1. UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS TEST REVIEW

2. 5 THEMATIC PERIODS OF HISTORY
Foundations (8,000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.)
Post Classical (600 C.E. – 1450 C.E.)
Early Modern Period ( ).
Modern Period ( ).
Contemporary Period (1914-present).

3. Why is geography important to history?
Shows connections between people, places, and events
Rivers – Civilizations developed along rivers; used for transportation; provided fertile land for agriculture
Mountains – acted as protective barriers for civilizations

4. Paleolithic vs. Neolithic
Nomads
Hunter-gatherers
Men and women contributed to feeding the group
Made simple tools from stones
Dev. spoken language
Built fires
Temporary dwellings
NEOLITHIC:
Agriculture
Domestication
More patriarchal
Food Surplus
Higher Popul.
Job specialization
Social Classes
Changing Gender Roles

5. Small Group Discussion Questions
What is prehistory?
What are the components of a civilization?
What is the difference between a civilized society and a non-civilized society?

6. 3500 B.C.E. first civilization
Still had some nomadic groups
First River Valley Civilizations:
Mesopotamia
Egypt
Indus River Valley (Harappan)
Shang China (Huang He)

7. Mesopotamia Fertile Crescent – between the Tigris and Euphrates River
Modern-day Iraq
Sumer – 1st civilization
All civilizations had slaves
Polytheistic, except for the Hebrews
Accomplishments
Ziggurats
Cuneiform
Hammurabi’s Code
Judaism
Extensive trade

8. Egypt Nile River Pharoahs
Retained a unified state throughout much of history
Had a hierarchal social structure
Hieroglyphics
Polytheistic
Believed in the Afterlife

9. China is the oldest, continuous civilization
China – Huang He
Zhou Dynasty
Mandate of Heaven
Era of the Warring States
Began Grand Canal
China is the oldest, continuous civilization
Shang Dynasty
Bronze
Ancestor worship
Oracle bones

10. India Indus River Valley Polytheistic
Major Cities: Harappa and Mohenjo Daro
Trade
Writing system has not been deciphered
Invaded by the Aryans
Introduced the Vedas (foundation of Hinduism)
Developed Caste System

11. Classical Civilizations
800 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
China
India
Mediterranean World
Greece
Rome

12. China Qin (403-221 BCE) Han (206 BC – 220 CE)
Shi Huangdi unified China through legalism, unified laws, currencies, weights and measures
Great Wall of China
Han (206 BC – 220 CE)
Centralized rule
Wu Ti – most important emperor
Civil service exams
Foreign expansion
Tribute system
Trade was important
Silk Roads
Scholar-gentry highes level in society
Key Inventions:
paper
Wheel barrow
Horse collar
Watermills

13. India Mauryan Empire (320s BC)
Chandragupta filled the vacuum left when Alexander the Great retreated from India
Ashoka
declared Buddhism the official religion
Expanded trade
Built roads and hospitals
Gupta Empires (320 CE)
Chandra Gupta I – united India
Connected to China by the Silk Roads
Indian Ocean Trade
Monsoons
Patriarchal society
Advances in mathematics such as geometry and Arabic numbers

14. Greece Polis = city-states Sparta – military society
Athens – political society; golden age; direct democracy
Persian Wars against Persia
Pelopponesian War – Sparta defeats Athens
Hellenism – Alexander the Great spreads Greek culture
Patriarchal Society
Relied heavily on slavery
Philosophers – Plato, Aristotle , and Socrates

15. Romans 509 BC – Republic Formed Punic Wars – fought against Carthage
Divided into two classes Plebians and Patricians
Punic Wars – fought against Carthage
Julius Caesar – conquered Gaul (France); declared himself emperor; killed the republic
Octavian/Augustus Caesar = Pax Romana
Accomplishments
Law of the Twelve Tables
Extensive Roads
Uniform Currency
Latin Language
Adopted Christianity as its official religion

16. Classical Civilizations
How are these different from earlier civilizations?
Geographically larger than earlier civilizations – expansionist.
Economic integration
Conquests, which led to empires
Social class distinctions
Use of iron, instead of stone tools

17. Classical comparisons
Similarities:
All agrarian
All expanding
All work hard on integration
All patriarchal
All: lower classes – most of pop.
All elites comfortable with social inequality

18. Classical comparisons
Women and education:
China: women were not to be educated – Confucius: prepare women for housework.
Upper class women in all had more possibilities
Possibly Roman women had best education of all 3.

19. Classical comparisons
Women and property ownership:
Greece
Sparta (yes)
Athens (no)
Better in Rome (late Republic)
China – Women COULD NOT own property.

20. Classical comparisons
Decline: Where was it most severe?
Rome (Western)
Least severe?
Probably India – Gupta to 1947 – no significant decline in culture, economy.

21. Classical comparisons
Which of the 3 was most likely to encounter social protest?
China!!! – Confucianism a double edged sword – higher classes deserve to be where they are UNLESS they don’t take care of the people.
Next, the Mediterranean
Least likely to have social protest: India – Caste / Hinduism kept you in your place with hope after reincarnation

22. Classical comparisons
Economic comparisons:
Which was least effective in production technology?
Mediterranean
heavy reliance on slaves stifled creativity
Greek scientists separated themselves from technology.

23. New World Religions Hinduism oldest religion Evolved, no founder Dhara
Reincarnation
Caste system
Buddhism
Siddartha Gautama (563 BC – 483 C)
Find a way to end suffering
Ashoka converted to Buddhism
Four Noble Truths
Eight-fold Path

24. New World Religions Confucianism Confucius (551-479 BC)
Developed during Era of Warring States
Believed in filial piety – respect for elders
Educated is the most worthy
Thrived during Han dynasty
Civil service exam
Hierarchy: Scholars – peasants - merhants

25. New World Religions Daoism Laozi “the way” Harmony with nature
Yin/yang
Rejected government involvement
Legalism
Strict laws and harsh punishment
Philosophy, not really a religion
Qin dynasty

26. New World Religions Judaism Christianity 2000-1000 BC
Hebrews enslaved in Egypt
Ten Commandments
1st monotheistic religion
135 CE – Romans led to Diaspora – dispersion of Jews outside of Israel
Christianity
Jesus – 4 BCE
Started as a sect of Judaism
New Testament
Edict of Milan legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire 313 CE
Spread throughout Rome

27. Trade Routes Silk Road Mediterranean Indian Ocean
Because of trade, disease spread and population declined 25%.

28. Collapse of Classical Period (200 C.E. to 600 C.E.)
Collapse of Han, Rome, Gupta (In that order - 5th and 6th centuries).
Han – internal
Gupta – external
Rome - both