Download chapter 1 stone age societies and the earliest civilizations of the

CHAPTER 1

STONE AGE SOCIETIES AND THE
EARLIEST CIVILIZATIONS OF THE
NEAR EAST
The Development of
Humankind
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Most of human existence is prehistory.
Apes to humans: hominids, Homo
habilis, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens.
Preliterate Cultures
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Practical intelligence makes up for
physical limitations
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Paleolithic Culture: making and using tools
The Neolithic Revolution and Advent of
Agriculture.
Preliterate Society and
Religion
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Social Organization: elementary and
extended families.
Customs, laws, and democracy organize
early societies.
All of these advances occurred in
different places on earth at different
times.
Mesopotamia: The First
Civilization
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Historians argue about how to define a
civilization.
A stable community, agriculture,
architecture and writing
6,000 B.C.E. The southern part of
Mesopotamia, in Sumer.
Man vs. The Environment.
The Emergence of Civilization
in Sumer
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c. 3200-2800 B.C.E.
Development of language, pottery
wheel, wheeled vehicle.
The Old Sumerian Period
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2800-2300
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B.C.E.
Constant warfare erupts between cities.
Theocracy
Political upheaval arises as the result of
despotic abuse of power.
Slavery
The Akkadian Period
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C. 2300-2150 B.C.E.
Sargon I, ruler of Akkadian empire that
stretched from the Persian Gulf to the
Mediterranean Sea.
The Neo-Sumerian Period
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c. 2150-2000
B.C.E.
Characterized by the restoration of order by the Third
Dynasty of Ur.
Religion as “arm of the state.”
The Old Babylonian Period
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c. 2000-1600 B.C.E.
Hammurabi and his code.
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Mathematics and Society
Literature and Religion
The End of an Era
Egypt: Gift of the Nile
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One of Africa’s earliest civilizations.
Attachment to the Nile River.
Predynastic Egypt
The Old Kingdom
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c. 2700-2200 B.C.E.
All power becomes central: the
pharaoh.
Pyramids
The Middle Kingdom
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2050-1800 B.C.E.
The Eleventh and Twelfth Dynasties
restore order.
Hyksos of western Asia rule much of
Egypt.
The New Kingdom or Empire
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c. 1570-1090 B.C.E.
The “aggressive state” and Thutmose II
Third Intermediate Period
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c. 1090-332 B.C.E.
Amon priesthood ruled Upper Egypt
Libyans from the west ruled central
Egypt.
Dynasty of merchant princes in the the
Delta.
Nubia and the Kingdom of
Kush
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1600 B.C.E.
Kingdom of Kush developed, relying
mostly on the Nile and agriculture.
Also united Egypt with African societies
to the south and east.
Eventually absorbed by the Ethiopian
kingdom c. 400 C.E.
Egyptian Society and Economy
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Social organization
Economy
Religion
Mathematics and Science
Monumentalism in Architecture
Sculpture and Painting
Writing and Literary Texts
The Hittites
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c. 2000-1200 B.C.E.
Probably entered Asia Minor from the
northeast.
Aggressive and tenuous monarchies.
 The Hittite Empire
 Hittite Civilization
The Era of Small States
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C. 1200-700 B.C.E.
The Phoenicians
The Hebrew Kingdoms
 Questionable accuracy of biblical
accounts
 Hebrew religion
 The Aramaeans
Later Empires of Western Asia
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C. 700-500 B.C.E.
The Assyrian Empire
Assyrian Culture
Downfall of the Assyrian Empire
The Lydians and the Medes
The Chaldean Empire
The Persian Empire
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Persian Government
Persian Religion and Art
Conclusion
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What do we know?
What were the major factors that
allowed for the development of
civilizations?
Why did certain civilizations develop
where they did?
Make a prediction: how are these
civilizations going to affect those that
follow them?