PART I THE ORIGINS OF CIVILIZATION PART I

PART I: THE ORIGINS OF CIVILIZATION

PART I u Paleolithic Age – Humans had spread around globe – Humans were hunter-gatherers – Life style could not support large numbers – Man makes tools of stone, bone u Began around 9, 000 BCE – Rise of agriculture – Culture becomes increasingly complex

RISE OF NEOLITHIC u Areas where Neolithic cultures arose – Harsh environments – Water shortages – Few reliable sources of foodstuffs u Causes of the Neolithic Revolution – Development, spread of agriculture – Domestication of animals – Improvement of technology

ASPECTS OF NEOLITHIC AGE u Effects of Neolithic Age – Sedentary culture develops – Surplus of food leads to increased populations – Rise of differentiated occupations – Complex cultures – Gender relations change – Humans begin to change environment – Communicable diseases become common

PALEOLITHIC vs. NEOLITHIC u Many resist sedentarism – Pastoralists – Hunter-Gatherers survive until 20 th century u Development uneven across regions u Change often slow u Indigenous development vs. diffusion

CIVILIZATION’S u ST 1 PHASE Five major centers beginning around 4, 500 BCE – Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia) – Nile River Valley – Indus River Valley – Northern China (Huang He) – Central America Civilizations arose in few areas, spread out u Often arose around control of water u – Called “hydraulic” (Hydro = water) civilizations – Irrigation, flood control at center of power, changes u Ancient period lasts generally to 1000 BCE

THE CULTURE OF CIVILIZATION u Permanent Institutions – Religious: Theocracies, priesthoods, polytheism – Political: Monarchy, aristocracy, militaries – Social: Rise of classes – Gender: Patriarchy Trade and Commerce u Systems of Record Keeping u Intellectual Traditions u – Arts, Architecture – Literatures

WIDER CONTACTS u Each civilization had particular patterns u Effects of Geography – Either facilitated, hindered communication – Strengthened, weakened local culture u Contacts – War, Trade, Diseases – Nomads – Migration

PROBLEMS OF WORLD HISTORY Role of technology, effects on environment u Comparisons between civilizations u Importance of early heritages u – How much did ancient influence later cultures – How much is later, indigenous development When did ancient period end? u Can we compare ancient, modern eras? u