1. History Condensed

2. 1.6 billion B.C. (B.C.E.) or so ……………birth of planet earth 2.2 million years ago ……………….man-like creatures appear 3.100,000 B.C. …………………….humans appear 4.7500 B.C. ………………………beginning of civilization (agriculture) This was considered the beginning of civilization because… people didn’t have to hunt for their food; they could grow it. This meant that they had time to develop things like government, the arts, etc.

3. 5.3500 B.C. …………………….. Writing appears The first writing was done by the Sumerians and was called cuneiform Not real Sumerians…

4. They used to call anything before this prehistoric, but then they changed the name to preliterate. Why? “Prehistoric” means “before history.” Since there really isn’t anything before history, they changed the name to “preliterate” which means before writing.” Example of cuneiform

5. Ancient Civilizations Egyptians – Nile. The Nile would flood predictably. They knew when it was going to happen Sumerians – Tigris and Euphrates Rivers  The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers would NOT flood predictably. Sometimes there would be no flooding; sometimes there would be TONS of flooding.

6. Sumerians

8. Nile River -- Egyptians

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMJiibdVYjE Example of how bad the flooding can be in this part of the world… It causes huge mud slides

11. 6.2000 B.C. to 550 A.D. …………Rise of Classical Civilizations Examples: Greece (Athens, Socrates, democracy, gods like Zeus…) Rome (Republic, Caesar, Roman Empire)

12. The Acropolis in Greece at night

13. Julius Caesar Roman Empire

14. 7.500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. …..European Middle Ages Also called Medieval or Dark Ages Feudalism existed Divine Right of Kings: Kings were supposedly ordained or chose by God to be king. This meant ordinary people could never be rulers. Serfs, knights, Crusades The Pope had tremendous power

15. Middle Ages medicine

16. 8.1350 to 1600 A.D. ………… the Renaissance (“rebirth”) Art, literature, architecture, theater The Reformation and Martin Luther Exploration Machiavelli wrote a book about government called The Prince

17. Renaissance Art

18. Martin Luther rebelling against the Catholic Church