UNIT I - Technological and Environmental Transformations

1. UNIT I - Technological and Environmental Transformations to 600BCE

2. Foundations, 12000BCE-600BCE Need to Knows: • The Paleolithic Achievements • The Development of Agriculture and Domesticated Animals • The Cultural, Political, and Social Features of the Early Foundational Civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Olmecs, Chavin, Xia/Shang/Zhou, and Harappa) Periodization: • 8000BCE-3500BCE • 3500BCE-1000BCE

3. A Brief Look at Prehistory

4. Prehistory • Early Human Migration: • Food Sources • Climate Changes • Overpopulation • However, archaeologists have found evidence of these generally shared characteristics of prehistoric people:  • Social structure • Beliefs • Economic Structure

5. The Neolithics

6. The Neolithic Revolution • The development of agriculture and the domestication of animals led to a series of economic and social changes: • Increase in reliable food supplies • Rapid increase in total human population • Job specialization • Widening of gender differences • Development of distinction between settled people and "nomads”

7. Characteristics of Civilization These changes in turn allowed the development of "civilization," a basic organizing principle in world history. Civilization may be defined in many ways, but it is generally characterized by: • Urban Society • Religion • Literacy • Government • Specialization • Social Classes • Tool-Making • Concept of Time • Leisure • Education/Criticism Ex. Jericho, Catalhuyuk

8. Alternative to Agriculture • Possible Alternatives: • Shifting Cultivation • Pastoral Nomads • How did pastoralism and agriculture interact? • Seen as savages • Interaction vs. conflict • Chariots • Responsible for spread of ideas, trade

9. Neolithic Era • Neolithic Era (“New Stone Age”) is characterized by the refinement of tools for agricultural purposes, whether that be growing crops or raising animals. • Early labor specialization is based on three craft industries from 800oBCE-3500BCE: • Pottery • Metallurgy • Textile production • Three important changes occurred around 4000-3500BCE. They are: • The introduction of the plow • The invention and use of bronze • The advent of writing • Ex. cuneiform

10. The Bronze Age Civilizations

11. Commonalities • Common characteristics: • Location • Irrigation Systems • Legal Codes • Elaborate Art Forms on Pottery or Written Literature • Numbering Systems and Calendars • Increase of Social Inequality

12. Religious Developments • Vedic Tradition • Precursor to Hinduism • Indra – main god • Cow and Peepul tree sacred • Hebrew Monotheism • Ethical monotheism • Conduct determines salvation • There is only one God speaking through prophets, priests • God made a covenant with the Jews, his Chosen people • Zoroastrianism • Ahura Mazda – One God • Good vs. Evil, Heaven and Hell • Rejects monasticism

13. Literature and the Understanding of Civilization • Ten Commandments • Lack punishments, apply universally • Hammurabi’s Code • Applies punishment, grading based on social standing, deals largely with contracts and payment • Epic of Gilgamesh • Parallels to the Bible • Enkidu/Shamat vs. Adam and Eve • Utnapishtim’s Flood vs. Noah’s Flood

14. The Six

15. Sumer/BabylonMesopotamia • Sumer in S. Iraq was first civilization • Cuneiform, sciences, math aided farming • Polytheistic religion • Religion was to appease gods, control nature • Art, architecture dedicated to gods, religion • Priests, later kings rule city-states • Land owning aristocracy dominate • Warlike society with slavery • Cycle of Civilization • Nomads come in and conquer sedentary people • Conquerors assimilate local sedentary culture • New civilization blends cultures, thrives for a while • Newcivilization grows old, invaded by nomads

16. EgyptNile River Valley • Society very different from Sumer • Nile flooded regularly, predictably • Provided rich, easy soil to farm • Civilization regulated flooding, surveying • Location isolated • Pharaoh was considered god-king • Theocracy, almost absolute • Achievements • Mathematics especially geometry; architecture • Sciences, Medicine, Art was both secular and sacred • Religion was positive, egalitarian in many ways

17. Harappa Indus River Valley • Arose around 2,500 BCE • MohenjoDaro, Harappa main cities • Independent city-states, strong government • Extremely well-planned, coordinated cities • Elaborate writing system (undeciphered) • Religion worshipped mother goddess • Little evidence of warfare until end • Devastated by environmental upheavals and destroyed by Indo-European (Aryan) nomads

18. Xia/Shang/ZhouHuangHe River Valley • Developed in isolation similar to ancient Egypt • Xia Dynasty (Mythical?) • God-like kings • Taught irrigation, sericulture • Shang Dynasty • Warlike kings, landed aristocracy; few priests • Most people worked land as peasants • Elaborate bronze workings; naturalistic art • Zhou Dynasty • Dynastic Cycle, Mandate of Heaven • Feudalism • Ideographic • Writing denotes ideas (Difficult to Read) • First used on Oracle Bones • Cuneiform, hieroglyphs had similar effects

19. OlmecsMesoamerica • Combination of Chiefdoms • Ruled by priests • Ritual bloodletting • Focus on producing crops: maize, beans, etc. • Cultural Achievements • Mesoamerican Ballgame • Colossal head architecture • Mother Culture of Mayan, Aztecs

20. ChavinAndes South America • City-States Among the Andes • Shaman figures ruled through divine connection • Anthropomorphic figures as gods • Economy: Llama, potatoes, maize • Achievements: • Drainage system • Mother culture for the Nazca, Inca

21. The Fall of the Early Foundational Civilizations

22. Causes and Impact • First heritages passed on • 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)