1. Origins of Human Society and the Creation of Patriarchy

2. Characteristics of Humans: Compared to other primates Large heads and brains Bipedal walking Opposing thumbs for tool use Small pelvises: difficulty in childbirth Prolonged infancy and vulnerability of the child

3. In early human societies… Life expectancy was in the 30s…. Acquisition of goods was minimal… Life was precarious… –Death could come at any time from disease, famine, drought, other natural disaster… –In the face of such stress, small human groups migrated, invaded the territory of neighbors, and developed the practice of war… –The most valuable “commodities” were other humans…

4. Human Society Timeline 3 million BCE (before common era): Hominids evolve from primates 100,000 BCE: Paleolithic Era 9,000-7,000 BCE: Neolithic Era –Small hunter/gather societies 6,000 BCE: Villages 4,000 BCE: Towns and cities develop. 3,000 BCE: City states and empires 0: Birth of Christ 2,000 CE (common era) or AD (anno domini)

5. World Population: 1000 BCE to Present

7. World Population, 1750 - 2150

8. Origins of Western Civilization: Ancient Mesopotamia

9. Mesopotamia with Modern States

12. Mother Goddess Image What does she represent? And how does this image relate to the pervasive historical evidence of “misogyny,” the “hatred or strong prejudice against women.”

13. The Venus of Willendorf (European) What does she represent? And how does this image relate to the pervasive historical evidence of “misogyny,” the “hatred or strong prejudice against women.”

14. Theories of Patriarchy Patriarchy is the theory that men “should” be dominant over women. Theories: –Traditionalist –Marxist of Economic –Maternalist or matriarchal –A working hypothesis…..

15. More terms… Matriarchy is the theory that women “should” be dominant over men. Patrilineal: lineage is accounted through the male line. Matrilineal: lineage is accounted through the female line. Paternalist/Maternalist: authority derives from the power of “fatherhood” or “motherhood.”

16. Traditionalist Theories of Patriarchy Religious: Male dominance is “God given.” Biological determinist: “Man is the hunter and dominates.” Others: –Darwinian or Sociobiology –Freudian: biology is destiny…

17. Economic Theories of Patriarchy Marxist theorist Friedrich Engels: Women become men’s “property.” Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss: civilizations manage social relations through the “traffic in women” or the “exchange of women.”

18. Maternalist or Matriarchal Theories 19 th century theorist, Bachofen hypothesized: Matriarchal society preceded patriarchal society in historical time. Suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton theorized that “maternalist” or mother centered societies existed in some Native American tribes.

19. Mother Goddess Image

20. Mother Goddess: Catal Huyuk (modern Turkey)

21. A Working Hypothesis… There are no known matriarchal human societies. Matrilineal societies give way to patrilineal societies in historical time But: To paraphrase Freud: “biology was once destiny.” Is it any longer?