1. Pre-History & the Dawn of Civilization
Paleolithic Age: 2.5 Million – 8000 B.C.E. ↓
Neolithic Age: 8000 B.C.E. – 3500 B.C.E.
The Rise of River Valley Civilizations
Essential Questions
How do we study pre-history?
From what did man evolve, how & why?
What was life like during the Paleolithic Age?
How did the Neolithic/Agricultural revolution affect people?
What makes something a civilization?

2. How do we study pre-history? I. Pre-Historic Terms
History = the study of man’s past politically, socially and economically
Pre-History = prior to written records.
Pre-History is broken down into two basic periods:
Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) 2.5 million to 8000 B.C.E.
Neolithic (New Stone Age) 8000 B.C. to 3500 B.C.E
How do we study pre-historic times? = through multiple sciences
Archeology = Artifacts – Items made by human hands (example = )
Paleontologists = Fossils – Remains or impressions made by carbon based life forms (example = )
Radio Carbon Dating (Carbon 14) – up to 100,000 years old
Willard Libby (1948) Nobel Prize Winner
Carbon-14 radioactive half-life in FOSSILS is measured to determine age.
Other sciences necessary to study pre-history.
Anthropology =
Botany =
Zoology =
Geology =
Geography =

3. From what did man evolve, how & why? II. The Origins of Man - Evolution
Humanlike Traits:
Which was the most influential development?
a. the use of an opposable thumb = benefits - ________
b. bipedal motion (hominids) = ______ , benefits - ______
c. The “Organ of Civilization” = ______, benefits - advanced thought (development of tools/weapons)
Evolution – each developed a skill set that advanced them past the one before
Australopithecus Africanus (3.8 – 3 million years ago)
Lucy = discovered (1973) by Donald Johanson
Homo Habilis – “skillful man” – first tool maker
(2.5 million years ago)
Homo Erectus – “up right man” – discovered use of fire
(2.3 million years ago)
ex. Neanderthals (200,000-40,000 years ago)
Homo Sapien – “thinking man” – most resemble today’s humans
ex. Cro-Magnons (150,000 – 100,000 years ago)

4. Nomadic - Hunter/gatherers =
What was life like during the Paleolithic Age? III. Paleolithic Age 2.5 million – 8000 B.C.E.
Paleolithic Culture
Nomadic - Hunter/gatherers =
Tool Making = 3 steps – utilize, fashion & standardize
Paleolithic Achievements
Invention of tools (stone, tempered wood, bone)
Discovered the use of fire (light, warmth, cooking, protection) – who?
Established a spoken language (knowledge, skills, ideas, events)
Cave Art
Environmental Change
During the last 1.8 million years = 4 Great Ice Ages.
Last Ice Age = ended about 10,000 years ago.
Average temperature rose 9 degrees = polar ice caps reduced to only 1/12th (from 1/3) of the earth’s surface.
Warming trend is believed to have ushered in the Neolithic Revolution.

5. Neolithic Advancements Neolithic Achievements
How did the Neolithic/ Agricultural Revolution affect people? IV. Neolithic Age (8000 – 3500 B.C.) (food gathering → food producing) (shared thoughts through spoken langauge)
Neolithic Advancements
Domestication (taming)
a. Farming
b. Herding
Food Surplus = ?
Population Increases
Villages are Established
Sedentary Lifestyle
Artisans Develop (Division of Labor)
Trade Begins
Neolithic Achievements
Inventions
Wheel
Plow
Baked Brick/Pottery
Spinning Thread / Weaving Cloth / Making Sails
Begin working with metal
The 1st metal was copper
The 2nd metal was an alloy of copper + tin = bronze

6. Complex Institutions = developed to address needs of large population.
What makes something into a civilization? V. 5 Characteristics of Civilization (SCAAR)
Specialized workers = division of labor & class system - priests, artisans, laborers
Complex Institutions = developed to address needs of large population.
Government
Laws =
Defense =
Organization =
Religion = closely tied to early government
Ruler = god
Laws = Commands of the gods.
Taxes = support the Temple.
Advanced Cities = urban centers, architecture
Culture: what human group acquire by living together = knowledge, skills, language, religion, law, art & Literature.
Advanced Technology
The wheel, plow, sail
The Bronze Age = replaced cooper & stone → armor
Record Keeping

7. Why did people first begin to organize civilizations, in river valleys
Why did people first begin to organize civilizations, in river valleys? VI. River Valleys: Location of 1st Civilizations
Why River Valleys?
Water Source – Humans, livestock and crops
Food Source – Fish
Fertile Soil – Minerals from flooding rivers
Transportation – Water serves avenues of trade.
The Original Four River Valley Civilizations (different cultures, one shared experience)
Sumerian Civilization
in southern Mesopotamia between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Egyptian Civilization
in the Sahara Desert in North Africa along the Nile River.
Indian Civilization
in modern day Pakistan along the Indus River.
Chinese Civilization
in the North China Plain between the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.
Climate Zones?

8. - civilization vs. culture = patterns of learning and behavior
Why did people first begin to organize civilizations, in river valleys? VI. River Valleys: Location of 1st Civilizations
Social Organization
- civilization vs. culture = patterns of learning and behavior
Family = basic social unit
Extended Family = communal land
Clan = group of extended families that shared common ancestors
Totem = symbol of family or clan (ex. Animal, stone, etc.) – St. Ignatius? _____________
Tribe = a number of clans – common speech, culture, territory & chief
Religion = animism – a belief that everything on earth possess a spirit