Prehistory/EARLY CIVILIZATIONS PREHISTORY What is it? Prehistory is the period of time before WRITTEN record. (about 5,000 years ago) How do we know PREHISTORY? 1.Archeology 2.Radiocarbon Dating 3.Oral Traditions

PREHISTORY: What was it like? 1.Hunter/Gatherers 2.Nomadic people Why did it change? 1.Farming Develops 2.Animals are domesticated Agriculture is considered to be one of the GREATEST inventions of all time by many historians because it fostered the development of CIVILIZATIONS. These civilizations depended on agriculture.

 4,000,000 B.C. First Hominids appear in Africa  1,600,000 B.C. Homo Erectus appears  200,000 B.C. Neanderthals appear  40,000 B.C. Cro-Magnons emerge (identical to modern humans)  8000 B.C. Neolithic Age begins – first agriculture takes place  3000 B.C. Bronze Age well established in Mesopotamia

 The Paleolithic (“Old Stone”) Age, c. 40,000- c. 10,000 B.C.E.  Hunter-gatherers  Trade (e.g. seashells)  Technology  firemaking  bone and stone weapons and jewelry  Art and religion: Cave paintings and female figurines

 The Neolithic (“New Stone”) Revolution, c. 10,000-c B.C.E.  Transition from a nomadic existence as hunter-gatherers to more settled lifestyle  Invention of agriculture  Domestication of animals

 Increasingly gender- based division of labor  Specialized crafts (metallurgy and weaving)  Emergence of social hierarchy: patriarchal organization of state and society would become the norm in the West  Invention of irrigation (c B.C.E.) facilitated establishment of settled agricultural communities in the Fertile Crescent

Ancient river civilizations developed in four key areas: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and India. These civilizations evolved as a result of the development of agricultural practices which relied upon a steady supply of fresh water.

 The Trigger Effect Watch the clip and then The Trigger Effect complete the “Characteristics of Civilization” worksheet – explaining how the discovery of agriculture led to the development of:  Advanced skills  Cities & government  Division of labour  Writing  Calendars.

As civilizations began to develop, the need arose for organization, and they began to develop key characteristics and cities were built. Cities Government & Laws Religion Job Specialization Social Classes Writing Arts Public Works

Because of agriculture’s dependence on fertile soil and an abundance of water, most early civilizations developed near RIVERS. Mesopotamia: Known as “the land between two rivers”. Several civilizations developed here between the Tigris and Euphrates. Egypt: Civilization that grew along the banks of the Nile River. Indus and Ganges River Valleys: Isolated civilizations thrived for many centuries. (Indus River) Huang and Chang Jiang River Valleys: Earliest known cities develop here. (Yellow River)

1.Mesopotamia: Legal code (Hammurabi’s Code), math skills, and first form of writing (Cuneiform) 2.Egypt: Calendar, use of paper (papyrus), and hieroglyphics 3.Indus Civilizations: Highly organized cities and waste disposal 4.Chinese Civilizations: Silk, rice farming, and bronzework.