1. The Neolithic Revolution and the Rise of Civilization

2. The Neolithic Revolution
The end of the Ice Age was the beginning of the Neolithic Revolution
What does revolution mean?
definition: A sudden or momentous change in a situation
What does neolithic mean?
it is Greek for “new stone”
neo = new
lithic = stone
period lasted from 8000 to 4000 B.C.E.

3. The Neolithic Revolution, cont
What was the sudden change?
shift from hunting/gathering to keeping of animals and the growing of food on a regular basis, called systematic agriculture
domestication (taming) of animals
adaptation for human use
meat, milk for food
wool for clothes and shelter
labor for the farm
domestication of plants
people can grow crops on farms
example of domestication: wolf to dog

4. Something to think about…
What types of crops do you think are grown at this time?

5. The Growing of Crops
8000 B.C.E. – the Middle East has domesticated wheat, barley, pigs, cows, goats, and sheep
B.C.E. – Wheat and barley become established in India; beans, squash, and maize (corn) are grown in Central America
6000 B.C.E. – Wheat and barley has spread from the Middle East to Egypt
5000 B.C.E. – Rice is grown in Southeast Asia and spreads to China
4000 B.C.E. - Farming is well established in Southern and Central Europe

6. Something to think about…
In what part of the world do you think the first settlements would be?

7. What is this a picture of?

8. Neolithic Farming Villages
Permanent settlements developed with growing crops on a regular basis
Appeared in Europe, India, China, Mesoamerica (Central America)
Oldest and biggest settlements are in the Middle East
Example: Çatal Hüyük ( B.C.E) in modern-day Turkey
6000 people living in mud brick houses at height of the city
people grew their own food and kept storerooms in their homes

9. Neolithic Farming Villages, cont.
Because of food production, people usually had more food than they needed right away
they had surplus (amount or a quantity in excess of what is needed)
food surpluses allowed some members of society to give up farming and take up skilled labor
artisan – a skilled craftsperson who makes products such as weapons and jewelry
Shrines and statues found in Çatal Hüyük show that religion is becoming more important to Neolithic peoples

10. Çatal Hüyük today

11. Consequences of Neolithic Revolution
villages → trade → specialization / division of labor
Gender structure of society
hunter-gather societies: rough equality between men and women
agricultural societies:
men – farming and herding;
women – children, weaving cloth, etc.
men became more dominant as they worked to obtain food and protect the settlement

12. End of Neolithic Age
Artisans had discovered how to heat and work metal
circa 4000 B.C.E. – Copper Age
B.C.E. – Bronze Age
copper + tin = bronze
harder, more durable than copper
Stone was slowly being replaced with metal for use in tools and weapons
ask students to describe copper and what it is used for today.

13. The Emergence of Civilization
The culture of a people is the way of life they follow
As societies grow and become more complex, they develop into civilizations
A civilization is a complex culture in which large numbers of human beings share a number of common elements.
There are eight basic characteristics that a society must have in order to be called a civilization

14. 1. Cities
A significant part of the population will live in a society’s cities
The first civilizations began in river valleys
these areas could support the large-scale farming needed to feed a large population

15. 2. Governments Factors in the formation of the first governments:
growing numbers of people
the need to maintain the food supply
the need to build walls for defense
Govt jobs:
organize and regulate human activity
allow smooth interaction between individuals and groups
The first civilizations’ governments were usually lead by monarchs (kings or queens who rule a kingdom)
Monarchs organized armies and made laws

16. 3. Specialized Labor
With the increased availability of food, people are able to diversify their production
A man who specializes in one product can trade his goods for others needed
The people who specialized in new products became known as Artisans, or craftsmen
What products would be examples of this?

17. 4. Social Structure Social structure is based on economic power
upper class = rulers, priests, govt officials, warriors
lower (free) class = farmers, artisans, craftspeople
slave class
organized trade grows
urban areas export finished goods
urban areas import raw materials
transfer of technology between cities
draw a pyramid on the board to illustrate the class system. the size of the levels corresponds to the number of people belonging to that class

18. 5. Monumental Building
Civilizations built their new cities in grand proportions never seen before
Workers constructed large palaces, temples, marketplaces, courtyards, and burial sites

19. 6. Record Keeping/Writing
Rulers, priests, merchants, and artisans used writing to keep records
Eventually, writing was used for creative expression
exception: Inca of Peru used memory experts

20. 7. Trade Civilizations engaged in long-distance trade
Methods of transportation included rivers, camel routes, and horse-drawn carts
What would have been traded among these early civilizations?

21. 8. Science/Art Beginning forms of anatomy, chemistry, medicine, math
Mostly religious in nature
temples and pyramids were built as places of worship, sacrifice of the burial of rulers
painting and sculpture were developed to portray gods, goddesses, and natural forces

22. * Religion All early civilizations developed religions Purpose:
to explain forces of nature and their own existence
gods and goddesses were believed to be important to the success of the community
Priests oversaw rituals designed to please gods/goddesses, which gave them power
Rulers claimed either to have the gods’ approval to rule or to be a god themselves

23. Analyze how the 8 rules of civilization apply to the United States and write one example for each.