Early Civilizations

East Africa – Anthropologists started discovering tools Dated from million years ago – More searching in Africa Led to discovery of skeletal remains – Started studying early hominids Homo erectus- upright walkers

Early Civilizations Homo sapiens – Started to emerge around 250, ,000 years ago Modern humans “Out of Africa” Theory – Homo sapiens developed in Africa and migrated – Modern humans spread all over the world

Early Civilizations After discovering many different types of remains, anthropologists broke prehistory into two eras – Paleolithic period 2 million B.C.-10,000 B.C. – Neolithic period 10,000 B.C.- end of prehistory

Early Civilizations Neolithic Revolution – Starts with farming Learned to create their own resources – No longer have to migrate – Creates villages – Domesticate plants and animals Different in all areas – Start to see evidence of cities

Early Civilizations River Valley Civilizations – Sumer Middle East, Tigris and Euphrates – Egypt Nile River – Indus India, Indus River – Shang China, Huang (Yellow) River

Early Civilizations Civilizations – Organized governments – Complex religions – Job specialization – Social classes – Arts and architecture – Public works – Writing

Early Civilizations As cities grew, so did their civilizations – Had to adapt Environment Population growth Governments – Become larger Empires