Development of Civilization

Nomads -

Hunter-Gatherer -

Domestication (plants and animals ) -

Neolithic Revolution (farming) -

Flow chart on the Path to Civilization

Nomads - Humans moved from place to place in search of food.

Hunter-Gatherer - Humans hunted and gathered wild plants and other food.

Domestication (plants and animals ) - the selective growing or breeding of plants and animals to make them more useful.

Neolithic Revolution (farming) - Gave birth to civilization.

Flow chart on the Path to Civilization

Essential Questions:• What new tools and technologies did early humans develop during

the New Stone Age?• How did early agriculture develop and spread?• In what ways did the development of agriculture change Stone Age

society?

The development of agriculture was a major turning point in human history and significantly changed the way in which many people lived.

The Beginning of Agriculture

As prehistoric people developed more sophisticated tools, the Paleolithic Era gave way to the Neolithic Era.

The New Stone Age

The development of agriculture, about 10,000 years ago, radically changed how people lived. This shift to farming is referred to as the Neolithic Revolution.

Development of Agriculture

How did people benefit from farming and the domestication of plants and animals?

Answer:

How did people benefit from farming and the domestication of plants and animals?

Answer: more reliable food supply; people could pool labor and resources

• As people began to make items from bronze, the Stone Age gave way to the Bronze Age, which began as early as 3000 BC in some areas.

• Agriculture dramatically changed Stone Age societies by providing a larger and more reliable food supply.

• Some people began to live as nomadic pastoralists. • Others gave up the nomadic lifestyle and formed settlements, pooling their resources.

Agriculture Changes Society

Essential Questions:

• Why did some early villages develop into cities?

• What characterized the world’s first civilizations, and where did they develop?

• What factors cause civilizations to change over time?

From farming villages arose cities, and with them, the first civilizations, marking the beginnings of recorded history.

Foundations of Civilization

Advances in farming and changing economies caused villages to grow in size and complexity, and the first cities began to appear.

From Villages to Cities

Generally larger than villages• First known city was Uruk, in what is now Iraq• Home to 40,000–50,000 people• Covered more than 1,000 acres

More formal organization than in villages• Had defined centers, with temples and marketplaces• Had defined boundaries separating the cities from surrounding villages• Served as centers of trade for surrounding villages

Populations more diverse than in villages• Early villages consisted of extended families• Early cities included many unrelated people

Characteristics of Cities

How did early cities differ from early farming villages?

Answer:

How did early cities differ from early farming villages?

Answer: Cities were larger, more diverse, more dense, and served as trade centers.

• The development of cities gave rise to the first civilizations.

• A civilization is a complex and organized society.

• Although early civilizations differed, they had several characteristics in common.

• Specialization of labor: farmers, engineers, soldiers, artisans

• Social classes

• Record keeping and writing

• Art and architecture

Characteristics of Early Civilizations

• Developed cities

• Organized government

• Formalized religion

The first civilizations grew up independently along fertile river valleys where enough food could be produced to support a growing population.

The First Civilizations1 2

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