Chapter 1

Rewind: Neolithic Revolution

Paleolithic AgeIce AgeNomadsHunter/gathers

Neolithic RevolutionFarming = permanent

settlementsMORE FOOD = MORE

PEOPLE!!!!

The Nomads Not everyone

“permanent”Slash and burn

agriculture○ Farm intensively until soil

deplete then moveTribal bands

○ Herding peoples“Barbarians”, “Savages”

Advantages of Agriculture

ImprovementsMiddle East, China, parts

of Africa, and India○ Irrigation○ Encouraged large

settlements

Defense

Catal Huyuk Neolithic village

Southern Turkey Founded 7000 B.C.E.

Unusually large Lots of houses, few windows Lived on rooftops

Religion Devoted to Agriculture

Trade 5500 B.C.E. Skilled toolmakers and jewelers

developed

Government Ruled over small communities Cities developed Kings

Civilization 3000 B.C.E.

Characteristics of Civilization

From the Latin word City

Five FeaturesCitiesJob SpecializationComplex InstitutionsRecord KeepingAdvanced Technology

The Rise of Cities The main feature of

Civilizations are cities. The word civilization

comes from the Latin word for city

A city is not just distinguished by population Should be a center of

trade for a larger area

The first cities arose around river valleys. The water brought nutrients

(silt), to the lands near the river when it flooded, making lands near the river fertile. When farmed properly, fertile lands produced food surpluses, or extra food.

Job Specialization With food surpluses many

people could do other occupations beside farming Called specialized workers

○ Example: metal working, weaving, masonry, public entertainers

Scribes kept account of the material

wealth for the ruler and other wealthy people

1st written language was cuneiform

○ Developed in Sumer around 3000 B.C.E.

Social Classes One effect of job

specialization was the creation of a hierarchy Hierarchy:

○ People became ranked according to their job as societies became bigger

Example: 1. Priest 2. Merchants 3. Artisans 4. Farmers

Complex Institutions Government

In order to feed large amounts of people centralized control was necessary

The more people there were, more laws were needed, more taxes, more royal officials (police), government departments

Creation of the first City-States, a political unit consisting of a city and surrounding lands usually lead by one ruler.

Complex Institutions

Religion Became a formal institution

○ Temple became center of city life

Early civilizations were polytheistic they worshiped many gods

The favor of the gods was needed so that their civilization could be successful

Full time priests were employed to make sacrifices to the gods, and chart the heavens for times to plant.

Record Keeping As civilizations grew,

writing was necessary for people to know laws, and keep account of itemsAbility to send messagesKeep records

○ With this a new occupation arose (Scribes)

Tax more efficientlyMake contracts and

treatiesMore organization

Eventually people began to write for other reasons

Advanced Technology New tools and

techniques emerged as ways to solve problemsIrrigation created to deal

with droughtsTo ensure order and

safety civilizations built roads, bridges, fortified walls, built dams and dikes to hold water.

In complex civilizations arts flourished to give the people a sense of security, civic pride and the power of their civilization. New job of Artisans.

Artisans relied on new technology as wellPotter’s wheelCreation of Bronze

○ Around 3000 B.C.E.○ Called the “Bronze Age”

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Four Centers of Civilization

Middle EastTigris-Euphrates

EgyptNile RiverKush

IndiaIndus River Valley

ChinaYellow River Valley

Partner Work

Using the following slide, fill out your chart

Be sure to fully answer the question (Does Sumer meet the criteria of a civilization) on the BACK of your chartBoth charts must be filled out

Civilization? Ur was one of the earliest

cities in Sumer Located on the banks of the

Euphrates River (Southern Iraq)

Characteristics Agriculture

○ The people of Ur created irrigation ditches to water their fields in the dry climate

○ Government officials help plan and direct this public works project

City Life○ Ur was a walled city

Majority of people lived within walls The market and artisans were

located within the wall- Such as metal workers

Trade○ City dwellers traded for goods

using a barter system Exchange of goods

Religion○ The temple was Ur’s most

important building (Ziggurat)○ Scribes recorded religious rituals

on cuneiform tablets