1. Historical Empathy
Attempting to understand how people from the past thought and felt.
People from the past have the same capacity for creativity and intelligence as we do.
Generally, we should avoid judging people from the past according to modern standards.
Someone casually and publicly using racist language today = social/legal consequences
Someone casually and publicly using racist language 400 years ago = normal

2. Chapter 1: The Rise of Civilization
Prehistory – 2300 BCE
Mr. Shipp

3. Simulation
The year is 10,000 BCE. You are a society of hunters and gatherers.
Each person must consume 1 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of meat each day.
One person can either hunt 2 animals or gather 2 vegetables each day.
How would you organize your group to make sure that everyone is fed each day?
What happens if there are no more animals or vegetables nearby?

4. Simulation
It is now the year 8,000 BCE. You have learned how to grow food and keep animals.
One person can either farm 6 vegetables or hunt 3 animals each day.
Now how do you organize your group to provide food for everybody?
Does everybody need to work?

5. Simulation
It is now the year 7,000 BCE. You are better able to steadily grow crops and raise animals.
Do you continue to move from place to place? Why/why not?

6. Simulation
It is now the year 6,000 BCE. As a result of your ability to grow crops and raise animals, you now have more food than you need.
What will people in your society do if they do not have to farm?

7. Sections 1 & 2: Early Humans and the Neolithic Revolution

8. Early Development
Hominid: humanlike creature that walked upright 4 million years ago.
Homo sapiens: “wise human”
Featured rapid brain growth and mastery over fire. Existed 250,000 years ago.
Homo sapiens sapiens: “wise, wise human”
Modern humans, first appeared ~200,000 years ago in Africa.
Out-of-Africa Theory: Homo sapiens sapiens migrated out of Africa and replaced other hominids across the globe.

10. Agricultural Revolution
During the Neolithic Age (8000 BCE – 4000 BCE), humans shifted away from hunting and gathering to systematic agriculture.
Systematic agriculture: Growing food on a regular basis
More food = more control
Single most important development in human history?

11. Agricultural Revolution
Neolithic Farming Villages
Systematic agriculture gives rise to more permanent settlements
Steady food supply leads to food surplus
New forms of work; artisans (skilled workers)
Shrines and statues point to religion

13. Agricultural Revolution
Effects of the Agricultural Revolution
Surplus  artisanal products  trade  greater variety of products
Traditional family roles emerge
End of the Neolithic Age
Discovery of metals led to the Bronze Age (3000 BCE – 1200 BCE)

15. Civilization Emerges What is culture? What is a civilization?
Way of life
What is a civilization?
Complex culture in which large numbers of humans share basic characteristics: cities, government, religion, social structure, writing, and art.

16. Systematic agriculture 
Permanent settlements 
Artisanal Products
Food surplus  
Population Increase
Building of walls/defenses 
Formation of government

17. Civilization Emerges
Every civilization during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages developed religion. Why?
Religion explained forces of nature; humans’ purpose
Art, architecture, and writing flourished

18. Section 3: Mesopotamia

20. Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent
Fertile Crescent – arc of land between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean
Includes Mesopotamia (“land between the rivers”)
Tigris and Euphrates rivers flood once a year, leaving rich soil
Mesopotamia = most of modern-day Iraq

22. Fertile Crescent Environmental Challenges
Around 3300 BCE, Sumerians begin farming southern Mesopotamia
Environment poses three disadvantages:
Unpredictable floods; sometimes droughts
Land is flat– no natural defense against invasion
Few natural resources; building materials scarce

23. City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia
Sumerians create first Mesopotamian civilization
City-state: large cities with political and economic control over the surrounding area
Built irrigation ditches to control water, crops
Built walls around cities for defense
Trade grain, cloth, tools for raw materials like stone, wood, and metals
Organization, leadership, and laws are the beginning of civilization

25. Sumerian City-States Religion and Rulers
Gods and spiritual beings influenced all aspects of the universe; Mesopotamians had nearly 3,000 gods.
Polytheism: many gods
Theocracy: Government ruled by divine authority
The largest building in Sumerian cities were ziggurats, or temples atop stepped towers that were dedicated to the chief god of the city.

29. Sumerian Culture Sumerian Economy and Society
Trade and industry become more and more important
Sumerians traded textiles, pottery, metalwork, and food for natural resources
Three major social groups:
Nobles
Commoners
Slaves

30. Sumerian Culture Life in Sumerian Society
Nobles– Royalty, priests, landowners
Commoners– Merchants and farmers (farmers = 90% of society)
Slaves– Construction laborers, farmhands
Technology
Invented the wheel, sail, plow, sundial
First to use bronze
Invented a number system based on 60
Used complex geometry for construction
Complex writing system called cuneiform