PART 1EARLY

CIVILIZATION

Toward CivilizationO How did the first civilizations evolve?

O Wanderers who hunted & gatheredO Learn to make simple toolsO Settle into tiny villages (Neolithic

Period)O Developed agricultureO Tiny villages become city-based

civilizations

Beginnings of Civilization

O Eight basic features for early civilizationO CitiesO Well-organized central gov’tO Complex religionO Job specializationO Social classesO Arts & architectureO Public worksO Writing

Organized Govt’sO Farming in river valley contributed to

development of city govt’sO Why? People had to work together to

build dikes, canals & irrigation ditchesO Leadership is needed

O Bureaucracy

Social ClassesO Based on jobs

O Priests & nobles at top (Writing develops)

O Artisans or skilled craftworkersO Peasant farmersO Slaves

O Empire

Section 2 – Africa & Asia

O Egypt 5,000 years agoO River valley (Nile) of North AfricaO Rich farming civilizationO Pharoahs – Egyptian rulers organized

strong central statesO Pyramids serve as tombsO PolytheisticO Believed in an afterlifeO Had a class system

O Cultural Diffusion – new ideas, customs & technologies spread from one people to another

City-states of Ancient Sumer

O 5,000 years agoO Fertile Crescent – an arc of soil-rich

land between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers

O Region is known as MesopotamiaO City-state – political unit made up of a

city & surrounding landsO Ziggurats were popularO Social hierarchy developed (priests

highest)

City-states of Ancient Sumer Continued

O Mesopotamia – geographical crossroadsO Invaders (Sargon the Great)

O Hammurabi – king of BabylonO Published code of laws – 1st major

collection of laws in historyO Warfare & trade in Mesopotamia spread

ideas & technology in the Mediterranean worldO Ironworking became commonO Assyrian king founded the 1st libraryO Phoenicians created an alphabetO Persians improved trade by using coins

Roots of JudaismO Hebrews lived in Fertile Crescent regionO Monotheistic religionO Recorded events & laws (Ten Commandments,

in the Torah)O Prophets – spiritual leaders who urged

Hebrews to obey God’s lawO Code of Ethics – moral standards of behavior

O 1,000 B.C. Kingdom of Israel establishedO King Solomon built a temple dedicated to GodO Many invasions of Hebrew kingdomsO Diaspora – scattering of people, sending Jews

to different parts of the world

Roots of Judaism Con’tO Today considered one of the major

religionsO Influenced Christianity & IslamO In the West known as Judeo-Christian

tradition

Early Civilization in India

O India’s 1st civilization emerges in Indus Valley 2600 B.C.

O Two main cities: Mohenjo-Daro & HarrapaO Planned citiesO Plumbing systems to include baths, drains

& water chutesO Severe floods will lead to decline & cities

abandonedO People will migrate from central Asia in NW

India (Indo-European people called Aryans)

Early Civilization in India

O Vedas – collection of prayers, hymns & other religious teachings tell us info about the Aryans (Polytheistic)O Brahman – single spiritual power beyond many

gods of the Vedas & in all living thingsO Mystics – devote their lives to seeking spiritual

truthO Social classes (leads to a Caste system)

O PriestsO WarriorsO Herders, farmers, artisans & merchantsO Farmworkers, servants & other laborersO Dalits (Untouchables)

Early Civilization in China

O Isolated due to distance & physical barriersO Believed they were center of the EarthO History began in Yellow River (Huang He)

valleyO 1650 B.C. Shang came to power in N. ChinaO 1027 B.C. Zhou overthrew the Shang

O Established a dynastyO Promoted the idea of Mandate of Heaven

(divine right to rule)O Religion – complex set of beliefs (polytheistic)

O Believed universe reflected a balance between two forces, yin (linked to Earth) & yang (Heaven & male forces)

Early Civilization in China Con’t

O Science & TechnologyO Study movement of planetsO Recorded eclipsesO Created an accurate calendarO Developed bronzemaking &

silkmakingO Made books