Ancient Societies

Agricultural Revolution Changed the way people lived – People stayed in one place – Extra food resources allowed people to do other things – Allowed people to specialize in certain jobs (craftsmen, warriors, kings, etc.)

Agriculture and Civilization

Discussion: What does it mean to be “Civilized?” Are we civilized today?

Civilization 6 Characteristics: – 1. Based around cities – 2. Agricultural Surplus: Specialization of Labor – 3. Government: Complex Institutions – 4. Social Hierarchy: Usually centered around wealth – 5. Written records – 6. More Complex forms of Economics: more reliance on trade

Ethnic Groups Must share certain characteristics: – Same race – Same religion – Same language – Same place of origin (political nation) – Same region of world (geographic area) – (must have at least 4 out of 5 of the characteristics)

Example: Jewish Nation Share 4 out of 5 of the characteristics. Which characteristic does the Jewish Nation not share?

Race

River Valleys First Civilizations Most fertile soil Easier to defend Smaller rivers made easier for irrigation – Mesopotamia – Ancient Egypt – Ancient India – Ancient China – Mesoamerica – Andes Region

Mesopotamia Greek for “Land Between two rivers” Modern day Iraq and Syria “Fertile Crescent”

Government Series of city-states in Mesopotamia – Sumerians (c BCE) Priest-kings ruled (kings had voice of gods) City-States become Empires – Akkadians ( BCE) Formal legal codes: – Code of Hammurabi (1800 BCE)

Religion 3,000 gods Unusually mean gods Based on nature in Fertile Crescent Goal: Appease gods to control nature Art and Literature focused on gods – Epic of Gilgamesh – Contains story of flood Built ziggurats

Economics

Science & Technology  Inventions: wheel, sail, and plow  Bronze metallurgy  1 st system of writing  Cuneiform  1 st number system  Based on units of 10, 60, & 360  Astronomy

Sumerians First Civilizations to rise in Mesopotamia – City States Akkadians – First City State (still Sumerians) to unite all other city states

Ancient Egypt Nile River Valley Surrounded by desert – Easily defensible, but isolated – Very little trade VERY fertile soil Predictable flooding

Government Formed by 3000 BCE Unified for most of history – Early Kingdom – Middle Kingdom – Late Kingdom Theocracy: Pharoah was a god-king Women could be pharoahs – Hatsheput ( BCE)

Religion Thousands of gods – Gods have animal and human qualities – Gods and Goddesses Believe in afterlife – Heaven and Hell – Mummification – Pyramids and Temples

Culture Hieroglyphic writing Math – Geometry Calendar system – 365 days (off by 6 hours) Medicine Architecture

Ancient India

Indus River Valley Cities emerge around 2500 BCE Culturally unified city- states – Harappa and Mohenjo- Daro Mysterious End – Environmental Degredation vs. Aryan Migration

Religion Polytheism: believed in many gods – Influenced Hinduism Planned cities with lots of temples Writing system: undecipherable Advanced technology – Plumbing system

Ancient China

Developed in isolation in Huang He (Yellow) River Valley Shang Dynasty (1500 BCE)

Ancient China Society – Family at center of society – Women subordinate

Religion Polydaemonism: believed in spirits living in nature Ancestor Worship: revered past ancestors – Gave fortune if properly revered Oracle Bones

Ancestors!!!!

Government Dynasties with Emperor Mandate of Heaven—Rulers are chose to rule by heaven and will continue to rule as long as heaven is pleased; if heaven is not pleased, heaven will pass the mandate to another family

Olmecs

Mesoamerica Central America Dense Tropical Forest – Rainfall 118 inches per year

Government (Olmec) City-States with common culture Social Hierarchy: – Chief: highest rank – Landed aristocracy – Laborers forced to build temples, palaces, and drainage canals

Religion Polytheistic – Gods blended male, female, human and animal characteristics – Ex. Feathered serpent god Religion led to calendar and written language

Olmec Art

Norte Chico  BCE in Peru  Polytheistic  Famous for monumental architecture and weaving  No evidence of any art or ceramics  Used quipu for record keeping

Legacy of Ancient Civilizations  Writing systems, religions, and technology was influenced the development of new civilizations and cultures  Ancient civilizations decline by 1000 BCE  Subject to nomadic invasions  Political and cultural centers shift to new geographical areas (except China)