The Americas’ first inhabitants developed the basis for later American civilizations.
Early Civilizations - Anderson Preparatory AcademyEarly Civilizations •Developed along riverbanks...
Transcript of Early Civilizations - Anderson Preparatory AcademyEarly Civilizations •Developed along riverbanks...
Early Civilizations UNIT 1
Unit 1 - Outline
• Birth of Civilizations
• Mesopotamian Civilizations
• Ancient Egypt
• Civilizations of Early India
• Early Chinese Civilization
• Mediterranean World
Birth of Civilizations
Essential Question:
What factors play a role in the beginning of civilizations?
Looking at History
• Primary Source
–Original, first-hand account of an event or time period
–Usually written or made during or close to the event or time period
–Original, creative writing or works of art
–Factual, not interpretive
Looking at History
• Secondary Source
–Analyzes and interprets primary sources
–Second-hand account of an historical event
–Interprets creative work
Q1: What is the
difference between
humans and
animals?
Old Stone Age
• This time period is known as the Paleolithic Era and is a time a of development
• Mankind is known as hominids
• The difference between animals and hominids:
– Animals adapt to the environment
– Hominids adapt environment to themselves
Migration
• As humans start to repopulate and they begin migrating
• Migration – moving from place to place
• These people are known as nomads
– Move in search of food
– Warmer weather
Life of Nomad
• Moving from place to place
• Hunters
–Men hunted (dangerous)
–Used stampeding tactics
• Small Activity
• Gatherers
–Women (safer)
–Looking for food (berries, mushrooms, nuts, etc.)
Paleolithic Feats
• Development of:
– Tools
– Fire
– Language
– Social Groups
• Major accomplishment of Paleolithic people was populating the Earth.
Paleolithic Shift
• People were hunter-gatherers until they discovered farming.
• When they shifted to farming this is known as the Neolithic Revolution
• Revolution = essentially means change
Neolithic Revolution
• Neolithic Revolution –is a change from hunting and gathering to farming and herding
• Leads to 2 big things:
1. Population growth
2. Creation of cities
Q2: How does
farming lead to
a civilization?
Settling Down
• Developing the ability to farm created a surplus of food
– Large supply
• Surplus of food = ability to settle down
• Early settlements started in the Fertile Crescent.
– Middle East
– Mesopotamia
Early Civilizations
• Developed along riverbanks for several reasons:
– Irrigation
– Trade
– Flooded Yearly
• As cities developed other things also did:
– Job Specialize
– Cultural Diffusion
– Social Classes
Recap
• Hunters & Gatherers Farming
• Farming Surplus
• Surplus Settlements
• Settlements Social Class, Jobs, Culture
Q3: What is a
civilization?
Characteristics of a Civilization
Mesopotamia
Essential Question:
Why are major water sources important for cities?
Mesopotamia
• Area in the Fertile Crescent where the first civilizations started
• Main Rivers
– Tigris
– Euphrates
• Also known as the land between two rivers
– Many advantages
Sumer
• Controlled the spring floods of the Tigris and Euphrates
• These rivers deposited silt in their fields – Soil with enriched nutrients and
minerals
• They developed levees to control floods that were sometimes unpredictable
Sumerian Influence
• Earliest form of writing – cuneiform
• Epic of Gilgamesh
• Worshipped many different gods (polytheism) depending on region
• Created ziggurats for priests to worship
Q4: What are some
fables/stories that
you heard as child
and their meaning?
Sumerian Turmoil
• Government – many different city-states with their own kings
• Conquered by Sargon of Akkad
• United Sumer and Akkad into an empire until Sargon’s death
Babylon
• United Sumer and Akkad into an empire
– Government that controls a large amount of land with many different peoples
• Hammurabi was Babylon’s most effective leader and created:
– Permanent Army
– Bureaucracy
– System of Laws
Hammurabi’s Code
• “Eye for and eye, and a tooth for a tooth”
• Collection of 282 Laws inscribed on a stele
• Laws help unify and bring people together effectively
• Gave women some rights in society
Q5: What is the
importance of laws
in society? Pros &
Cons?
Persians
• Nomadic Peoples
• Skilled in war and the use bows and horses
• Modern-day Iran
• Conquered much of the Fertile Crescent until Alexander the Great
Persian Rule
• Did not interfere with existing traditions and religions
• Merciful who cooperated with local rulers
• Standardized weights and coinage
• Expanded trade routes by creating roads
Persian Rule
• Broke up the empire into 20 provinces called satrapies
• These were ruled by local governors called satraps
• They carried out laws and were the eyes and ears of the empire
Zoroastrianism
• First monotheistic religion
• Founded by Zoroaster who’s teachings were put into their holy book called the Avesta
• Focused on the struggle between good and evil (dualism)
Q6: Do we still focus
on the difference
between good and
evil today?
Ancient EgyptEssential Question:
Why has Egyptian culture and history withstood the test of time?
The Nile
• Life source for all of Egypt– Food
– Trade
– Irrigation
– Predictable Flooding
• Surrounding area is a desert
• One of the only rivers that flows North
Government
• Centralized government around the Pharaoh of Egypt
• Pharaoh’s were more than a leader and seen as gods and had unlimited power
• Famous ones:–Hatshepsut
–Ramses II
–Tutankhamen
Q7: What contributions
from the Egyptians do
you know and their
importance?
Egyptian Advancements
• Pyramids
• Papyrus
• Hieroglyphics
• Calendar
Egyptian Religion
• Polytheistic
• Continued to culture a belief in the afterlife
• Your actions are weighed and it determines if you go to “heaven/hell”
• Religion integrated into government and the rule of the Pharaoh
Ancient India
Essential Question:
How has India developed like other River Valley Civilizations?
Geography
• Civilization based around the Indus River
• Society is based on the pastoral method of moving and herding animals
• Himalayan Mountains
• Monsoons
Early India
• People known as Aryans
• They created a social class system known as the Varnas
–Also known as a caste system
• Like other societies they based themselves off their religion and holy scriptures called the Vedas
Ancient China
Essential Question:
How did the Chinese influence early government styles?
Geography
• Early cities develop along the Yellow River
• Mountain ranges act as natural defense and provide fresh water
• Powerful dynasties are starting to emerge
Shang Dynasty
• Nomadic Warriors
• Feudalistic Government
• Social Classes
• Polytheistic with a heavy emphasis on family
Zhou Dynasty
• Created what is known as the “Mandate of Heaven”
– Gods gift the emperor the right to rule
• Developed iron in China
• Created a legal system that put laws in place
Q8: How could the
Mandate of Heaven
help leaders?
Mediterranean
Essential Question:
Why did the Mediterranean aid in the process of diffusion?
Phoenicians
• Greatest Sailors and Traders in the region
• Had many specialized good to sell (ex. Purple dye, pottery, etc.)
• Importance today – Created the alphabet we know and use
– Since the traded with everyone this alphabet spread
Hebrews
• Tribe originates in Canaan – nomadic
• These people start a new civilization known as Israelites
• Commonly known as Jews
• Leads to one of the most significant contributions in the world
Q9: What major
contribution did the
Jewish people give
the world?
Judaism - Monotheism
• The Hebrews believed in a single god named Yahweh
• Single god
• Omnipotent
• Creator of everything
• Written text in the Torah/Old Testament
Judaism Foundations
• Abraham – main prophet who spreads religion
• Moses – prophet who receives the 10 Commandments
• Commandments influence laws of the land
– Laws are building blocks of society
• Jerusalem as Holy City
Q10: What else did
Judaism have an
influence on in
current times?
Other Med. Civilizations
• Minoans & Mycenaean's
• Northern European Settlements
• Not much is known about these civilizations
– No written documents that we understand
• Stories & Monuments
– Atlantis
– Stonehenge