1. Toward Civilization
Prehistory – 3000 BC

2. 2 Million Yrs Ago:
Early humans first began using stone tools

3. 30,000 BC
Stone Age people create cave paintings… artistic representations of the world is a sign of complex, abstract thought and points to spiritual and emotional connections to their world. The oldest found are in the Lascaux caves in France

8. 18,000 BC
The latest Ice Age hit. Huge glaciers spread across parts of Europe, Asia, and N. America

9. Homo Neanderthalensis
Neanderthal emerged in Europe and western Asia as early as 350,000 years ago. Neanderthal is not our direct ancestor, but we share a common earlier ancestor. They existed as recently as 33,000 yrs ago and most of their existence lasted though the harshness of the Ice Age… they were tough! but not tough enough to outlast the Cro-magnon people (our direct ancestors).

12. 9,000 BC
The Neolithic/Agricultural Revolution begins independently and simultaneously in key places and civilizations, changing human existence forever.

13. 3,000 BC
River valley civilizations emerge (as the agricultural revolution grows in sophistication). Some grow in power and influence, develop complex systems of government, religion, military might, and systems of writing… history and knowledge are preserved for the first time.

14. Agricultural Hearths

15. What is “Civilization”
For the purposes of this class and history, civilization refers to:
Permanent settlement that continues to develop
An organized system of government
Social organization
Division of labor
Developed language, art, customs, traditions, writing
Systems of defense

16. How do the First Civilizations begin?
Creation of city-states… some ancient rulers became powerful enough to conquer and control areas immediately surrounding their home town/city
First Empires… the conquering and combining of several city-states creates an empire

17. So, if people weren’t writing till 3000 BC, how do we know what happened prior?
Anthropology: the study of the origins and development of people and their societies.
Archaeology: (a part of Anthropology) that studies people and their cultures by studying their material remains for clues as to who they were and what they were all about.
Historical Detection: using what we do know to make connections to things we want to know. (just like detective work)

18. Culture develops Language is written Religion becomes more complex
Government becomes more organized
Technology increases MUCH more quickly
Architecture develops
Art becomes more sophisticated
Economy (trade) develops… which will later become the reason for contact and cultural exchange between very different cultures at vast distances.
Job specialization increases

19. How does Culture Spread?
A process called cultural diffusion…
the spread of ideas, customs, and technologies from one people to another
Cultural diffusion often takes place when two cultures trade, make war, make peace, are forced together by natural disasters…

20. How has YOUR Culture benefited from Cultural Diffusion?
Are there elements of our culture that did not originate with us, but we have adopted and made our own?

24. Sanskrit
Sanskrit, developed by the Sumerians, was the first known written language. Sumer was in Mesopotamia

25. pictograms
Egyptian hierogliphics

26. Complex Religion Most all early religions were polytheistic
Spirit world, temples, sacrifices, priests/priestesses, ceremonies, dances, art
GOVERNMENT; religion used to guide behavior, organize populations, and meet goals
Reason and understanding of a confusing world. Religion used to answer “why?”