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The First Civilizations
8,000 B.C.E.- 2,000 B.C.E. The First Civilizations
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Early Humans: Paleolithic
Essential Question: What characterized the life of a Paleolithic human?
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Tools of Discovery What we know about the earliest people comes from what they left behind Archaeologists Anthropologists Artifacts from settlements such as weapons and tools
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Hunter Gatherers Early humans spent most of their time searching for food Hunted animals Caught fish Gathered fruits, nuts, berries, grains, plants Eventually developed spears, traps, bows and arrows Nomads Followed their food Groups of 30 or less Men and women performed different tasks
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Adapting to the Environment
The way people lived depended on their environment Warm Climate: little clothing or shelter Cold Climate: caves and shelter made out of animal hides Fire! Warmth Scare away animals Cook meat (easier to digest) Smoke meat (lasts longer)
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Invention of Tools Used flint (hard stone) to make tools
Over time, people grew more skilled at making tools Fishhooks Needles
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Making Connections 1. Explain why Paleolithic people were nomads.
Paleolithic people were nomads because they were hunters and gatherers. They would move from place to place in search of food. 2. Why was the ability to make fire so important to Paleolithic people? The ability to make fire was so important to Paleolithic people because they could both cook and smoke their meat. They could also use the fire for warmth and to scare away animals. 3. Answer the Essential Question: What characterized the life of a Paleolithic human? The life of a Paleolithic human involved adapting to the environment, hunting and gathering, using fire and making stone tools to help with daily tasks.
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Paleolithic Cave Paintings
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Early Humans: Neolithic
Essential Question: What led to the formation of villages in the Neolithic Period?
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Neolithic Times After the last ice age, people began to domesticate plants and animals Animals Provided milk, meat, wool, carried goods and pulled carts Plants People could stay in one place and grow their food ***Gradually, farming replaced hunting and gathering***
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Growth of Villages Earliest known communities found in the Middle East
Catal Huyuk (6,000 B.C.E.) 6,000 people Mud-brick houses
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Benefits of a Settled Life
Brought greater security Steady food supply Bigger population = More workers to produce a bigger crop Trade inside and outside their communities Specialization More food and better farming tools meant people had time to develop other skills Made pottery, mats, cloth, etc. Metal Copper was melted down and poured into molds for tools and weapons Tin mixed with copper to make stronger metal called bronze = Bronze Age!
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Making Connections 1. How did domesticating animals and farming help the Neolithic people? 2. Answer the Essential Question: What led to the formation of villages in the Neolithic period?
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Mesopotamian Civilization
Essential Question: How was the geography of Mesopotamia suited for the growth of population and the creation of a civilization?
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RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS
Easy to feed large numbers of people Goods and ideas are spread Governments are formed to make plans, decisions and laws Good farming conditions River travel makes trade easier RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS Specialization More time to think about other things
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River Valley Civilizations
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The Rise of Sumer A.K.A. Location Climate Claim to Fame
Mesopotamia – “the land between two rivers” Location Southern Iraq The Fertile Crescent Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Climate Hot, dry, rivers flood in the spring leaving rich soil behind Flooding is unpredictable Claim to Fame Earliest known civilization Farmers learned to control flooding by using irrigation to water crops By 3,000 B.C.E., many cities rose in the area invented cuneiform 12 month calendar Religious Beliefs Many gods that had control over natural forces or human activities priests, priestesses and ziggurats
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Life in Sumer Social Hierarchy
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Civilizations Cities Organized governments Art Religion
Class divisions Writing system
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Hammurabi Ruled city of Babylon on the Euphrates River Code of Laws
Center of trade Began conquering other cities = empire Code of Laws Forced everyone in Babylon to obey the same laws Known as the “Code of Hammurabi”
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Making Connections 1. What is a civilization?
2. What was the Code of Hammurabi? 3. Answer the Essential Question: How was the geography of Mesopotamia well suited to for the growth of a population and the creation of a civilization?
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The First Empires Essential Question:
How did the Assyrians set up a well organized government?
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The Assyrians Built vast empire on the Tigris River by 650 B.C.E.
Well organized army Foot soldiers Bows and arrows Chariot riders Learned to make stronger weapons out of iron ore from the Hittites Anyone who resisted Assyrian rule was punished
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A Well Organized Government
Powerful Kings Divided up empire into provinces governed by officials Excellent system of roads Trading Military use Harsh punishments for breaking laws Rebellion led to downfall around 612 B.C.E.
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The Chaldeans (605 B.C.E. – 562 B.C.E.)
Led by King Nebuchadnezzar Rebuilt city of Babylon as the world’s largest and richest city Hanging Gardens of Babylon Created one of the first sundials and had a seven day week Empire fell as they were captured by the Persians
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Making Connections 1. Answer the Essential Question: How did the Assyrians set up a well organized government?
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