Farming and the Emergence of Complex Societies 10,000 – 1,000 BCE. Big Era Three Farming and the Emergence of Complex Societies 10,000 – 1,000 BCE.

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I know what you’re thinking! STOP! I know what you’re thinking!

Farming and complex societies? Where did they come from? I thought we were still hunting and gathering!

Farming and complex societies are the result of CHANGE… …and changes have always been—and still are—part of human history. Let’s look for a minute at the changes that took place in Big Era Two. You DO remember Big Era Two, don’t you? Big Eras 3-9 Big Era 1 200k yrs ago Today 10k years ago Big Era 2

Big Era Two is the era that covers the period from 200,000 to 10,000 years ago. Big Era Two was fraught with change. Shall we do a quick review? Big Eras 3-9 Big Era 1 200k yrs ago Today 10k years ago Big Era 2

You will probably recall that life 200,000 years ago looked something like this. Homo erectus doing lunch Today 10k years ago Big Era 2 Big Eras 3-9 Big Era 1 200k yrs ago Human Origins

10,000 years ago at the close of Big Era Two, life looked more like this: Homo sapiens at home Today Big Era 2 Big Eras 3-9 Big Era 1 200k yrs ago Human Origins 10k years ago

Notice any changes? Would you say there were: (a) No changes? Homo erectus – 200,000 years ago Would you say there were: Homo sapiens – 10,000 years ago (a) No changes? (b) Some changes? (c) Lots of changes?

If you said there were “(c) Lots of changes,” you were obviously paying attention during Big Era Two. If, on the other hand, you chose “(a) No changes” or “(b) Some changes,” you must have been out with the flu during Big Era Two. (Hope you are feeling better!).

So, it’s antelope burgers tonight, right? Hints Do you recall any of them? So, we will go with “(c) Lots of changes” in Big Era Two, right? So, it’s antelope burgers tonight, right? Boomerang Americas Before moving on, jot them down. Are these going to be on the test?

Check your answers below: Changes that occurred by the end of Big Era 2 (Beginning of Big Era 3) Check your answers below: 1. Homo sapiens appear. 2. Language develops. 3. Habitats expand. 4. Technology multiplies. 5. Wall painting and sculpture are created. End of Big Era Two (Beginning of Big Era 3) 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago Big Era 3

Keeping those changes in mind, let’s look at life all the way at the end of Big Era Three, that is, about 1,000 BCE. Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 Big Era 3 10,000 years ago 1,000 years ago Today

Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 Big Era 3 10,000 years ago 1,000 years ago Today

Notice any Differences? Quite a few, Huh?

So, how did we get from… to HERE HERE? to Jot down some notes on what events you think might have taken place between 10,000 and 1,000 BCE.

One of the major changes is reflected in this frieze on a wall in Mesopotamia (today Iraq) : which reflects the DOMESTICATION of… animals and plants 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago Big Era 3

Domestication of plants and animals was a monumental change. Have you ‘herd’ about pastoralism? It resulted in the new way of living we know as FARMING (AGRICULTURE)… …which included both PASTORALISM (herding sheep, goats, cattle, horses, and camels), and… 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 10,000 years ago Big Era 3 Big Era 2

(cultivating domesticated plants), Crop-growing (cultivating domesticated plants), and… 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 10,000 years ago Big Era 3 Big Era 2

FARMING COMMUNITIES the development of… 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 10,000 years ago Big Era 3 Big Era 2

Between about 12,000 and 1,000 BCE, farming Eastern North America China Fertile Crescent Nile valley West Africa Mesoamerica New Guinea Ethiopia Andes Amazonia Between about 12,000 and 1,000 BCE, farming appeared INDEPENDENTLY in a number of places, possibly in all of the places marked in red on the map. 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 10,000 years ago Big Era 3 Big Era 2

Prior to farming, population size in any one area was limited by the availability of wild game, grain, berries, seeds, and nuts. POPULATION INTENSIFICATION Farming and the large, relatively dependable crops it provides allowed for… That means population increases in certain areas. Population in those areas became both larger and denser.

SURPLUS FOOD PRODUCTION At the same time, farmers in some places were, in spite of population growth, able to produce SURPLUS food. What does SURPLUS FOOD PRODUCTION mean for a society?

SURPLUS FOOD PRODUCTION… …means that not everyone has to grow food or tend animals. They can take on other tasks. They can specialize in some non-farming task.                                                                  

This is called… Job Specialization. Men and women may become: Weavers Stone Masons Potters Priests Scribes Traders Army officers

So, let’s have a quick review of that last sequence of events.

Domestication of Plants and Animals Farming Population Intensification Surplus Food Specialization Complex Society, also known as CIVILIZATION 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago Big Era 3

Civilizations have a number of elements in common. You might want to make a note of these as we go along. Hint, hint!

Civilization Can you define it? Did you catch that term? Remember it. Write it down. Answer: A civilization is a complex society.

Elements of civilization include: 1) Cities Mohenjo Daro It’s the law 2) Central governments And Law codes Hammurabi’s Law Code Pharaohs

4) Highly organized religions Elements of Civilization include: 1) Cities 2) Central governments and law codes 3) Writing and record keeping Can you identify the society represented by each of these two writing samples? 4) Highly organized religions

Elements of Civilization include: 1) Cities 2) Central Governments and law codes 5) Specialized Jobs 3) Writing and record keeping 4) Highly organized religion Full-time monk 6) Social Classes Assyrian slaves In Egypt

Elements of Civilization include: 1) Cities 2) Central governments and law codes 7) Complex Technologies 3) Writing and record keeping 4) Highly organized religion Chariot 5) Specialized jobs 6) Social classes Bronze Sword

So, have you been paying attention or doing a bit of day dreaming? Can you list some of the elements of a civilization? Let’s check! Clue: There were 7!

Check your answers below: Good job if your list includes: Check your answers below: 1. Cities 2. Central governments and law codes 3. Writing and record-keeping 4. Specialized jobs Social classes Complex technologies Highly organized religions Good job, huh?

By 3,000 BCE, societies in Southwest Asia and Egypt were developing elements of complex societies. Are we supposed to be taking notes on this? 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago 3,000 years ago Big Era 3

There were also two new ones in the Americas. By the end of Big Era Three, about 1000 BCE, there were several well-established civilizations in Afroeurasia. There were also two new ones in the Americas. At least two civilizations in Afroeurasia, the Minoan in the Mediterranean region and the Harappan in the Indus River valley had already come and gone.

Now, looking back over Big Era Three, let’s review the major changes. 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago Big Era 3

Domestication of Plants and Animals Farming Population Intensification Surplus Food Specialization Complex Society, also known as CIVILIZATION 1,000 years ago Today Big Eras 4-9 Big Era 2 10,000 years ago Big Era 3

Complex belief systems That translates into: Farmers Herders Cities Central governments Armies Monumental buildings Written language Social hierarchies Complex belief systems In 10,000 BCE none of these existed in the world. By 1,000 BCE they all did.

Not only has life changed culturally and technologically, but also the rate of change has accelerated. Letters and envelopes Writing Irrigation Wheel Pyramids Copper smelting Temple building Walled cities . Dogs, sheep. goats, horses, wheat, rice, chiles, potatoes—all domesticated Plow farming Alphabet Chariots Pottery 360-degree circle Sailing technology Law Codes Regular trade routes Today Big Eras 4-9 1k years ago Bow & arrow Art 200k yrs ago Language Calendars Big Era 1 BE3 Big Era 2 10k years ago

You may have noticed that the difference between the rate of change in Big Era Two and in Big Era Three is enormous. What factors do you think might account for this increasing rate of change? Make a few notes and discuss this question with your teacher and fellow students.

As you move on to Big Era Four (1,200 BCE to 500 AD), keep your eye on the rate of change. Does it keep increasing? Level off? Slow down? Do the factors you have identified as affecting the rate of change in Big Era Two and Big Era Three still apply? Come to think of it, things changed REALLY fast In the 20th century. I wonder what the rate of change is going to be like in the 21st century?

Well, that’s all for Big Era Three, but don’t go away. Hang on to your notes and stay tuned for…

Coming SOON to a classroom near you. Big Era Four! Coming SOON to a classroom near you.