Prehistory And
Ancient Civilizations
World History
Essential Questions
1. What is LIFE?
a) What do humans need to survive?
b) What is the environment?
2. What is CULTURE?
a) Way of life, traditions, customs,
b) Why have culture?
Social Darwinism
► The extension of the principles of Darwinian
evolution to social phenomena.
► Implies that conflict between societies and
between classes of the same society benefits
humanity by removing “unfit” individuals and
social forms.
► Social Darwinism assumed that unfettered
economic competition and warfare were primary
ways to determine which societies were “fittest.”
Morgan’s Three Phases of
Human Cultural Evolution
Phase Subphase Hallmark Example
Savagery Lower Subsistence None survived
on fruit and into historical
nuts period.
Middle Fish,fire Australian
aborigines,
Polynesians
Upper Bow and Athapaskan
arrow tribes of
Hudson’s Bay
Territory
Morgan’s Three Phases of
Human Cultural Evolution
Phase Subphase Hallmark Example
Barbarism Lower Pottery Eastern Native
American tribes
Middle construction; Pueblos
irrigation
Upper Iron Germanic tribes
smelting of the time of
Caesar
Morgan’s Three Phases of
Human Cultural Evolution
Phase Subphase Hallmark Example
Civilizatio Phonetic Ancient:
n alphabet; Greece and
literary Rome Modern:
records Britain
The First Humans
How do we know if this “ancient stuff” really happened?
Archaeology
The study of past societies through an analysis of what people left behind
them.
Anthropology
The study of how humans live
Scientific methods for excavations
Radiocarbon dating
Method of analysis that calculates the ages of objects by measuring the
amount of carbon left in an object
Thermo luminescence dating (Archmides article Aug 06)
Method of analysis that dates an object by measuring the light given off
by electrons trapped in surrounding fossils and artifacts
DNA
Genetic tests providing information on human evolution
The Earliest Humans
Hominids
The earliest human like creatures in Africa.
Also known by the name of
Australopithecines. (Apes)
Homo Erectus
Neanderthals - The first homo-sapiens
Homo sapiens-sapiens
“Wise-wise human being”
Hunters and Gatherers
“Lets go get some tools”
► Paleolithic Age ► “Old Stone Age”- usage of simple
tools
► Mesolithic Age ► “Middle Stone”-gradual shift from
food gathering and hunting
economy to a food producing one
► Neolithic Age ► “New Stone”- shift from hunting to
systematic agriculture
► Adding of copper and tin to tools.
► Bronze Age
Neolithic Revolution
► The single most important development in human
history?
► Neolithic farming villages
Jericho and Catal Huyuk
Mexico, Central America, India, China, Europe, Egypt
Catal Huyuk
The Birth of Civilization
► Human Needs + Environment = Culture
► Civilization
A complex urban society with a high level of cultural
achievement in the arts and sciences, craft
specialization, a surplus of food and/or labor, and a
hierarchically stratified social organization.
6 Basic
Characteristics of Civilizations
► Rise of cities
► Growth of governments
► Role of religion
► New social structure
► Use of writing
► Artistic activity
Major Areas of Agriculture
Oasis Theory
► Proposed by V. Gordon Childe, argues that animal
domestication arose as people, plants, and
animals congregated around water sources during
the arid years that followed the Pleistocene.
► In this scenario, agriculture arose because of
“some genius” and preceded animal
domestication.
Hilly Flanks Theory
► Proposed by Robert Braidwood, it claims that
agriculture arose in the areas where wild
ancestors of domesticated wheat and barley grow,
attributing agriculture’s appearance to human
efforts to continue to increase the productivity and
stability of their food base, coupled with culture
being “ready” to accept an agricultural lifeway.
Density-equilibrium Model
► Proposed by Binford, attributes the origins of
agriculture to population pressure in favorable
environments that resulted in emigration to
marginal lands, where agriculture was needed to
increase productivity.
Carrying capacity - The number of people that a
unit of land can support under a particular
technology.
Optimal Foraging Theory
► Theidea that foragers select foods that
maximize the overall return rate.
return rate - The amount of energy acquired by
a forager per unit of harvesting/processing
time.
Co-evolution
► The result of natural selection operating
simultaneously on both plants and the people
using them.
► Because of some plants’ genetic composition and
because of how they must be harvested, the very
act of harvesting them results in unintentional
selection in such a way that the plants become
dependent on humans for survival.
The Fertile Crescent
► An area where agriculture originated in the Near
East, a broad arc of mountains in Israel, Jordan,
Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
► We don’t know exactly when intentional
agriculture began, because it’s difficult to
distinguish wild wheat and barley from early
domesticated forms.
► The best evidence suggests that a fulltime
agricultural economy began about 9000 to 10,000
BP.
Natufian
►A cultural manifestation in the Levant (the
southwest Fertile Crescent).
► Dating from 14,500 to 11,600 BP and consisting of
the first appearance of settled villages, trade
goods, and possibly early cultivation of
domesticated wheat, but lacking pottery.
Major Areas of Agriculture
Major Primary Archaic States
The First Civilizations
Mesopotamia & Egypt
WORLD HISTORY
Dates Cheat Sheet
► B.C. ► Before Christ
Remember: The years count
backwards!
► A.D.
► Anno Domini
Year of Our Lord
► B.C.E.
► Before the Common Era
► C.E.
► Common Era
► c. ► Circa “around…”
Mesopotamian
Region
The Geography
Mesopotamia Region
“The land between the rivers”
► ENVIRONMENT ► NEEDS
► Tigris and Euphrates Rivers ► What needed to be done?
► Present Day Country of Iraq ► Irrigation
► Flooding along the banks of the ► Creation of cities
river
► Irregularity of flooding created ► Governing the cities
insecurity ► Zero natural barriers enabled
► Zero natural barriers “raiders” to sweep in continually
► Mud and dirt is abundant in the ► Walls were created for defense
area. ► These walls were made of mud
bricks which enabled the
Sumerians to invent the
following: 1) Arch 2) Dome
Archaic State
►A centralized political system found in
complex societies.
► Characterized by having a virtual monopoly
on the power to coerce.
Mesopotamian Society
Religion Culture and Science
Theocracy Patriarchal
Government ruled by divine Led and dominated by
authority men
Polytheistic Cuneiform writing c.
Belief in many gods and 3000 B.C.
goddesses
“wedge shaped”
Ziggurat
Temples were often built upon
-used for record keeping
this massive stepped tower. to maintain knowledge
The tower of Babel was a
of previous events
ziggurat. The Epic of Gilgamesh
Mathematics and
Astronomy
Museum Tour
PRESS HERE
Cuneiform Tablets
►A Babylonian tablet from 87 B.C. reports the
arrival of the comet now known as Halley.
The Sumerians
3000 B.C. – 2340 B.C.
► Creators of the first Mesopotamian civilization
► Formed city-states
► City-states
Cities with political and economic control over the
surrounding countryside
► The arch
► The dome
► The wheel c. 3000 B.C.
► Sumerian city-states contained three major classes
1) Nobles 2) Commoners 3) Slaves
The Akkadians
2340 B.C. – 1792 B.C.
► Sargon overruns Sumerian city-states
► The Akkadians set up the first empire in
world history
► Empires are easy to create but difficult to
maintain. Why?
Babylon under Hammurabi
1792 B.C. - 1750 B.C.
► Hammurabi comes to power
► Divides his opponents and defeats them
with a well-disciplined army
► Hammurabi is best known for his law code
► The Code of Hammurabi
Did Mesopotamian’s Invent
Soap?
► As far back as 2500 B.C.,
clay tablets from near
the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers were found that
make mention of the use
of soap.
► It's use for washing did
not necessarily come
first. It was first used as
a way to dress one's hair,
or as a medicament on
wounds.
Interesting Nuggets
► It was the accepted practice in Babylon
4,000
years ago that for a month
after the wedding, the bride's father
would supply his son-in-law with all
the mead he could drink. Mead is a
honey beer and because their calendar
was lunar based, this period was called
the honey month, which we know today
as the honeymoon.
The First Civilizations
Egypt
Egypt
THE ENVIRONMENT
► Like Mesopotamia, the Egyptian civilization is also a river
valley
► The Nile River- The longest river in the world
► Unlike the floods of Mesopotamia’s rivers, the flooding was
predictable
► Unlike Mesopotamia, Egypt had excellent natural barriers.
► Deserts to the west and east, cataracts to the south, and
the Mediterranean Sea to the North
► These barriers did not prevent trading however.
► Movement along the Nile created efficiency in trading
Egypt
Religion
► Polytheistic
► Sun gods & land gods
► Re (Ra)
► Osiris
Egyptian gods
► Re (Ra) is shown below. ► Who is this? How do you know?
Old Kingdom
Age of Pyramids
► Mummification
► Strong Leadership ► Mastabas
► Stability-free from invasion Tombs for the Pharaoh’s noble
officials
► Dynasty ► The Great Pyramid at Giza
A family of rulers whose right to
rule is passed on within the ► Geometric angles are
family almost precise
► Pyramids ► The Great Sphinx
► Monarchs were called
Pharaohs
► Vizier
In charge of government
bureaucracy.
Mummification
Press Here
Middle Kingdom
Period of Chaos
► Age of political chaos and invasion
New Kingdom
The Empire
► Strong military advancements KEY PHARAOHS
► Prosperous gains in wealth ► Hatshepsut
Social Classes First female ruler in history
1. Pharaoh ► Amenhotep IV
2. Vizier Nearly led a religious revolution
3. High priests 1. Nefertiti
4. Royal overseers 2. Ankh
5. Scribes, artisans
6. Farmers, laborers ► Tutankhamen
(King Tut)
► Read about Egyptian society Restored the gods
and the daily life ► Rameses II
NEFERTITI
Writing and Education
► Hieroglyphics
► Papyrus
► Scribes
Masters of the art of writing and also its teachers
Papyrus Hieroglyphics
The Persian Empire
The Hebrews and Persians
Hebrew Persians
► Religion-Judaism- Influenced ► Cyrus
Christianity and Islam Won the approval by using not only
► Old Testament Persians but also the conquered
► Descendants of Abraham as government officials.
► Saul the first Hebrew King Reputation of mercy
► David- reclaims Palestine ► Darius
► Solomon Generous to supporters, harsh to
Building Projects- Temple enemies
► Satrapies- Persian provinces
► Covenant-contract with God
► Satrap- Persian governors
► Prophets-religious teachers
► Well maintained roads
► Immortals (Persian Guard)
► Increased taxes led to disloyalty
Other Notable
Civilizations
Minoans Assyrians
► Built enormous palace complex ► Leaders with absolute power
on Crete at Knossus ► First “large” armies equipped
► Decorative paintings, elaborate with iron weapons
bath drains
Hittites
► First to make use of iron.
(Weaponry)
► Elephants in battle
Phoenicians
► Excellent traders by sea.
► Best known for its alphabet.
The Phoenician alphabet was
passed onto the Greeks.
Hebrew and Persian Religions
A Closer Look
Zoroastrianism
► Humans play a strong
role in the struggle
between good and evil
► Perform good deeds:
achieve paradise
HEBREWS and JUDAISM
Written down as the
Hebrew bible or
“Torah”
Christians call this
The Old
Testament Torah
King Solomon
► Hebrews control Palestine and establish
monarchy c. 1000 BC
► Call territory “Israel” and establish
Jerusalem as its capitol
► Solomon’s most famous
deed is the building of the
temple at Jerusalem;
symbolic center of their
religion
Map of Palestine
The Holy Land
► Remain under Persian control until
conquests of Alexander the Great (4th
century bc.)
► People of Judah retain their separate
identity, become known as the Jews
► Religion: Judaism
► God: Yahweh
COVENANT
► God has a „contract‟ with
his people that he will take
care of them if they promise
to obey him and his laws
► MORAL concerns were at
the heart of the law of God
►10 Commandments