Download Early Civilizations Prehistoric People Components of Civilization

Early Civilizations Objective: Describe the development of early prehistoric and early historic people, their agriculture, and settlements. Prehistoric People n n n We learn from anthropologists who study the remains of skeletons and fossils Artifacts such as tools, clothing, art, weapons help us learn Hominids: humans and earlier humanlike creatures n n n Neanderthals: 130,000 to 35,000 years ago The first people were hunter and gatherers Stone Age: Pre­History Components of Civilization n People are able to produce surplus, or extra food n Establishment of large towns or cities with some form of government n People perform different jobs, specialization (artisans, merchants, traders), instead of each person doing all kinds of work
1 Early River Civilizations n Developed around river valleys Climate and flooding of rivers influenced the development of civilizations n First system of irrigation­farmers dug ditches and canals to move water from rivers to fields n Developed calendars to know when the yearly flood would start and stop
First Civilizations & River Valleys where they were
located…
n
Mesopotamia: between the Tigris &
Euphrates Rivers (Present day N. Syria, S.
Turkey, and most of Iraq)
5000 BC
“Land
between
two rivers”
“The Fertile Crescent” n n n n n n n n Regions curved shape and richness of the land Rivers flood each year bringing silt to fertilize the soil Sumerians of Mesopotamia had a written language called cuneiform Invented the ‘arch’ Farmed and traded goods Formed city­states (city and surrounding land controlled by same government) 1792 B.C. Hammurabi conquered most of Valley and became ruler of Babylon Hammurabi Code: collection of 282 laws
2 Nile River Valley Civilization: Egypt •Nile River is longest in the world •Nile Delta: created by deposits of sediment at mouth of the river •Flooded every year bringing silt •Farmland divided into large estates •Peasants did most of the work •Valley contains minerals like granite, sandstone, & limestone used for trade and pyramids •Pyramids: pharaohs’ tombs •Pharaohs held absolute power •Hieroglyphics: writing system •Used papyrus to make paper •Polytheistic society: people believed in many gods
Indus River Civilization •Located along the Indus River on the subcontinent of India •Monsoons: affect crops •River flooded each year •Most people made their living by farming •Domesticated animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, cats, dogs, & fowl) •1750 B.C. civilization collapses (Historians don’t know why) •No written language… no written records Ancient China n n n n n Chinese viewed people outside their borders as barbarians and themselves as center of civilized world Used a system of Feudalism to control vast lands Feudalism: political system in which nobles are granted use of lands that legally belong to king in return for loyalty and military service Mandate of Heaven: royal authority came from heaven Family important n n n Elderly had privileges and power Women viewed as inferior Marriages arranged at age 13­16
3 Shang Dynasty n n n 1751­1027 B.C. (disputed end) Developed along Yellow River (Huang He) nicknamed “China’s Sorrow” Three Classes of People n n n n n Nobles Artisans Peasants Oracle Bones: animal bones and tortoise shells that were written on tells much history Written language over 10k characters each representing an idea Zhou (Jo) Dynasty n n n n First 300 years king was powerful 771 B.C. capital city was attacked by barbarians and king murdered Warring States Period: 500 years after Confucius born during this time and founded Confucianism Filial piety: respect for parents and elders Yin and Yang: opposite forced in world working together n Stressed HARMONY n n Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty n n 256 B.C. 13 yr old Huang­di becomes king Become first emperor (ruthless and cruel but, accomplished…) n n n n n n n n Stopped wars between nobles Conquered barbarians to South China is named after Ch’in Gov’t lasted 2000+ years Established uniform law Burned books that contradicted his philosophy Expanded Great Wall of China to protect N. border Han peasants forced to work or faced death
4 Han Dynasty n n n n n n n n n n Han peasants revolted because of high taxes, harsh labor, severe penal system Period of glory, peace, and unity Proclaimed Confucianism as official set of beliefs Offered civil­service jobs Encouraged assimilation: process of making conquered pp part of Chinese culture Books were written on silk Silk production and distribution closely guarded secret so no trader traveled the whole length The Great Silk Road: 4000 mile trade route to the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea Collapsed between 8 & 25 A.D. after poor harvests, drought, famine, and plague Peasants revolted and overthrew Han emperors… during this time Buddhism spread rapidly and Han dynasty collapsed.
5