Chapter 1Aliyah Ouro-Akondo

Before Civilization

The first signs of civilization were presented in Egypt and Mesopotamia.

In 1940 in southern France a cavern was found that had carvings and paintings on the walls.

The Stone Age

The stone age lasted about from 2 million years ago which lasted from then to around 4,000 years ago

It was split up into 2 phases.• Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)• Neolithic (New Stone Age)

Paleoithic (The Old Stone Age)

Period when humans were hunter-gathers also know as “foragers”

Hunter-Gathering was a system where the men hunted for meat and women gathered fruits,seeds,berries,edible roots etc

Bands of around 50 people migrated seasonally, Following where herds of animals moved or to collect seasonally ripening plants,fruits,roots.

Neolithic (The New Stone Age) People were still using stone tools and started

settling in to permanent encampments as to when they would migrate in the Paleolithic age

The stone tools they used were more complex and defined

People started getting more artistic, This is when people started pottery, basket waving.

People started to domesticate animals to help them with their farm work, gathering things.

Diseases spread

Mesopotamia

Located in between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers

City-State Agriculture from the Neolithic period

didn’t reach Mesopotamia until later because the region was very dry and not suitable for farming

After 3000 B.C.E canals were made to bring water to the fields

Natural Resources

Date Palms: Food,fiber and wood Garden Plots: Used for Vegetables Reeds: Used as raw material to make

mats,baskets,huts and boats Fish: Meat,nutrion Goats: Milk

Mesopotamian Life Religiously they were Polytheistic and

believe in different god with each natural elements.

People lives in villages, In huts. In villages families would live together and

work together to continue to live men protecting the women, and women doing basic household chores

If a major village was successful sometimes smaller villages would merge with them

They harvested twice a year.

The opened new land for their farming but building canals that directed water to dry fields

They had centers, which were like the kings palace.

The kings responsibilities included• Repairing irrigation channels• Guarding property rights• Warding of foreign attacks• Establishing justice

A few city-states had strong enough kings who took over other city-states next to them.

Sargon who was the ruler of Akkad took over Sumer in 2350 B.C.E and united the two city-states

They adopted cuneiform as their main writing system which was used to communicate in letters,taxes,official documents etc.

The Akkadian empire fell in around 2230 B.C.E

The language and culture of Sumerians came back after the fall of the Akkadian empire under the third dynasty of Ur (2112-2004 B.C.E)

Communication grew rapidly and became quicker with messengers,new roads.

Writing was practiced, They had a calender,weights and measure etc

The Third dynasty Of Ur had to protect itself from the nomadic Semitic Amorites, They had done a good job at first but then the armories teamed up with and Elamite attack and brought down the third dynasty of Ur.

After they took over the founded a new city in Babylon.

Afterwards Hammurabi took over and he made the military stronger and established the Hammurabi code.

Ancient Egypt

Natural Resources Nile River provided

water,mud,papyrus Papyrus were used to make good

sails,ropes and papyrus paper Clay that they used for art pottery

could be found anywhere Copper and Turquoise were close and

used to make jewelry ,sold for money,trade etc

Farming

Farming of Egypt started in 5500 B.C.E

The farmers relied on the flooding of the nile which took place in September.

They also relied on domesticated plants and animals

Kings The ancient Egyptians did have their

king (Referred to as a “Pharaoh”) at the top of their social hierarchy pyramid

Egyptians believed that their pharaoh was god on earth, they believed in incarnation

The pharaoh had maintained ma’at The egyptains tried to sustain the

kings spirt for the afterlife.

Hireoglyphics A system of writing that had been started

in the early dynasty period. It was a picture or symbol that represented

words, sounds or syllables. By 2500 B.C.E a cursive script had been

developed. The writing on papyrus paper was used on

everything, like literacy one love poetry, hymns. Aside from that it was also used for administrative keeping, and instructions

Ancient Egyptian Life

As opposed to Meso,A higher percentage of Egyptians lived on farming villages

Wealthiest people cultivated the land Ancient Egypt had variety because of the

different types of Africans that they had from all over

There is very scare info what women did in the social structure. But with it, It is evident that they were more respected, had social freedom and treated better then women in Mesopotamia and other ancient societies .

Religon

They were Polythestic Believed in different gods who controlled

different aspects of their nature They had temples that the kings would

bulikd for them to serve the gods. They would bring all sorts of gifts

Very religious, Remembered the gods everyday and went to the temples often

Believed in the after life and prepared loved ones extensively for it after they died.

The Indus Valley

Natural Enviorment

Twice a year the Indus river flooded surrounding areas

Snowmelt from the Himalayan mountains feeds the flood in spring

In august monsoons brought rain from the south west to feed a second flood

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