World History Unit 1The Rise of Civilizations

Chapter 1, Section 1Discovery of Early Humans in

Africa

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Objective of Lesson 1-1

• Understand how recent archaeological finds have contributed to our understanding of human origins.

• Understand that the migrations of prehistoric peoples resulted in their spread throughout the world

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Key Vocabulary• Hominids: the humans and human-like creatures that

preceded them.• Anthropologists: the scientific study of hominids using

bones and other remains.• Paleontologists: the study of fossil remains to determine

the characteristics of prehistoric periods• Archaeologists: investigate prehistoric life by unearthing

and interpreting the objects left behind by prehistoric people.

• Artifacts: objects that were shaped by human hands and other remains of human life such as charcoal.

• Radiocarbon dating: the process of measuring the rate of decay of radioactive carbon in organic remains.

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People to Meet

• Gen Suwa

• Tim D. White

• Donald C. Johnson

• Louis Leakey

• Mary Leakey

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Places to Locate

• Aramis

• Hadar

• Olduvai Gorge

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Discovery of Early Humans in Africa--Overview

• Prehistoric Finds in Africa

• Human Origins• The Ice Ages• Human Culture• Dating Early Artifacts• Paleolithic Hunter-

Gatherers

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Dating Early Artifacts

• Archaeologists and physical anthropologists face the problem of assigning a definite age to remains.

• Among the techniques for determining the age of remains are radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis.

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Dating Early Artifacts

• Radiocarbon dating– Organic matter includes once living things– Small amounts of carbons absorbed by living

things is radioactive– Radioactive carbon decays at a certain rate,

thus indicating when plant or animal dies– Good only for matter less than 50,000 years

old

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Prehistoric Finds in Africa

• In 1992, paleontologist Gen Suwa, in Ethiopia, discovered 4.4 million-year-old fossils belonging to the oldest direct human ancestor known.

• In 1974, again in Ethiopia, two scientists uncovered a nearly complete skeleton of a 3.2 million-year-old hominid nicknamed “Lucy”.

• In 1994 a reasonably complete skull of a Lucy-like hominid provided evidence that Lucy-like humanoids could walk upright.

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Prehistoric Finds in Africa

• Discovery of Lucy– Discovered by Donald C. Johnson and Tom

Gray– Discovered at Hadar– Named after popular Beatles song– Most nearly complete skeleton of upright

walking prehuman found to that time – A chin bone discovered in Kenya indicated

upright walking at 4 million years ago

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The First Hominids

• Australopithecus, the first prehuman hominid, lived in eastern and southern Africa about 4.4 million years ago.

• Scientists divide Homo—the genus of humans—into three species: Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Homo sapiens.

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The First Hominids

• Australopithecus lived in humid forests of eastern and southern Africa – Ate fruit, leaves, and fish– Nomadic—constant search for food– No evidence for use of tools

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Hominid Groups • Scientists used the Latin word Homo—or

human—to name hominids and later humans

• Scientists still not sure when humans became human

• Genre of humans divided into three groups– Somewhat different body structures – Arrived at different times

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Hominid Groups• Homo habilis: “person with

ability,” first of the group of hominids that lived about 3-4 million years ago.

• Homo erectus: “person who walks upright.” Lived about 1.5 million years ago.

• Homo sapien: “person who thinks.” Lived about 200,000 years ago. All people today.

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The Ice Ages• Between 2 million and

10,000 years ago, earth experienced four periods called the Ice Ages, during which only the middle latitudes were warm enough to support human and animal life.

• Early human beings adapted to the Ice Ages by migrating to warmer places or developing strategies for keeping warm.

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The Ice Ages

• Many parts of the world fell to below freezing

• Glaciers spread over several areas

• Only middle latitudes remained warm enough for animal life

• Between glacial periods, the earth warmed

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The Ice Ages

• As glaciers grew and oceans lowered by 300 feet, land bridges formed– Japan and Korea– Great Britain and Ireland– Malay Peninsula and Indonesia Islands– Asia and North America

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Migrations

• Homo erectus migrates to Europe and Asia

• Reached Indonesian Islands 1.6 million years ago.

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Human Culture• Culture includes the

knowledge a people have, the language they speak, the ways in which they eat and dress, their religious beliefs, and their achievements in art and music.

• One of the earliest cultural developments was the use of stone tools, which has led historians to apply the name “Stone Age” to the period before writing was widely established.

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The Stone Age

• Three periods based on tool making techniques– Paleolithic: Old Stone Age (2 million years

ago to 12,000 B.C.) – Mesolithic: Middle Stone Age (12,000 to

8,000 B.C.)– Neolithic: New Stone Age (8,000 to 5,000

B.C.)

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Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers• Home habilis, who lived during the Paleolithic, are the

oldest hominids known to have manufactured tools.• Home erectus, who began as food gatherers but became

hunters by developing weapons, used fire and made clothing from animal skins.

• Scientists disagree on when prehistoric peoples migrated out of Africa, but there is general agreement that Homo erectus was established in China and Europe by about 400,000 years ago.

• By 50,000 B.C. prehistoric peoples had developed language, which allowed them to exchange ideas and pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

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Homo Habilis

• Lived in Africa 2.5 million to 1.5 million years ago

• Research credited to Louis and Mary Leakey and later their son, Olduvai Leakey

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Homo Erectus

• From 1.5 million to 250,000 years ago• From Africa to Europe to Asia• Women gathered fruits; men scavenged for

“killed” meat• Men later became hunters using spears and

clubs—about 500,000 years ago

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Homo Erectus

• Learned to make fire– Protection from animals– Could live in caves—drove other animals out

with fire– Cook food– Keep warm

• Made clothing from animal skins

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Migrations

• Scientists disagree whether Homo Habilis or Homo Erectus migrated to Europe first

• Homo Erectus reached Asia and Europe

• Bones show Homo Erectus reached Java about 1.6 to 1.8 million years ago

• Skeletal remains show Homo erectus clearly established in China 460,000 years ago

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Language

• Homo Erectus may have been talking to each other about 500,000 years ago

• Language—one of humanities greatest achievements– Exchanging information on how to survive and

pass along cultural – Continuance of culture

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Section 2: The Appearance of Homo Sapiens—Overview

The Neanderthals

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

The Neolithic Revolution

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Overview of Section 2

• Homo erectus improved many aspects of life

• Homo sapiens, the first modern human species, moved the human condition forward at a faster pace

• Discovery in Zaire, Africa, shows humans used tools much earlier than thought—80,000 years ago

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Objective of Lesson Section 2

• Know some of the achievements of the earliest humans.

• Early humans produced tools and domesticate animals and crops.

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Key Vocabulary

• Domesticate: Taming an animal for human purposes.

• Deity: Neolithic peoples believed in many gods or goddesses

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People to Meet

• Neanderthals

• Cro-magnons

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Places to Locate

• Neander Valley

• Lascaux

• Vallon-Pont-d’Arc

• Jericho

• Catal Huyuk

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The Neanderthals

• Stood about 5.5 feet tall

• Brains larger than modern humans

• Stocky build—muscular– Able to adapt to colder climates

• Nomadic hunters and gatherers

• More sophisticated tools

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The Neanderthals• Neanderthals, probably the first Homo sapiens,

began spreading into Europe and Asia about 100,000 years ago from Africa

• Their tool making ability was more sophisticated that Homo erectus.

• Most lived in groups of 35-50 people, either in open-air camps or in non-permanent dwellings such as caves.

• They were culturally advanced in their care for the sick and aged and their treatment of the dead.

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens

• Homo sapiens sapiens moved from Africa and into Europe and Asia– Intermarried Neanderthals– Gradually absorbed them

• Neanderthal became extinct, leaving Homo sapiens sapiens the only hominids left on earth

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens• Most scientists believe that modern humans, or

Homo sapiens sapiens in Europe, originated in Africa about 50,000 years ago and soon came to dominate almost every continent.

• The Cro-Magnons, the earliest Homo sapiens sapiens, brought with them improved technology and a more sophisticated culture.

• The advances the Cro-Magnons made in tool making transformed human life by making long-distance travel possible and increasing the supply of food.

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens• Cro-Magnons were taller, but not as robust

• Better hunting and gathering techniques—more group oriented

• Better hunting and then fishing instruments

• Better stone axes allowed them to make canoes and travel in them long distances

• Invented long distance weapons—bow and arrow, etc

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens• The Cro-Magnons’ increased food supply had

political and social consequences, including the cooperation of unrelated bands of Cro-Magnons and the evolution of rule-making and leadership.

• Cro-Magnons at first lived in temporary structures, but as their hunting methods advanced, they built permanent communities

• The Cro-Magnons were accomplished cave painters and sculptors.

• More sophisticated burials04/19/23 38

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

• Cave paintings included accomplished artistry found in caves in Lascaux and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France– Historians disagree on painting rationale

• To educate youngsters on the finer hunting points• Reaching out to the spiritual for help in their

hunting activities

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Homo Sapiens Sapiens

• Better food supply brought higher population

• By 15,000 B.C., there were two million people on the earth

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The Neolithic Revolution

• The end of the last Ice Age brings green—forrests and grasses

• During the Neolithic period—named for its tremendous changes-- and immediately after, people gradually shifted from gathering and hunting food to producing food.

• The Mesolithic period, during which people of domesticated animals and developed farming tools, was a forerunner of the Neolithic Revolution.

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The Neolithic Revolution

• In different parts of the world, the Neolithic Revolution took place at different times and involved different crops and animals.

• Farming assured a steady food supply and enabled people to stay longer in one place, but it also required harder and longer work.

• With the development of agriculture, people began to settle in agricultural villages instead of wandering as nomads.

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The Neolithic Revolution: The Dawn of Agriculture

• Neolithic farmers made agricultural work easier and more productive by inventing the plow and fertilizing their fields.

• The relatively steady food supply quickened the pace of technological advance and led to the development of calendars, land ownership, and warfare.

• Neolithic people believed in deities with the power to hurt or help people.

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The Neolithic Revolution: The Dawn of Agriculture

• Neolithic Revolution built slowly– Began at different times in different parts of

the world– Middle East (8000 years ago)– China (5000 years ago)

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The Neolithic Revolution: The First Villages

• Food production increases population– By 4000 B.C., world population is estimated at

90,000,000

• People could settle in communities– Where soil was fertile and water abundant– Jericho: one of earliest villages; Israel

occupied West Bank; 8000 B.C.– Catal Huyuk: early village; Turkey; 6300-7000

B.C.; largest village discovered so far04/19/23 45

The Neolithic Revolution: Technological Advances

• Invented the plow and trained animals to pull

• Invented the loom and the wheel

• Baked clay to construct buildings

• Hammered metals for jewelry and weapons

• The Iceman

• Calendars created to track agriculature04/19/23 46

The Neolithic Revolution: Technological Advances

• Boundaries became important and warfare over boundaries was probable

• Believed in deities, gods and goddesses

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SECTION 3, EMERGENCE OF CIVILIZATION

River Valley Civilizations

The Economy of a Civilization

The Rise of CitiesSystems of Values

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Lesson 1-3 Objectives

• Understand that the earliest civilizations begin with the evolution of farming settlements into the first cities.

• Know the kinds of economic, political, and social changes that resulted from the rise of cities.

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Key Vocabulary• Civilization: The term comes from the Latin term

“civitas” meaning “city.” A civilization is a highly organized society with an advanced knowledge of farming, trade, government, art and science.

• Economy: The ways in which people use their environment to meet their material needs.

• Artisan: Workers skilled in a craft. Artisans usually work with their hands.

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Key Vocabulary

• Cultural diffusion: The exchange of goods and ideas when cultures come in contact with one another.

• Myth: Traditional stories about how the earth was formed, how people came into being, and what they owed their creator

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River Valley Civilizations

• Many early civilizations arose from farming settlements in river valleys.

• Early river valley civilizations depended on the specialization of labor, advanced technology, a government to coordinated large-scale cooperative efforts, and a shared system of values and beliefs.

• Some societies remained as small agricultural villages or hunter-and-gatherer bands.

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River Valley Civilizations

• Four river valley civilizations – The Nile River: northeast Africa, present day

Egypt – The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers: present day

Iraq– Indus River: South Asia, present day India– Huang He: East Asia, present day China

• What gave river valleys the upper hand in developing into civilizations?

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The Economy of a Civilization

• An economy is the way people use their environment to meet their material needs

• Economy depends on farmers growing surplus food

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The Economy of a Civilization: First Irrigation Systems

• Farmers could develop a surplus of crops because early civilizations built massive irrigation systems and dikes and dams to prevent flooding.

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The Economy of a Civilization: Specialized labor

• Workers skilled in a craft, called artisans, became increasingly productive and creative.

• The period that follows the Stone Age is known as the Bronze age because bronze replaced stone as the chief material for weapons and tools.

• Expensive, bronze was used by kings, priests, and soldiers.

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The Economy of a Civilization: Specialization of Labor

• Jewelry, eating utensils, weapons and other goods were hammered out of copper, lead, and gold

• Alloys were made from various metal mixtures—bronze was the most important—made from copper and tin– Weapons– Tools

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The Economy of a Civilization: Long-Distance Trade

• At first trading with own communities• Land routes emerged• Long-distance trade accompanied the rise of

early civilizations.• People became adept at handling wind power

and navigating rivers• Goods and ideas were shared across cultures

world wide: cultural diffusion• 04/19/23 58

Living Together in Cities: Planning and Leadership

• As civilizations grew more prosperous and complex, cities faced the need to supervise and protect agriculture and trade. Nomads would raid cities

• Early city dwellers fixed these problems in two ways: they organized a groups of government officials to act as supervisors, and they hired professional soldiers to guard their territory and trade routes.

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Living Together in Cities: Planning and Leadership

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Living Together in Cities: Levels of Social Standing

• Ruling class: government leaders, military officials, priests, and often king, justified its power by means of religion.

• Archaeological studies show evidence of levels of social standing.

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Living Together in Cities: Invention of Writing

• Many archaeologists think that writing originated with the records that priests kept of religious offerings.

• First writings were pictographs—combination of marks and pictures

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Systems of Values

• Among the materials recorded by the priesthoods in early civilizations were myths—traditional stories-- explaining how the world was formed, how people came into being, and what they owed their creator.

• Creation myths, found in every civilization, are often examined by historians for evidence of a people’s customs and values. 04/19/23 63

Systems of Values

• The Sumerians of the Tigrus and Euphrates River Valley wrote their myth of creation on clay tablets

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In Class Discussion

• List at least four main ideas about the first civilizations

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