unit one. first people lived more than two million years ago prehistory: time before writing was...
TRANSCRIPT
EARLY RIVER VALLEY
CIVILIZATIONS
UNIT ONE
EARLY MAN First People lived more than TWO million
years ago PREHISTORY: time before WRITING was
invented Prehistoric times – also known as: OLD
STONE AGE or PALEOLITHIC AGE People were known as NOMADS {people who
moved from place to place hunting/gathering food}
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PALEOLITHIC AGE Made TOOLS & WEAPONS
{sticks/spears from stone, bone, wood} Developed LANGUAGE
{able to communicate} Used FIRE
{cooking, warmth, protection} Made CLOTHING
{using animal skins}
PALEOLITHIC NOMADS Early man lived in EAST AFRICA {present
day Ethiopia/Tanzania} Man migrated north to Europe and east to
Asia Eventually separate cultures developed – as
cultures came in contact with one another CULTURAL DIFFUSION developed
CULTUREIn prehistoric times, bands of humans that lived near one another began to develop shared ways of doing things: common
ways of dressing, Similar hunting practices Favorite animals to eat. These shared traits were the first beginnings of
what anthropologists and historians call culture. Culture is the way of life of a group of people. Culture includes common practices of a society, its
shared understandings, and its social organization. By overcoming individual differences, culture
helps to unify the group.
CULTURAL DIFFUSION Exchange of IDEAS, CUSTOMS, and GOODS
among various cultures 3 ways cultural diffusion occurs:1. MIGRATION2. TRADE3. WAR
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION Began about 10,000 years ago Environmental changes brought WARMER
WEATHER Transition from a lifestyle of hunting and
gathering to one of agriculture and settlement
Two Major Changes:1. FARMING – learned to grow land2. DOMESTICATION of ANIMALS
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION People no longer had to wander for food –
led to:A. Permanent Settlements – people sheltered together in villages B. New Social Classes –divisions in powerC. New Technology –new tools, wheel, plow, metal
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION Also known as the NEW STONE AGE Considered one of the greatest turning points
in history – changed the way people lived – from food gathering to food producing – this change is also known as the AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
CIVILIZATIONS As people began to settle in one place –
growth of villages led to cities and then rise of civilizations
Civilization Characteristics:1. ADVANCED CITIES – centers of trade for large area2. SPECIALIZED WORKERS –skills for certain work {example: traders, priests, soldiers, gov’t officials}
3. COMPLEX INSTITUTIONS – long-lasting patterns of organization {gov’t system of ruling, religion, economics, education}
4. RECORD KEEPING – organized and accurate5. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY –new tools/techniques
MESOPOTAMIA3500 BC – 1750 BC
FERTILE CRESCENT “Land Between Two Rivers”
TIGRIS and EUPHRATES RIVERS
EARLY SETTLERS 3300 B.C.
Sumerians
1.Dug irrigation ditches
2. Built City Walls
3. Traded
ZIGGURAT Pyramid shaped
monument “mountain of god” Conducted rituals
temple, sacrifices offerings to Gods
RELIGION POLYTHEISTIC Over 3000 Gods
example: ENLIL God of storms/air
Wanted Gods protection in life
EPICSEX: EPIC OF GILGAMESH
Long narrative poem celebrating deeds of heroes
SOCIAL CLASSES 1. Priests/Kings 2. Wealthy Merchants 3. Workers 4. Slaves Women- more rights than later
civilizations – hold property, pursue work, join priesthood, not allowed to attend schools – upper class could read & write
INVENTIONS WHEEL,SAIL,PLOW
WRITING, BRONZE WORKS,NUMBER SYSTEM (60)
Arithmetic 1.build city walls 2.plan irrigation systems 3.survey flooded fields
ARCHITECTURE ARCHES,
COLUMNS, RAMPS,ZIGGURAT
Writing – CUNEIFORM used clay tablets
HAMMURABI
Babylonian King 1792-1750 B.C.
Single code of laws 282 specific laws written in stone different punishments for rich/poor
EGYPT 3000 BC – 2000 BC River – NILE King Menes – united Upper/Lower
established first dynasty Egyptian God-Kings =Pharaohs Theocracy – type of govt rule is based
on religious authority
PYRAMIDS Tombs for Kings largest at Giza481 ft high 13 acres long*showed economic strength, Technology, organized govt
RELIGION POLYTHEISTIC more than
2000 gods
Ex: RE – sun god
OSIRIS – god of the dead
ISIS – goddess ideal mother & wife
MUMMIFICATION Embalming/drying
corpse to prevent decay, believed soul returns later
Buried with possessions
SOCIETY 1. King/Queen/Royal Family 2. Upper class – wealthy
landowners,gov’t officials, priests 3. Middle Class – merchants,artisans 4. Lower Class – farmers,peasants Women – many of same
rights,own/trade property,divorce
WRITING Hieroglyphics – pictures=ideas Rosetta Stone – used to decipher
writing surface - PAPYRUS
INVENTIONS/MEDICAL Calendar Geometry Cosmetics Heart/pulse rate Splints Surgery Treatment -fevers
INDUS 2500 BC – 1500 BC River – INDUS Climate –
monsoons seasonal winds; cycle of wet/dry seasons
Writing – not known have yet to decipher
HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION Planned cities –
precise grid system Citadel- protection,
temple, major buildings
PLUMBING SYSTEM
Private bathroom/toilet (brick w/wood seat)
Pipes connected carried wastewater to underground sewer system
CULTURE / TRADE Language impossible to decipher 400 symbols found on stamps/seals
Social Divisions not great Artifacts – clay/wooden toys, few weapons
Animals important part of culture Religion- link to Hinduism Traded with Mesopotamians
END OF CIVILIZATION Shifts Tectonic
Plates – earthquakes, Floods altered river
Trade-impossible
Agriculture – soil overused prevented large harvests
CHINA 2000 BC – 200 BC River – Huang He
(Yellow River) Isolation – natural
geographic barriers ex: Pacific Ocean, Himalaya Mts, Gobi Desert, Plateau of Tibet – cut off China from other civilizations
CULTURE Chinese – others
“Barbarians” Center of the world
– “MIDDLE KINGDOM”
FAMILY Family central to
society Respect for parents,
elders, men Men controlled
property Women had to obey
fathers/husbands arranged marriages
RELIGION POLYTHEISTIC Spirits of
ancestors had power
Gods were consulted through the use of “oracle bones” which predicted the future
WRITING Very complicated
10,000 characters hard to learn – time consuming – usually only the rich had time to memorize
Benefit – unified system throughout China
GOVERNMENT
Right to rule came from GODS “Mandate of Heaven” Dynastic Cycle
1st Dynasty – Shang 2nd Dynasty - Zhou
DYNASTIC CYCLE
TECHNOLOGY/TRADE Roads/Canals Coined Money Silk Tools – sickles,
knives, spades Blast furnaces –
cast iron