Chapter 1 Before History 1©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. History of the World in 18 min – David Christian

2 Forming the Complex Society Basic development:  Hunting and foraging  Agriculture  Complex society Key issue: surplus capital Major development of first complex societies 3500 B.C.E. – 500 B.C.E.

3 Prehistory What is “prehistory”?  Before written records  Archaeological discovery Requisite human presence (or “natural” history) “venus figurine – possibly represents fertility cuneiform Cave art

4 Development of Hominids Animals adapt themselves to environment Hominids adapt environment to themselves  Use of tools  Language  Complex cooperative social structures

5 Australopithecus “The southern ape” – despite name, a hominid Discovery of skeleton AL-288-1, north of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  Nicknamed “Lucy” 3’5”, 55lb., bipedal, brain 500 cc (modern human: 1400 cc), limited speech but opposable digit ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

6 Later Hominids – increasing complexity and capabilities Homo erectus, “upright walking human”  Larger brain capacity (1000 cc), improved tool use, control of fire, ability to communicate complex ideas Homo sapiens, “consciously thinking human”  Largest brain, esp. frontal regions  Most sophisticated tools and social organization; flexible language Migrations of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

7 Global Migrations of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens – “Out of Africa” 60,000 bp ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

8 The Natural Environment By 13,000 B.C.E., Homo sapiens in every inhabitable part of the world Archaeological finds:  Sophisticated tools Choppers, scrapers, axes, knives, bows, arrows Cave and hut-like dwellings Use of fire, animal skins Hunted several mammal species to extinction  Climatic change may have accelerated process ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Paleolithic Era (“Old Stone Age”) Evidence:  Archaeological finds  Extrapolation from modern hunter-gatherer societies Nomadic existence precludes advanced civilization  Division of labor along gender lines ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9

10 Relative Social Equality Nomadic culture precludes accumulation of land-based wealth  Relatively egalitarian existence  More likely determinants of status: age, hunting skill, fertility, personality  Possible gender equality related to food production  Men: protein from hunting  Women: plant gathering ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

11 Big-Game Hunting Evidence of intelligent coordination of hunting expeditions  Development of weaponry  Animal-skin disguises  Stampeding tactics Lighting of fires, etc., to drive game into kill zones Required planning, communication ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

12 Neandertal Peoples Neander valley, western Germany Flourished in Europe and southwest Asia, 200,000 to 35,000 years ago Also found in Africa, east Asia Evidence of spirituality: ritual burial Inhabited some of the same areas as Homo sapiens ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

13 Creativity of Homo sapiens Constructed flexible languages for communication of complex ideas Increased variety of tools – stone blades, spear throwers, sewing needles, barbed harpoons Fabricated ornamental beads, necklaces and bracelets The bow and arrow – a dramatic improvement in humans’ power over nature “Venus” figurines Cave paintings ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

14 Neolithic Era (“New Stone Age”) Distinction in tool production  Chipped vs. polished Relied on cultivation for subsistence  Men: herding animals rather than hunting  Women: nurturing vegetation rather than foraging Spread of agriculture  Slash-and-burn techniques  Exhaustion of soil promotes migration  Transport of crops from one region to another ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

15 Origins and Early Spread of Agriculture 9000 B.C.E – 100 C.E ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

16 Agriculture and Population Growth ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Early Agricultural Society Emergence of villages and towns Discoveries at Çatal Hüyük – a prominent village located in Turkey, occupied B.C.E.  Pots, baskets, textiles, leather, stone, metal tools, wood carvings, carpets, beads, and jewelry Development of crafts – pottery, metallurgy, and textile production 17

18 Social Distinctions Accumulation of landed wealth initiates development of social classes Individuals could trade surplus food for valuable items Archaeological evidence in variety of household decorations, goods buried with deceased members of society at Çatal Hüyük ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

19 Neolithic Culture Farmers closely observed the natural world – an early kind of applied science Elements of natural environment essential for functioning Archaeological evidence of religious worship: thousands of clay figurines, drawings on pots, tool decorations, other ritual objects  Fertility: Venus figurines ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

20 The Origins of Urban Life Craft specialization i.e. metal workers, pottery, mud-bricks Social stratification – often dominated by priestly class and political elite; males Governance – priests/chieftains Cultural workers Development of the city – a gradual process ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

History of the World in 2 Hours- Part 5 Neolithic Revolution