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Early Civilizations

Early Civilizations. I. Civilization. Permanent settlements, such as Catal Huyuk, led to emergence of civilization Societies that rely on agriculture, produce food surpluses Have formal political organization, other long-lasting institutions

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Early Civilizations

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  1. Early Civilizations

  2. I. Civilization • Permanent settlements, such as Catal Huyuk, led to emergence of civilization • Societies that rely on agriculture, produce food surpluses • Have formal political organization, other long-lasting institutions • Characterized by groups of non-farming elites, merchant and manufacturing groups, other specialized workers • Writing • Essential to civilization for communication, record keeping, establishment of law and order • Cuneiform– first known system of writing, emerged in Middle East (Sumer) around 3500 B.C.E.

  3. II. Tigris-Euphrates Rivers • Located in modern-day Iraq • Often called Mesopotamia(“land between the rivers”) • First example of human civilization • Began 4000 - 3500 B.C.E. • Complex religious beliefs • Sumerians erected shrines and massive monuments/towers, called ziggurats, to honor gods • Some ideas (gods’ creation of earth, floods) can be found in various proto-religions • Judaism – earliest monotheisticreligion

  4. II. continued… • Highly organized • Relied on city-states – small, autonomous regions ruled by a king, with developed urban center • Developed strict class systems – kings, noble class, priests controlled most land • Regulated system of laws and courts • Babylonian leader, Hammurabi, set early code of law in stone

  5. II. Nile River • Located in northern Africa, modern-day Egypt • Began around 3000 B.C.E. • Ruled by a pharaoh, or god-king • Considered to be directly descended from the gods • Complex religious and political rituals • Polytheistic • Theocracy– ruled through laws based on religious beliefs/through religious leaders • Development of writing • Hieroglyphics – comes from Greek words meaning “sacred carving” • More complex than cuneiform • Used papyrus reeds to make a paper-like writing surface

  6. IV. Indus River • Located in modern-day Pakistan, near India’s border • Began around 2500 B.C.E. • Known for its advanced cities • Sophisticated city planning (grid-like patterns), running water • Harappa, MohenjoDaro • Limited trade with Mesopotamia, but developed independently • Developed system of writing, but never been translated • Thought to be a theocracy, religion a precursor to Hinduism • Environment and invasions a factor in disappearance • Monsoons, floods • Nomadic invaders took over, abandoned cities

  7. V. Huanghe (Yellow River) • Located in northern half of modern-day China • Began about 2000 B.C.E. • Developed independently from other civilizations • Largely cut off from contact with outside world by geography (desert, mountains, ocean) • Developed sophisticated irrigations systems • Controlled flooding of Yellow River • Early pioneers in science and weapon/tool-making • Developed unique written language based on ideographicsymbols • Early religious beliefs based on spirits, centered around respect for elders • Social classes divided society • Established system of feudalism – nobles owned all the land that peasants worked • Rigid political system develops – paves way for dynasty system • Shang dynasty was earliest – 1500 B.C.E.

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