Prehistory to the First Civilizations

Prehistory Defined as the time period before recorded history Movement of human species (homo sapiens) across continents Hunting & Gathering Societies Small groups Short lives

Paleolithic Age “Stone Age” Development of tools Hunted larger animals, gathered nuts and berries Spread overland

Neolithic Revolution A Revolution? Development of agriculture Could support larger populations Allowed settlement Created need for housing, government, economic systems More complicated lifestyles Led to Bronze Age (metalworking)

Spread of Agriculture

Civilization What defines “civilization” ? Whose definition counts ? What made civilization possible?

Whose Definition? 18th Century European Primitive vs. Civilized White vs. Everyone Else Beginnings of the concept of “race” “Race” does not exist

General Characteristics urbanization: people living in villages which become cities surplus agriculture: more than you can eat now, can save for future metal technology: tools made for specific uses writing: words in a row

A Modern Definition Urban: cities Surplus agriculture: stored food Political System: governments Military Systems: armies for defense Social stratification: differences in status Economic specialization: different jobs Religion: religious figures part of the community, because they do “god(s) work” Communications: oral or written records “Higher Culture”: art, literature, etc.

Earliest Civilizations Middle East Three primary centers of origin and diffusion with similar characteristics Mesopotamia, Egypt, India

Mesopotamia Centrally located in the Tigris-Euphrates River valley Oldest known civilization

“The Land Between the Lakes” Contemporary Iraq and Iran “Fertile Crescent” between rivers Many civilizations over time Sumerians Assyrians Persians

Developments in Mesopotamia Sumerian developments Cuneiform writing Art/Religious statues Ziggurats Political Structure of city-state Study of Astronomy Many, many more Babylonians Hammurabi’s Code Courts Crime punishments Phoenicians Alphabet Hebrews Monotheism

Other Civilizations Egypt settled along Nile River valley Indus civilization settled along Indus River valley China settled along Huang He River valley (and others)

#1 Common Characteristic water

Other Characteristics Opportunity to adapt the environment Domesticated plants and animals Relatively stable climates Surplus supplies of foods Trade and commerce systems

No. 1: Agriculture Cereal crops, especially barley Bread and beer Herded animals: cattle, sheep, goats Meat, milk, cheese Leather and natural wool for clothing

No. 2: Planned Economies Require organized, mass labor, slaves Construction and repair of canals and irrigation ditches Control of production and storage of surplus grains and other foods Dispersion of foodstuffs among the population by government Redistributive economy

No. 3: Theocracies Mobilized and directed by a ruling class of priests, who control the society by “blessings” and by “threats” (Any modern comparison?) Ruling class only ones able to talk to god or higher beings theocracy: “a god-ruled state”

No. 4: Social Classes Priestly class is part of the beginning of social differentiation that is, class structure Class structure based on specialization of labor/skills Generated class differences

Class Structure Priests (“We talk to god.”) Aristocrats/warriors (“We have weapons or wealth.”) Common people (“We work.”) Slaves (“We are worth only our labor.”)

No. 5: Industry Pottery, textiles, woodworking… Production of luxuries Development and improvement of metal technology: BRONZE

No. 6: Architecture Monumental architecture Pyramids, ziggurats, big cities Huge temples and associated structures To fill the needs of a god-oriented state Under the control of the priestly class

No. 7: Writing Perhaps the most important invention Record keeping, literature, trade Land tenure Religious documents

No. 8: Organization of Knowledge Learning becomes cumulative – knowing the past is important Perpetuates the level of achievement Scribes and schools Medicine, astronomy, calendars, mathematics, divination

Exit Slip: Save some trees and write on the back of your current event. What do all early civilizations have in common? What are the early civilizations we examined today? List and explain three characteristics of early civilizations.