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Most of History on a Single Slide • Paleolithic era (250,000 to 12,000 years ago) – – – – The big idea: initial settlement of the earth Small, close-knit societies of hunter-gatherers Hit a population limit Small does not mean bad • Neolithic revolution (12,000 to 4,000 years ago) – Change from food gathering to food producing • Pastoralism, then agriculture – Big changes to human lifestyles • Surplus divisions of labor, population growth • Need to organize governments • Cultural changes: inequalities, religion – New knowledge of metals = Bronze Age Jericho & Catal Huyuk What makes it a civilization? (and not just a bunch of people) • • • • • • • Surplus of food Specialization Social classes Cities Governments Long-distance trade (between civs) Organized writing systems – Exception: the Inca Look at the social, the political, the economic “Civilized” versus “uncivilized” The Emergence of Civilizations • First civilizations develop in river valleys – Rivers help civilization grow: nutrients, animal & plant life, transportation – Cultural hearths • Four river valley civilizations between 3000-2000 bce – – – – Mesopotamia Egypt India China TIGRIS-EUPHRATES • Mesopotamia (land between rivers) • • • • Harsh heat, drought; unpredictable floods Few natural resources; no wood No natural defensive areas such as hills Area open to invasion by nomads • People in area must • • • • Provide permanent food supply Regulate, provide permanent water supply Provide defense against invaders Acquire materials such as timber, minerals TIGRIS-EUPHRATES “Necessity is the mother of invention” Sumer in S. Iraq: first civilization (5000 bce) • Create cuneiform, the first writing • City-states ruled by priests and kings • Wars over irrigated farmland • Land-owning aristocracy dominate; most of the population were farmers or slaves • Polytheistic religion tied to nature LATER MESOPOTAMIANS • Cycle of Civilization • • • • Nomads come in and conquer sedentary people Conquerors assimilate local sedentary culture New civilization blends cultures, thrives for a while “New” civilization grows old, invaded by nomads • Akkadian “First” • First Empire • Sargon conquered all of Sumer • Babylonian “First” • City at junction of Tigris-Euphrates • Hammurabi’s Law Code • Epic of Gilgamesh MESOPOTAMIA AS A CHART HUANG-HE (YELLOW) RIVER • Developed in isolation • Along lower Yellow River • Rich loess soil • Constantly flooding • First Dynasties • Control of flooding critical • Xia Dynasty (Mythical?) • God-like kings • Taught irrigation, silkmaking • Shang Dynasty • Warlike kings, landed aristocracy; few priests • Most people worked land as peasants • Elaborate bronze workings; naturalistic art CHINESE WRITING • Originated during Shang • Ideographic • Writing denotes ideas • First used on Oracle Bones • • • • Priests asked gods questions Wrote questions on bones Tossed into fire Cracks read by priests (divination) • Elitist technique = scholar-bureaucrats • Extremely difficult to read • Required well-educated class to use • Only elite had time to learn • Cuneiform, hieroglyphs had similar effects MANDATE OF HEAVEN • Chinese political idea • • • • Rulers exercise power given by heaven Rulers continue to rule if heaven pleased Heaven will take back mandate to rule Heaven will replace ruling dynasty • Indicators of a Lost Mandate • • • • Wars, invasions, military disasters Over-taxation, disgruntled peasants Social, moral decline of elite classes Increased crime, banditry DYNASTIC CYCLE • One ruling family replaces another • The Dynasty Changes • Due to the loss of the Mandate of Heaven • Stages in Cycle • • • • New dynasty arises, takes control of China Strengthens rule, reestablishes prosperity, peace Weakens, becomes lazy, problems arise Invasions, revolts toss out reigning dynasty • Shang replaces Xia, Zhou replaces Shang HOW THE CYCLE AND MANDATE WORK TOGETHER THE NILE RIVER • Society very different from Sumer • Nile flooded regularly, predictably • Provided rich soil, Easy soil to farm • Civilization regulated flooding, surveying • Location isolated • Pharaoh was considered god-king • • • • Theocracy, almost absolute Built pyramid tombs for dead Egypt unified for most of history Queen Hatsheput • Achievements • Mathematics especially geometry; architecture • Astronomy and medicine • Hieroglyphics INDUS VALLEY • Arose around 2,500 BCE • Main Cities • Mohenjo Daro • Harappa • Hundreds of other settlements • Independent city-states, strong government • Extremely well-planned, coordinated cities • Elaborate writing system (undeciphered) • Religion • Worshipped mother goddess • Evidence of priestly class and temples • Collapse • • • • Little evidence of warfare until end Devastated by environmental upheavals Destroyed by Indo-European (Aryan) nomads Cities abandoned MEANWHILE, IN AMERICAS Olmec around Gulf of Mexico, 1200bce Used rainfall for agriculture Cities are centers of trade, religion Priests and ruling class over others Giant stone heads (as tall as 2 Mr. Storcks!) Chavin off coast of Peru, 900bce Two major regions: mountains and coast Trade routes running through mountains CONTRAST: Neither are river valleys HERITAGES • First heritages • • • • • Passed thru children Writing systems inherited Intellectual systems, art copied Religious, philosophical systems copied Useful inventions rarely forgotten, easily spread • River valley civilizations decline by 1000BCE • All subject to nomadic invasions • Indo-Europeans and Semites were strongest • Geographical centers shifted (all except China) • Political Structures often not continued CIVILIZATION SPREADS • Phoenician Sailors in Lebanon • City-states traded across Mediterranean • Invented 22-letter alphabet • Asia Minor • Hittites introduced Iron • Lydians introduced coinage to area • Hebrews in Palestine • • • • Large Semitic migration in area There is only one God speaking through prophets, priests God made a covenant with the Jews, his Chosen people Ethical monotheism • Conduct determines salvation • Man is not eternally damned if he follows God’s rules, repents NOMADS: BARBARIANS? • Pastoralism • • • • Domestication of animals Way of life based on herding Often on fringes Bordered settled areas • Seen as savages • Interaction vs. conflict • Nomads traded, coexisted with settled areas • Nomads warred on, conquered settled areas • Often protected merchants, allowed trade • Prior to 1500 BCE little major threat • Chariot Peoples (Central Asian Indo-Europeans) • Domesticated horse, invented chariot, iron weapons • Pushed into SW Asia, S. Asia, E. Asia, Europe • Responsible for spread of ideas, trade