Beginnings of Civilization 6th Grade Social Studies Prehistory Beginnings of Civilization 6th Grade Social Studies

Warm-up Activity Get out a piece of paper and pencil Write your name at the top of the paper Remember that early hunter-gatherers moved from place to place, carrying all their possessions. Imagine that you have to carry all your possessions with you to your new home. What things would you carry? (come up with at least 5 things) What things would you NOT be able to own and carry with you? (come up with at least 3 things)

Vocabulary Irrigation __________ – network of canals to supply land with water from another place __________ – more than what is needed __________ – workers who are especially skilled in making items such as baskets, leather goods, tools, pottery, or cloth Surplus Artisans

Vocabulary Social Classes ______________ – each person is part of a group, or class, made up of others with similar backgrounds, wealth, and ways of living _____________ – society that has cities, central government run by official leaders, and workers who specialize in various jobs Civilization

Advantages of Settled Life Irrigation systems were developed so people in desert areas could farm Dirt from digging trenches became dams

Advantages of Settled Life Farming and raising animals is very hard work but had great rewards Farming allowed people to have a steady food supply often creating a surplus People are now able to store food

Population is Growing Storing food meant less starvation Growing food supplies led to more children because parents could now feed their kids 10,000 years ago = 10 million people 7,000 years ago = 66 million people Today Los Angeles has 10 million people

Early Villages and Towns As population grew, so did settlements Food surpluses meant people did not grow food all day People were able to switch to other kinds of work Example: Artisans

Artisans Cloth Baskets Tools Leather Goods Pottery

Growth of Cities People needed: 1. dependable water source 2. fertile land = food surplus 3. materials to build shelter

Where did most cities develop? NEAR WATER

Indus River (Pakistan)

Nile River (Egypt)

Tigris and Euphrates River (Iraq)

Huang He River (China)

Area Founded Date City Founded Southwest Asia 3500 B.C. Egypt Pakistan 2500 B.C. China 1700 B.C. Central America 200 B.C.

PAKISTAN CHINA CENTRAL AMERICA EGYPT SOUTHWEST ASIA

Farming Villages Early Cities Smaller than cities Mostly farmers live here Larger than farming villages Variety of occupations Government formed Large public buildings 1. store surplus 2. buy/sell goods 3. worship gods

Why did early civilizations feel they needed to form governments? 1. To provide services Ex: Irrigation projects 2. Keep order and to settle disputes

The First Civilizations What classifies a civilization?

1. Government with official leaders

2. Cities

3. Specialized Workers

4. Social Classes

5. Writing HALLO KONNICHIWA HELLO BONJOUR SALUT HEJ NI HAO ASSALAMUALAIKUM HOLA NAMASTE CIAO

6. Art

7. Architecture

How does civilization spread? TRADE

Trade Traders took goods to faraway cities Things traded: weapons, tools, baskets, pottery, cloth, spices 3500 B.C. wheel and axle invented - carts to haul goods - not used in all civilizations

Trade 6600 B.C. = Copper invented and used Remember the Ice Man? 3000 B.C. = Bronze invented and used - weapons, tools, helmets, shields - Bronze much harder than copper - This began the Bronze Age

Trade People began using merchant ships Now many different people and cultures came in contact

Trade New tools and ideas spread because information was traded as well

How did Social Classes develop? Trade = prosperity Job Specialization People were in a social class made up of others with similar backgrounds - Wealth - Ways of living

Kings (most powerful) Nobles Priests (government officials and military officers) Priests (each place had own religion) Artisans Traders Merchants Farmers Common Workers

Question 1 Food Surpluses Why did populations grow after people settled in farming villages? Food Surpluses

Question 2 How were farming villages different from cities?

Question 3 What are the features of a civilization? Government, cities, specialized workers, social classes, writing, art, architecture

Question 4 What effects did trade have on civilizations? New tools, weapons, ideas, spices, cloth, baskets, pottery, wheel and axle Bronze Age Social Classes

Timeline Activity