BIRTH OF CIVILIZATION:

Technological and Environmental Transformations 8000BCE-600BCE

Big Geography and Peopling of the Earth Big Geography-

demographyglobal nature of world history

Peopling of the EarthEarly migrations – “Out of Africa” ThesisHunter/forager societies – more egalitarian

During the Paleolithic Era, hunting-foraging bands of humans migrated…

To…… Push/Pull Factors Cultural Diffusion Myth of Continents

FIRE

Hunting Foraging Protection against predators Adapt to cold environments

TOOLS

Wood Bone STONE….hence….the Stone Age

Paleolithic – Old Stone AgeNeolithic – New Stone Age

Economic Structures

Hunting/foraging bands Nomadic Cultural diffusion still occurred

Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies Settled agriculture appeared in several DIFFERENT parts of

the world in isolation

More reliable (not diversified) food supply

MASSIVE impact on environment Cultivation of plants (exclusion of others) Irrigation systems Domestication of animals (food, labor) Population increase Family groups…villages…urbanization (ex: Jericho/Catal Huyuk) Patriarchy Forced Labor Systems

Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies

Pastoralism Africa/Eurasia Pastoralists ALSO more socially

stratified than hunter-foragers (share that with Agriculturalists)

Conduit for technological change, as they interacted with settled populations

Neolithic Revolution New and More complex economic and social systems Climate change? Agriculturalists to ???? (map) Pastoralists in grasslands What crops? Cooperative work…same…but different

Requires organization, stratification, concept of private property

Impact on the environment?

Agriculture/Pastoralism began to transform human societies

Reliable, abundant food supply population increase

Specialization of labor new social classes elites

Technological improvements – pottery, plows, woven textiles, metallurgy (copper), wheels/wheeled vehicles

Elite groups accumulate wealth (new idea) hierarchical social structure patriarchy

The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral and Urban Societies

CivilizationWhat is it?Why is the term controversial?

Competition

Core and Foundational civilizations develop in a variety of geographical and environmental settings where agriculture flourished Now where could that possibly be?

The first states emerged within core civilizations States? Examples:

MesopotamiaEgyptIndus River ValleyAncient ChinaOlmecChavin

States competed for land and resourcesMesopotamia had lots of competition…why?Hittites (iron)Nubians (gold, copper, semiprecious stones)Mycenaeans

(trade)

Empire Building

Mesopotamia Babylonia Nile Valley

Pastoralists developed and disseminated new weapons and modes of transportation

New Weapons – compound bows/iron weapons

New Modes of transportation – chariots/horseback riding

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Monumental ArchitectureExamples?How does this architecture unify

populations?How does this architecture cement power?

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Elites(religious/political) promote arts and artisanship

Why? Examples? What does artisanship tell us about

societies?

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Record keeping Examples? Purpose Dissemination

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Legal Codes Example ? Purpose ? What can we learn from legal codes?

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

New Religious Beliefs Animism Ancestor worship polytheism Vedic Hebrew Monotheism Zoroastrianism

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Trade Exchanging of goods…..and… Local routes Regional routes Trans-regional routes

Culture played a significant role in unifying states through law, language, religion, myths and monumental art

Social and gender hierarchies intensified as states expanded and cities multiplied