The Dawn of Civilization

Chapter 3

How Do We Know What We Know?

What We Know How We Know ItOriginated in Africa

Made stone tools

Created art

Had religious beliefs

Human bones or fossilized remainsArtifacts found at archaeological digsCave paintings

Images in caves; remains of an alter

New Ways of Life

Hunters-gatherers Lived off the land Moved in search of

food

Settled Agriculture Domestication

Fertile Crescent

1. Wandering people settle in fertile land

2. Agricultural society grows

3. Surplus food production; specialization of labor

4. First civilizations begin

The Effect of the Rivers

1. Rain fell in the mountains.

2. The rivers picked up silt.

3. The rivers flooded.4. Banks of the rivers

grew higher. 5. People broke through

the riverbanks to bring water to their fields.

The Culture of Sumer

Writing System Social Classes Religion

Farm and trade records

Prescriptions

Stories

Ruler: lugal

Three classes

Polytheistic

Worshipped gods of nature and daily objects

Ancient Mesopotamian Cultures

Sumer Babylon Assyria

City-states

Cuneiform writing

3 Social classes

Polytheistic

Empire with strong gov’t.

Hummurabi’s law code

“hanging gardens”

Built strong empire

Powerful army

Message relay system

Judaism

One of the three major religions of the world.

Central Beliefs

Jesus was not the Messiah Monotheistic Hanukkah Rosh Ha-Shanah-Jewish New Year Yom Kippur – fasting Passover – Seder feast, freedom from

slavery