Midterm Review 1 Period 8000 BCE to 600
Midterm Review
1. Period: 8000 BCE to 600 CE Origin of Agriculture Urbanization Birth of major civilizations and world religions
2. Neolithic Revolution � Transition from hunting-gathering to domesticating plants and animals � Nomadic to sedentary � Agricultural surplus leads to advances and eventually civilizations � Gradual � People started doing this independent of each other all over world � What happens to each of the following? � Population density � Diseases � Status of women � Degradation (damage) of environment
3. Early Civilization 1 st in the Middle East River Valley Civilizations – mild climate, fertile soil, transportation, communication, irrigation systems Need an agricultural surplus first in order to establish towns and cities Sumer (Mesopotamia) – increase in population and territory Phoenicians Large – developed a phonetic alphabet centralized empires built infrastructures including defensive walls and roads
Civilizations Advanced societies (writing, gov. ’t, cities, public works, organized religion, advanced art/architecture, social classes, job specialization) � Earliest civilizations near rivers � � Fertile soil � Transportation/communication While humans originated in Africa, the earliest civilizations were in the Middle East � Public works to control movement of: � � Water – irrigation, canals, levees � People, soldiers, goods – roads, bridges, walls
Early River Valleys Mesopotamia Egypt India – Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – Nile River – Indus River China – Huang He or Yellow River
Other Notable Groups in the Middle East Hittites - iron Phoenicians - alphabet
4. Belief Systems Judaism Covenant between God and the Hebrews Hinduism Reincarnation, karma, dharma, caste system (established by the Aryans) Buddhism Siddhartha – “The Buddha” – enlightened teacher Eliminate desire and suffering Rejects the caste system
Belief Systems 5. Major Similarity Between Hinduism and Buddhism Souls reach spiritual perfection through a cycle of life, death, and reincarnation 6. Similarities Between Christianity and Buddhism Outgrowths of other religions Called for personal transformations of their followers Spread by missionaries
4. Belief Systems Confucianism Create societal harmony by emphasizing rules of proper behavior Polytheism Belief in multiple deities
Buddhism vs. Christianity Both came from other religions Buddhism came out of Hinduism Christianity came out of Judaism Both spread through missionaries Both called for personal transformation Both were appealing to those who were suffering However, for Christians Jesus was divine while for Buddhists, Siddhartha was not For Buddhists, end suffering by eliminating desires, for Christians, end suffering by living in
Indian Empires Mauryans 1 st empire (large and powerful) Asoka – spread Buddhism, edicts/pillars Guptas Golden age – 0, smallpox vaccine, crystallized sugar, Hindi numerals, literature Promoted Hinduism (Ramayana, Mahabirata)
7. Classical India Maurya and Gupta Empires Expansion Difficult limited by geographic factors to maintain centralized imperial rule Patriarchal society
8. Classical China Patriarchal Societies Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven – must rule in a considerate and effective manner 9. Time Golden Ages of artistic and intellectual development
Classical Greece 10. People had some voice in government – Athenian Democracy 11. Geography mountainous, islands – impeded unity independent city-states relationship with the sea allowed for colonization
Classical Rome 12. People had some voice in government - Republic 13. Geography Easy access to Mediterranean lands Expanded their territory – built and maintained an empire Built roads, enlarged the legions and navy 14. Emperor Diocletian tried to prevent decline by dividing the empire in two and appointing co-emperors 15. Rome and the Han Dynasty Both had long periods of effective centralized rule
Chinese Dynasties/Empires Early Dynasties Shang Zhou – Yellow River Valley – Period of the Warring States Mandate of Heaven Authority Have for a dynasty to rule to be considerate of the people Established by Zhou to overthrow Shang
Chinese Dynasties/Empires Qin 1 st empire, but short lived Shi Huangdi Followed Legalism – Great Wall, terra cotta soldiers Han Long lasting (400 years) Golden Age – paper, pagodas, silk Followed Silk Confucianism - Civil Service Exam Road trade
Persian Empire Largest and most impressive empire as of 500 s B. C. E. (all other empires of time period 2 were after this chronologically) Cyrus and Darius the Great Extensive road building – trade, communication, postal system Divided into provinces ruled by satraps (governors) who answered to the king/emperor
Greek City-States Mountains, islands led to decentralized city-states (e. g. Athens, Sparta) Colonized Won throughout the Mediterranean Persian Wars Athens – direct democracy, cultural center Peloponnesian War – civil war that weakened city-states
Alexander’s Empire Unites Greek city-states and conquers Persia Hellenistic culture – fusion of Greek, Egyptian, Persian and Indian cultures Short lived – divided into 3 parts when Alexander died
Roman Republic Rome In started as a city-state ruled by king 509 B. C. E. Rome became a republic Representative 3 democracy branches 12 tables Republic experienced problems because of corruption, huge gap between the rich and poor Julius Caesar gained popular support because his policies helped the people (Senate killed him - getting too powerful)
Roman Empire Became Land an empire under Augustus Caesar (27 B. C. E. ) and sea trade (maritime) – army and navy Major To engineering projects move people, water – roads, aqueducts Colisseum Pantheon Eventually – temple known for dome, oculus divided into 2 parts under Diocletian Constantine Rome – huge and impressive gladiator arena promoted Christianity and built up eastern half sacked in 410 C. E. and western half collapses in 476 C. E.
- Slides: 23
