Part Introduction This part will cover the world’s earliest civilizations. These include the Egyptians in North Africa, the Sumerians and Hebrews in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, the Indus civilization and Aryans in India, and the Shang and Zhou dynasties of China. 1: Toward Civilizations (Prehistory−3000 B.C.) 2: First Civilizations: Africa and Asia (3200 B.C.−500 B.C.) 3: Early Civilizations in India and China (2500 B.C.−256 B.C.)

More villages appeared due to the increasingly stable food supply. Humans began to stop relying on hunting and gathering about 10,000 years ago. They started to farm and to pen animals. More villages appeared due to the increasingly stable food supply. Then, about 5,000 years ago, city-based civilizations emerged. Kings and traders became wealthy and writing developed.

The first city-states in North Africa, the Middle East, India, and China all had certain characteristics in common. They turned to hereditary monarchs for leadership. They created elaborate palaces, temples, and tombs and left behind beautiful sculptures and paintings, and some works of literature. Their religions grew more complex, and they made advances in science and technology.

Toward Civilization Prehistory–3000 B.C. Early people were nomads who moved from place to place in small bands of 20 to 30. When people settled into farming villages, food surpluses led to the rise of civilizations. All early civilizations had central governments, complex religions, job specialization, social classes, arts and architecture, public works, and writing.

These complex tasks required leadership These complex tasks required leadership. Over time, bureaucracies formed and grew. Priests developed early writing in the form of pictographs. As rulers of ancient cities became more powerful, they conquered neighboring territory to create empires. The first governments arose to deal with flooding and to channel water to fields.

First Civilizations: Africa and Asia (3200 B.C.–500 B.C.) A rich farming civilization grew in the Nile River valley of Egypt 5000 years ago. King Menes united the Nile kingdoms in 3100 B.C. Pharaohs organized a strong central government. Society was organized into classes. Egypt interacted with other civilizations through trade and war and cultural diffusion occurred.

North of Egypt, the city-states of Sumer appeared in the Fertile Crescent. Sumerians built dikes, irrigation ditches, and ziggurats. A social hierarchy emerged and cuneiform writing was invented.

Civilizations in Mesopotamia continued to develop. Trade and war spread ideas such as the Phoenician alphabet and technologies such as ironworking. The early Hebrew people developed the monotheistic religion of Judaism and established the kingdom of Israel by 1000 B.C.

Early Civilizations in India and China (2600 B.C.–256 B.C.) The Indus River Valley civilization appeared around 2600 B.C. and lasted until 1500 B.C. with the arrival of the nomadic Aryan people. The new Indian civilization emerged around 500 B.C. and consisted of rival kingdoms with a common culture. This culture was polytheistic and organized into social castes.

Chinese civilization developed in isolation due to barriers such as mountains and deserts. Farming began in the Huang He valley. The need to control the river led to the rise of government.

Chinese civilization grew. The Shang dynasty came to power in 1650 B.C. The Zhou overthrew them in 1027 B.C., beginning the dynastic cycle. During this time, the Chinese developed complex religious beliefs, created an accurate calendar, and made the first books.