Rise of Civilization

Time

Think of time as being like the “X” axis in math!

Cultural Bias in Timelines? BC = Before Christ AD = Anno Domini or “In the Year of Our Lord”

Paleolithic Age Paleo = “Old” Lithic = “Stone” 2 million – 10,000 BC Oldest period of human existence Not “history”

1. Nomadic Lifestyle

2. Used simple tools

3. Learned to use fire

4. Invented clothing

5. Developed animistic religion Animism: natural objects or forces possess a “spirit”

Neolithic Age Begins c.10,000 BC “Neo” = “New” Marked by what historians call the “Neolithic Revolution” – 2 major changes in how people acquired their foodstuffs

1. Farming People no longer had to rely for survival on gathering food that grew in the wild Food production becomes more reliable and less time consuming

2. Domestication of animals

More food = more people!

THINKING BREAK! Take 2 minutes to discuss with your neighbor the following question: Besides people’s eating habits, what other things would have changed about their lives with the introduction of agriculture?

The Neolithic Revolution led to the rise of “civilizations” BUT WHAT DOES “CIVILIZATION” MEAN EXACTLY? According to historians, a civilization should show signs of 8 common features:

1. Cities

2. Organized government

3. Complex religion

4. Job specialization

5. Social classes

6. Arts & Architecture

7. Public works

8. Writing Egypt = Hieroglyphs Sumer = Cuneiform Aryans = Sanskrit Chinese = jia-gu wen Our own modern “alphabet” (named for the Greek letters alpha + beta) is of ancient Phoenician origin

What about the U.S.?

Cities?

Organized gov’t?

Complex religion?

Job specialization?

Social classes?

Arts & Architecture?

Public works?

Writing?

What about KHS? Cities? Government? Religion? Public Works? Job specialization? Social classes? Art & Architecture? Writing?