Download 1. Neolithic Revolution [Agricultural Revolution]

Social Studies 10R
Study guide for test #1
Topics:
1. Neolithic Revolution [Agricultural Revolution]
Change from hunter-gatherers to farming
Change from nomadic life to permanent settlements
Domestication of plants and animals
Led to development of villages and later cities
Food surplus lead to increased population
2. Characteristics of Civilizations
Cities [public works]
Record keeping- writing systems allowed history to be recorded
Job specialization/social classes
Complex organizations [government and religion]
3. River Valley Civilizations
Nile, Tigris-Euphrates, Indus, Yellow
Rivers provided irrigation and transportation
Allowed early civilizations to grow and succeed
4. Mesopotamia [Fertile Crescent]
“Land between two rivers” –Tigris and Euphrates
Location of earliest civilization
a. Sumer
Organized into city-states
Polytheistic [belief in many gods]
o Built ziggurats [temples] to worship gods
Writing system [Cuneiform]- wedge shaped writing done by scribes; each
shape represents an idea
b. Babylonia
Code of Hammurabi
o First written set of laws
o Based on principle of “an eye for an eye”
c. Phoenicians
Created the alphabet based on sounds
Traded with groups along the Mediterranean
5. Egypt
Developed along the Nile River
o Nile provided fertile soil and water for irrigation
Deserts provided natural barriers
History is divided into 3 kingdoms
Viewed pharaohs as gods
Ra, sun god, most important
Belief in afterlife
o Mummification to preserve body
Hieroglyphics- writing system
Built pyramids as tombs for pharaohs
o Needed an organized government, supply of stone, excellent
math and engineering skills
6. Ancient Greece
Questions/Themes to Consider:
1. How did geography impact the people of ancient Greece?
Mountains divided Greece into different subregions-protected and isolated
Seas provided a means of transportation, communication and trade
among city-states and foreign lands
2. What were the different forms of government in the city-states?
Monarchy- rule by king
Aristocracy- rule by nobility
Oligarchy- rule by a small group of citizens
Direct Democracy- state rule by its citizens
3. In what ways were Athens and Sparta different?
Athens
Both
Sparta
Free to travel and choose
Polis (high city with
Punishment for leaving is
own profession
temples)
death
Encouraged cultural
Gods
Foreigners not allowed in
diffusion
Language
uninvited-would lead to
Education was important
Olympics
death
[boys only]
Soldiers
Direct democracy
Military training only
The arts were
Oligarchy [rule by a small
emphasized
powerful group]
Women had few rights
Weak left to die
Women had more rights
4. How was Athenian democracy limited?
Citizenship was limited to a small number of Athenians
o Women, slaves, and foreigners were not citizens and had few rights
5. How did Pericles contribute to the Golden Age of Greece?
Expansion of democracy
Flowering of the arts
Strengthening of navy
6. What were the characteristics of Greek Architecture and sculpture?
Harmony
Order
Balance
Proportion
7. What were the causes and effects of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars?
Persian War:
Cause- Athens sent help to Ionia in their revolt against Persia;
Darius was seeking revenge on Athens
Effects- Delian League formed; Athens became dominant citystate; golden age of Athens
Peloponnesian War:
Cause- hostility between Athens and other city-states-especially
Sparta
Effects- Athens lost its empire, power, and wealth; other citystates were severely weakened; Philip of Macedonia was able
to invade