and domestication of animals
Agricultural or Neolithic Revolution

23. Origins of Domesticated Plants and Animals

24. Three Geographic Centers of Domestication

25. River Civilizations Characteristics of a civilization Written Language
Specialized Labor
3. Complex Culture & Society
4. System of Government & Laws

30. Mesopotamia & the Fertile Crescent
Mesopotamia – the land between the rivers
- little rain but rich soil and source of water from the Tigris & Euphrates rivers
- ideal for start of farming  becomes the first civilization in world
- flooding of rivers are unpredictable and often devastating
few natural barriers  invaders constantly storm through region difficult to stabilize
Gilgamesh – first literature in the world  reflects their world view

31. Egypt & the Nile River Valley
Egypt arose along narrow strip of land made fertile by the river
Most of Egypt’s history focused around Lower Egypt (near the Nile Delta)
Upper Egypt developed later upstream
Deserts on both sides of Nile
 provided natural protection against invaders
 reduced interaction with others
 Egypt would develop a unique culture because of isolation

32. Egyptian Government Egyptian rulers were called Pharaohs: priest-kings
considered gods
served both political and religious roles
Theocracy  government where the rulers are thought to be divinely-guided, or divine themselves
Pharaohs’ tombs very important  believed their spirits or Ka lived there
 Built massive tombs for them: pyramids
Above: Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II
The Great Pyramids at Giza