the great wall of chinachatal huyukmohenjo-daro the pyramids at gizakush great ziggurat at ur

The Great Wall of ChinaChatal HuyukMohenjo-daro The Pyramids at GizaKush Great Ziggurat at Ur

The story of Humanity begins long before the first cities or the first writing. The ape-like species that eventually led to humans arose in Africa millions of years ago.

The first upright-walking ancestors of modern humans, Sahelanthropus tchadensis, evolved in east- central Africa nearly seven million years ago. Roughly two million years later, the slightly less ape- like Ardipithecus genus appeared.

These primitive hominids eventually gave rise to the Australopithecine species present all over Africa from 3.9 to 1.2 million years ago. The Australopithecine family included: A. afarensis (Lucy), A. africanus, and A. anamensis. Lucy Taung Child Laetoli Footprints

The robust line, which was related but probably became a dead end, included Paranthropus robustus, P. boisei, and P. aethiopicus. These species had much larger jaws and muscle attachments. Scientists believe that they survived on a diet of nuts and hard roots. P. boisei / H. sapiens

The Genus Homo Early Moderns Neanderthals Subsistence Pg. 20

The first recognizable tools were created by Homo habilis, a species that originated in the Rift Valley of East Africa some two million years ago. These tools were simple flakes of hard stone, usually flint. Homo erectus and H. ergaster were the first species to emigrate from the African continent. They were aided by larger brain sizes and more developed tool technology. H. habilis H. erectus Acheulian Hand-axe

The earliest hominids classified as human, known as archaic Homo sapiens, probably originated in Africa around 400,000 years ago. They had much larger brains than contemporary species and made much more complex tools. Archaic H. sapiens Mesolithic tools

When early modern humans left Africa some 50,000 years ago, they encountered other hominid species, including Homo neanderthalensis. Neanderthals had lived in Europe and the Middle East for perhaps 200,000 years before being out- competed by modern humans. Researchers now think that there was substantial contact between humans and neanderthals, and that as much as 6% of our DNA came from neanderthals. A Neanderthal burial

For six and a half million years, hominids and early humans supported themselves through hunting and gathering. This involved collecting staple foods such as roots, grasses, berries and nuts from where they occur naturally. This diet was supplemented with wild game, fish, and insects.

Because food must be found constantly, hunter-gatherers had to continually travel throughout their territory. This is called an itinerant lifestyle. Some human cultures still make their living as hunter- gatherers, including the !Kung bushmen of the Kalahari Desert and the Yanomamo people of western Brazil.

Agriculture Early Settlements Rise of States Pgs. 21 - 22

The Neolithic Revolution is the period between 8000 and 4000 BC in which several human communities spontaneously discovered agriculture. Technologies quickly spread across Africa, Asia and Europe during the period.

The keys to agriculture are: the concept of domestication (modifying plants and animals through selective breeding), irrigation (moving water over distances to crops), and the division of labor (individuals each do a single job instead of everyone doing every job). The evolution of corn

Agriculture led to collective labor, which led to villages, which led to the first large-scale permanent settlements. The earliest known city is atalhyk (Chatal Huyuk) in southern Turkey, which dates back to at least 7500 BC. Other proto- cities include Jericho in Israel, Mohenjo Daro in India, and Eridu in Iraq. The earliest cities were all located near rivers. atalhyk Mohenjo Daro Jericho Eridu

Cities rapidly developed unique social, political and economic systems including religion, government, art and writing, which can be classified as civilization. The first agricultural civilizations arose in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East and in Egypt along the Nile River. The Royal Tombs at Ur Temple Complex at Karnak

Answer each question in a half-page response with complete sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1. Name and describe the three stages of hominid evolution (pgs. 19-20). 2. Explain how the agricultural lifestyle gave rise to civilizations (pg. 21). 3. Why are early civilizations found near river valleys? Give examples (pg. 22).

Western Asia and Egypt Mesopotamian City-States Empires Pgs. 24 - 25

The first large-scale civilizations in the Old World arose in Mesopotamia and Egypt. These states and, later, empires were situated along major river courses because they provided ample fresh water for irrigation as well as transportation for goods.

The Fertile Crescent is a region of the Middle East between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The term Mesopotamia literally means between the rivers. It is arch-shaped and extends through modern-day Iraq, Syria, the Levant and eastern Turkey. The Neolithic settlements of Chatal Huyuk and Jericho had been in this region, but by 3000 BC, the Sumerian people had established the first true city- states. Sumerians: Spooky

A city-state is a large, established settlement that controls the political and economic life of the surrounding region. The Sumerians (who called themselves the Sag-Giga, or Black- Headed People) established a series of these city-states at Eridu, Ur and Uruk. Cities were usually centered around a temple complex, which might include a ziggurat. They also had city walls to protect them from their neighbors. Ziggurat at Ur A Sumerian king meets petitioners

The Sumerian city-states were prosperous, but vulnerable to attack. In 2340 BC, Sargon, the king of the northern Akkadian tribe, invaded Mesopotamia and conquered the Sumerian cities. The Akkadians established the first empire in Western history. It collapsed in 2193 BC. Sargon the Great

Hammurabi Hammurabis Code Sumerian Culture Egypt Pgs. 26 - 27

In 1792 BC, a new empire arose in Mesopotamia. This one was centered in the city of Babylon and founded by Hammurabi. Hammurabis empire only lasted until his death in 1750 BC, but it was characterized by economic growth, temple- building, and the worlds first written law code. Babylon Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi is a set of 282 laws supposedly given to the king by a god. They governed every aspect of peoples lives, from religious worship to consumers rights to marriage and family. Society was patriarchal, so nearly all privileges and responsibilities in the law code are given to the male head of the household. Punishments are harsh. The principle of an eye for an eye is implemented often, and the majority of crimes are punishable by death. Hammurabis code is seen as an important influence on the books of law in the Old Testament. The Code Stele

The Sumerians created arguably (see: China) the first writing system: Cuneiform. The wedge-shaped characters were made by pressing a sharpened reed into wet clay. Writing was originally used to keep business records. It was also used to record the Epic of Gilgamesh, the earliest known work of fiction. Mesopotamian cultures were among the first to work in bronze, an alloy of copper and tin. Sumerians also adapted the wheel to be used on wagons and to spin pottery. Gilgamesh Bronze daggers

The Egyptian civilization was centered on the longest river in the world: the Nile. The northern stretch of the Nile, including the delta region on the Mediterranean coast, is called the Lower Nile. The southern portion, which runs through Sudan and East Africa, is the Upper Nile.

Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom New Kingdom Egyptian Society Pgs. 27 - 30

Upper and Lower Egypt had been independent regions, until they were united by Menes, first pharaoh and founder of the First Dynasty, in 3100 BC. Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom (2700 2200 BC) ruled over an age of prosperity and magnificence. All of the famous pyramids, including Khufus, Khafres, and Menkaures, were built in this period. The Sphinx may be even older still.

The Middle Kingdom (2050 1652 BC) marked a return to stability after a long period of chaos. Pharaohs of the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth dynasties focused on solidifying the political and social structure of the nation, as well as improving farming practices. A series of ineffectual administrations in the late thirteenth dynasty eventually led to an invasion by the Hyksos, a people from western Asia who used chariots and bronze weapons to conquer Egypt and end the Middle Kingdom. Bronze swords Hyksos EgyptiansSenusret III

The Hyksos ruled Egypt for nearly 100 years, but by 1567 the Egyptians were able to use their conquerors technology to drive them out and establish the eighteenth dynasty of the New Kingdom (1567 1085 BC). The New Kingdom saw Egypt establish an empire over much of the Mediterranean, from Libya in the west to Israel in the east. Some of the most famous pharaohs are from the New Kingdom period, including Ramses the Great, Hatshepsut, and the boy-king Tutankhamun. Hatshepsuts Temple King Tuts Death Mask

Society was strictly stratified in ancient Egypt. The pharaoh was regarded as a living god, the reincarnation of Osiris, and his authority was unquestioned. His government was run by the nobility and high priests. The middle class consisted of merchants, artisans and clerks. They managed the economic power of the empire. The vast majority of people were peasant farmers. They produced the food, paid the taxes and provided free labor for massive building projects. Osiris Farmer with Shaduf

Answer each question in a half-page response with complete sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1. According to the Code of Hammurabi, what was most highly valued in Mesopotamian society? What was least valued? Explain (pg. 35). 2. Describe the process of mummification. What was the spiritual purpose of the practice (pg. 28)? 3. What contributions did King Solomon make to the nation of Israel? Why is he so famous amongst Hebrew kings (pg. 31)?

Culture Ancient Israel Assyrian Empire Pgs. 30 - 34

Not long after the Sumerians invented their writing system, the Egyptians developed hieroglyphics, a written language that uses small pictures to represent sounds or words. Egyptian artisans were able to design and build huge monuments with a great deal of precision due to their advanced understanding of mathematics. Priests and educated nobles had a profound understanding of astronomy. They developed a 365-day calendar and were able to time the annual Nile flood accurately.

As the Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires were beginning to wane, around 1200 BC, a number of regional cultures emerged. One of these was the Israelites. The Israelites were a nomadic, animal- herding culture. They originally came from Mesopotamia, migrated to modern- day Israel, and were later enslaved by the Egyptians. Unique among early cultures, the Israelites were monotheistic and relatively literate. Around 1200 BC, they began writing down their history, laws and religious traditions in what would become the Old Testament. The Torah Moses

By 911 BC, the power vacuum caused by the decline of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires had been filled by the Assyrians. The Assyrians came from an area of the upper Fertile Crescent that is now part of Syria (hence the name). Lamassu in relief Palaces of Nimrud

The Assyrians conquered a huge region of the Middle East. By 627 BC, they controlled what is now Turkey, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Iran and most of Egypt. All of this conquest was possible for two reasons: The Assyrians had iron weapons while their enemies still used bronze, and the Assyrians were utterly ruthless. They devastated fields, destroyed dams, executed prisoners and mutilated dissidents. Assyrian iron weapons

Persian Empire India and China Early Indian Civilizations Pgs. 34 - 37

The Persian people were once a nomadic group of loosely- affiliated families in present-day southern Iran, until they were united into an empire by Cyrus the Great in 559 BC. The Persians were much more considerate conquerors than the Assyrians had been. When Cyrus seized the city of Babylon in 540 BC, he didnt execute prisoners, and he even freed the Israelites who had been detained there for 70 years. Cyrus II, the Great

Cyruss successors added huge tracts of land to the Empire, and by 486 BC, Persia stretched from western India to southern Europe and Egypt. The entire nation was connected by the Royal Road. This vast empire was run as a sort of federation, in which regional kings continued to hold power by the grace of the Great King. The empire began to fall apart under a series of ineffective kings. The Persians were finally conquered by Alexander the Great in the 330s BC.

While city-states and empires were developing in western Asia and Egypt, similar processes led to the rise of advanced cultures in India and China. Indian and Chinese civilizations also started near great rivers, and large scale agriculture was important to their development, but in other respects they were unique. Harappa Gateway Terra cotta Warriors of Xian

India is a vast sub-continent characterized by widely varying climate regions. The north is dominated by the Himalayan mountains, the center is a dry plain, the coasts are semi-tropical and fertile. Varied climate has produced varied cultures. Today, Indians speak over 100 languages. Between 3000 and 1500 BC, the valley of the Indus river was the center of a civilization composed of more than 1000 settlements, including the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. This is now called the Harappan or Indus civilization. Mohenjo-daro today

The Aryans Hinduism Buddhism Pgs. 37 - 40

A series of natural disasters had already weakened the Indus civilization when, around 1500 BC, invaders from the north conquered the river valley and established an empire. These were the Aryans. The Aryans were a warlike, nomadic people from central Asia. Following their conquest of the Indus valley, they quickly extended their control over central India and the Ganges river region.

The invading Aryans were in the minority in conquered India, so they instituted a series of social and economic rules to ensure their cultural hegemony to this day. This was the caste system. Brahmans: Priests Kshatriyas: Warriors Vaisyas: Merchants Sudras: Peasants Untouchables

Hinduism is the religion introduced to India by the Aryans. Hindus believe in a single universal truth (the Brahman) as expressed through a nigh-infinite number of gods and described in the vedas. The notion of reincarnation, or physical rebirth after death, was introduced to Hinduism in the 500s BC. The cycle of reincarnation is influenced by the individuals karma, or force of good deeds in life. Hinduism has been used as a justification for the strictly ordered caste system. Ganesh Kali

Buddhism is a spiritual philosophy derived from Hinduism by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (Enlightened One). Buddhism teaches that enlightenment can be attained by accepting the Four Noble Truths and following the Eight- fold Path. One who is enlightened can escape the cycle of reincarnation and reach nirvana.

Answer each question in a half-page response with complete sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1. What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism? Explain the Middle, or Eight-fold, Path (pgs. 3940). 2. How is the Silk Road different from the other trade routes pictured in the map on pg. 41? How would these differences have affected trade from east to west? 3. Explain the concept of filial piety and how it relates to Confucianism (pgs. 43-45).

Mauryan Empire Early China Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty Pgs. 40 - 42

Aryan political hegemony fell apart by 325 BC, and India became a series of small unaligned states. For a period from 324 to 183 BC, the northern part of India was controlled by the Mauryan kings. The greatest of the Mauryan monarchs was Asoka, who ruled from 269 to 232 BC. A dedicated Buddhist, Asoka built hospitals, sent missionaries to China, and encouraged trade along the Silk Road.

Chinese civilizations developed later than those of western and central Asia. This is because China had no contact with other advanced cultures, so they had to invent everything for themselves. While cities and agriculture may have come comparatively late, the Chinese might have developed the earliest system of writing: Scapulimancy. Animal bones were carved with pictures (later symbols and letters) and thrown into a fire. The way the bone broke was used to divine the future. The symbols used were the early precursors to modern Chinese characters. Scapulimancy Chinese Zodiac

From 1750 to 1045 BC, a series of rulers collectively known as the Shang dynasty ruled northern China. The Shang developed a system of imperial government and, under their leadership, Chinese artisans perfected the art of working in bronze.

Immediately following the Shang dynasty, a new line of emperors arose under the name Zhou. They ruled from 1085 to 256 BC. The concept of the Mandate of Heaven was elaborated during the Zhou dynasty. This states that the emperor is chosen by Heaven to rule justly and peacefully. His word is law. But if he is unjust, or if there is a natural disaster, the people have the right to remove the emperor and replace him. Zhou soldiers destroy a field

Qin Dynasty Han Dynasty Confucianism Pgs. 42 - 45

When the Zhou dynasty lost the Mandate of Heaven and collapsed, what followed was 200 years of civil war. From these troubled times came Qin Shihuangdi, the first of the Qin emperors. Qin Shihuangdis major goal, and the project that occupied his entire reign, was the building of the Great Wall. The purpose of the wall was to keep northern bandits out of China. The wall of today was built 1,500 years later to commemorate the Qin project. Terra cotta warrior

The Qin dynasty lasted exactly one emperor, but it was succeeded by the Han, which ruled from 202 BC to AD 220. Under the Han emperors, China expanded into the central Asian deserts and south into Vietnam. Such a large state required an army of professional bureaucrats, and the Han Empire established schools to train them. Statue of a teacher

Confucius (Kongfuzi) was a political and social philosopher who lived in the sixth century (500s) BC. His sayings, the basis for Confucianism, were taught to every Chinese child for over 2500 years. Confucianism is concerned with relationships between people as a model for orderly society. If everyone works hard and obeys the rules of social interaction (the Dao), then the world will be in harmony. Confucius

the great wall of chinachatal huyukmohenjo-daro the pyramids at gizakush great ziggurat at ur

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