W a y s o f t h e W o r ld I & I IThree Significant Themes Vanessa Telles

Agricultural Revolution 10,000 B.C.E. - 3000 B.C.E.

Agriculture sprung up in many areas all over the world at roughly the same time. One area that was

especially suited for agriculture was the Fertile Crescent. In this rich environment people began

actively changing and controlling their environment.

The Fertile Crescent produced crops like figs, wheat, barley, rye, peas and lentils. People in the Americas cultivated corn, beans and squash. In

Africa sorghum, teff, yams, enset and okra were grown.

Once people settled in agricultural regions, the domestication of animals

began. Eventually people began harnessing animal power to increase

agricultural yields.

Ancient settlement in Jericho

Ancient settlement Banpo Populations increased along with the increase in food production. People began living in large settlements

close together for the first time.

Technological advances of that time include plows and carts that were eventually harnessed to the newly domesticated animals. Advances in

textiles and metal working were also abundant.

Earliest Civilizations 3500 B.C.E. - 500 B.C.E.

Increases in agricultural yield enabled a few people to provide food for many, so not every person had to work in food production. This allowed for the specialization of work. Different jobs created a

hierarchy within civilizations.

Hierarchies extended even further to include slavery. Equality among the sexes changed as well as men became more responsible for large scale

food production.

Early civilizations experienced an increase

in interaction and consequently an increase in the exchange of culture and information such as

religion and art.Astarte a Phoenician fertility goddess adopted from

Mesopotamia

Ishtar a Mesopotamian fertility goddess.

Minoan artwork said to be influenced by Egyptian art. Egyptian art.

Eurasian Cultural Traditions 500 B.C.E - 500 C.E.Several important religious ideas were developed in the

Eurasian area from 500 B.C.E. - 500 C.E. These would have a profound and lasting impact on global culture.

In an effort to unite a divided China and bring order to

chaos, Legalism was developed. It was thought that rigid

adherence to a lengthy set of laws would bring about order. While Legalism eventually died out, it had a lasting impact on

Chinese culture.

Confucianism opposed Legalism and promoted the idea of creating good moral

examples as a way of creating harmony. Education was also promoted by Confucianism.

Daoism urged people to retreat and focus on nature as a way to

bring harmony.

Religious development in India was a continual work in progress. It encompassed many gods and rituals and was centered on two texts. Initially people followed the ideas set forth in the Vedas which was eventually accompanied by the Upanishads. These texts,

gods and rituals made up the basis of Hinduism. Around the same time, Buddhism made it’s first appearance. Buddhism echoed many of the same themes as Hinduism but had

some opposing viewpoints as well. Buddhism eventually found wider acceptance in other parts of the world and remains a predominant religion today.

Ten Commandments

Zarathustra

In the Middle East there was a new concept being

developed. The idea of one god or monotheism. This was in sharp contrast to the majority of religious associations up until this point. This opened the door for the idea of a

universal religion instead of the local deities that were

previously worshipped.

Judaism was begun in the Middle East and practiced

by Hebrews. Adherence to religious tradition has allowed this religion to

remain prominent today. Christianity and Islam are descendants of many of

the same ideals of Judaism.

Zoroastrianism was the first to introduce monotheism. It called for the worship of a

single god, Zarathustra. While the bulk of the religion has disappeared throughout the

ages, some of the fundamentals can be found in several other world religions.

The Agricultural Revolution was the starting off point for a change in history

that still dictates much of today’s world. The domestication of plants and animals led to an increase in population which encouraged new technology and intermingling of cultures which enabled several Eurasian religious ideas to take

root.