THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS

8,000 B.C.E.- 2,000 B.C.E.

Early Humans: Paleolithic Essential Question:

What characterized the life of a Paleolithic human?

Tools of Discovery

What we know about the earliest people comes from what they left behindArchaeologistsAnthropologistsArtifacts from settlements such as

weapons and tools

Hunter Gatherers Early humans spent most of their time

searching for foodHunted animalsCaught fishGathered fruits, nuts, berries, grains, plantsEventually developed spears, traps, bows and

arrows Nomads

Followed their foodGroups of 30 or lessMen and women performed different tasks

Adapting to the Environment The way people lived depended on their

environmentWarm Climate: little clothing or shelterCold Climate: caves and shelter made out of

animal hides Fire!

Warmth

Scare away animalsCook meat (easier to digest)Smoke meat (lasts longer)

Invention of Tools

Used flint (hard stone) to make tools Over time, people grew more skilled

at making toolsFishhooksNeedles

Making Connections 1. Explain why Paleolithic people were nomads.

Paleolithic people were nomads because they were hunters and gatherers. They would move from place to place in search of food.

  2. Why was the ability to make fire so important to

Paleolithic people? The ability to make fire was so important to Paleolithic people

because they could both cook and smoke their meat. They could also use the fire for warmth and to scare away animals.

  3. Answer the Essential Question: What characterized

the life of a Paleolithic human? The life of a Paleolithic human involved adapting to the

environment, hunting and gathering, using fire and making stone tools to help with daily tasks.

Paleolithic Cave Paintings

Early Humans: Neolithic

Essential Question: What led to the formation of villages in the

Neolithic Period?

Neolithic Times

After the last ice age, people began to domesticate plants and animals

AnimalsProvided milk, meat, wool, carried goods and

pulled carts Plants

People could stay in one place and grow their food

***Gradually, farming replaced hunting and gathering***

Growth of Villages

Earliest known communities found in the Middle East

Catal Huyuk (6,000 B.C.E.)6,000 peopleMud-brick houses

Benefits of a Settled Life Brought greater security Steady food supply

Bigger population = More workers to produce a bigger crop

Trade inside and outside their communities Specialization

More food and better farming tools meant people had time to develop other skills

Made pottery, mats, cloth, etc. Metal

Copper was melted down and poured into molds for tools and weapons

Tin mixed with copper to make stronger metal called bronze = Bronze Age!

Making Connections

1. How did domesticating animals and farming help the Neolithic people?

2. Answer the Essential Question: What led to the formation of villages in the Neolithic period?

Mesopotamian Civilization Essential Question:

How was the geography of Mesopotamia suited for the growth of population and the creation of a civilization?

RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS

Governments are formed to make plans, decisions

and laws

Goods and ideas are spread

River travel makes trade

easier

Specialization

More time to think about other things

Good farming conditions

Easy to feed large numbers

of people

River Valley Civilizations

The Rise of Sumer A.K.A.

Mesopotamia – “the land between two rivers” Location

Southern Iraq The Fertile Crescent Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Climate Hot, dry, rivers flood in the spring leaving rich soil behind Flooding is unpredictable

Claim to Fame Earliest known civilization Farmers learned to control flooding by using irrigation to water crops By 3,000 B.C.E., many cities rose in the area invented cuneiform 12 month calendar

Religious Beliefs Many gods that had control over natural forces or human activities priests, priestesses and ziggurats

Life in Sumer

Social Hierarchy

Civilizations

Cities Organized governments Art Religion Class divisions Writing system

Hammurabi

Ruled city of Babylon on the Euphrates River

Center of tradeBegan conquering other cities = empire

Code of LawsForced everyone in Babylon to obey the

same lawsKnown as the “Code of Hammurabi”

Making Connections

1. What is a civilization?

2. What was the Code of Hammurabi?

3. Answer the Essential Question: How was the geography of Mesopotamia well suited to for the growth of a population and the creation of a civilization?

The First Empires

Essential Question: How did the Assyrians set up a well

organized government?

The Assyrians

Built vast empire on the Tigris River by 650 B.C.E.

Well organized armyFoot soldiersBows and arrowsChariot riders

Learned to make stronger weapons out of iron ore from the Hittites

Anyone who resisted Assyrian rule was punished

A Well Organized Government Powerful Kings Divided up empire into provinces

governed by officials Excellent system of roads

TradingMilitary use

Harsh punishments for breaking lawsRebellion led to downfall around 612

B.C.E.

The Chaldeans (605 B.C.E. – 562 B.C.E.)

Led by King Nebuchadnezzar Rebuilt city of Babylon as the world’s

largest and richest city Hanging Gardens of Babylon Created one of the first sundials and had

a seven day week Empire fell as they were captured by the

Persians

Making Connections

1. Answer the Essential Question: How did the Assyrians set up a well organized government?