THE ORIGINS OF CIVILIZATION

Early Forms of Man

HominidsHuman-like creatures that walk uprightAppear about 4 million years ago “Lucy” found in Ethiopia, about 3.5 million

years oldHomo habilis

Able to make and use toolsAppear 2.5 million years agoStart of the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age)

Early Forms of Man

Homo erectusAppear 1.6 million years agoFirst to migrate from AfricaFirst to use fireMaybe first to use language

Early Forms of Man

Homo Sapiens: NeanderthalsAppear 200,000 years agoLarger brainsSophisticated stone toolsLived in caves, huts of wood & animal skinDeveloped religious ritualsCreated music

Early Forms of Man

Homo Sapiens: Cro-Magnon menAppear 40,000 years agoMore than 100 different toolsCreated paintingOur ancestors

The Life of Early Men

Hunter-gatherersFrom 4 million BC to 10,000 BCHunted animals for meatGathered wild grains, vegetables, fruit

NomadsWandered the earth in search of food

supplies Improved tools helped them gain more food

Technology

The way in which humans used applied knowledge to create more and more advanced tools to improve their lives The stone axe The wheel The sail The compass The printing press The telephone The computer

The Neolithic Revolution

Neolithic Era = New Stone AgeOne of the two greatest changes in the

existence of the human race10,000-5,000 BC

Men began to raise and grow food where they livedKept and bred livestock – domestication Sowed seeds for cropsSecure, local sources of food

The Neolithic Revolution

Took place in different parts of the worldMesopotamiaNile valley of EgyptChina Indus valley of IndiaThe Mediterranean basinCentral AmericaPeru

The Neolithic Revolution

Men could settle down in communitiesCommunities grew, became more

complexNew institutions, rules needed

Civilization

Civilization Advanced form of culture Linked to growth of life in cities: civitas =

city state in Latin Marked by five major changes in

human life

Hallmarks of Civilization

(1) Creation of institutions – government, kings, priests, laws

(2) Separation of roles – farmers, artisans, merchants, administrators, priests, scribes

(3) Record keeping – invention of writing

(4) Advanced technology

(5) Large cities

River Valley Civilizations

Earliest civilizations grew in river valleysWater essential for

Drinking – humans and herds Irrigation of cropsTransportation

The River Valley Civilizations

MesopotamiaEgyptChinaIndus valley

Geographic division led to development of different cultures

Culture

The way of life of one distinctive group of people. Marked by commonLanguageBeliefs and valuesSymbolsSocial customsFamily structureFood and drinkClothing

The Bronze Age

Began around 3000 BCMarked by use of bronze tools and

weaponsBronze an alloy of copper and tin

Sumeria

In Mesopotamia – between two riversCity-states

Ur – about 3000 BC, 30,000 peopleLed by priests (defense against the

gods) and warrior kings (defense against enemies)

Sumerian Technology

Ziggurats – temples in pyramid-form Irrigation systems Arithmetic, based on 60

60 minutes to an hour 360 degrees to a circle

Cuneiform writing Wheel Plow Sail Bronze armor and weapons Potter’s wheel

The Civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt

The Babylonian Empire

Babylonians conquered Mesopotamia c. 2000 BC Created the first great empire

Hammurabi ruled Babylon, 1792-1750 BC Created the world’s first law code, focused on

Property rights Commercial law – laws governing trade Personal violence

Egypt

Ruled by pharaohs – kings believed to be gods

Belief in after-lifePyramidsMummificationPapyrus – paperHieroglyphic writing

Egypt

Solar calendar365 days, 12 months per year

Written numbers, geometry

Indo-European Migrations

Nomads from north of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea

Pastoral peopleHerded wandering flocks of cattle, sheep,

goats1700-1200 BC: moved to populate

Europe, Iran, India, South Asia

ANCIENT GREECE

Minoan Civilization

Based on CreteFlourished 2000-1400 BCSea tradersProduced painted pottery, precious

metals, bronze weapons

Mycenaean Civilization

Indo-European invadersEntered Greece c. 2000 BCEstablished city-states

Mountainous terrain made travel, communications difficult

Led to growth of independent citiesImitated Minoan writing, religion, art,

sea-borne trade

The Trojan War

c. 1200 BCWar between the Mycenaeans and the

city-state of TroyEnded in Greek victory, destruction of

Troy

The Dorians

Invaded Greece c. 1200 BCEra of Homer

Blind poet, wrote the first great epic poemsEpic = narrative about great events, heroic

deedsThe Iliad, about the Trojan WarThe Odyssey, about the return home of

Greek king Odysseus

The Dorians

Lost the art of writingHomer’s works memorized, passed

down by oral transmissionDid Homer actually exist?

The Rise of Athens

Greek Political Terms

Polis = city-state in GreekPolitics

Monarchy = rule by one manOligarchy = rule by a few menTyranny = single rulers, who seized

power outside the systemOften supported by the common people

Greek Political Terms

Democracy = people powerAristocracy = power in the hands of the

best peopleAutocracy = power in the hands of one

person

Athens Develops Democracy

621 BC: Draco as tyrantEstablished equality under the lawFamous for very harsh laws – many death

penalties, slavery for debt594 BC: Solon

Organized Athenians into classes based on wealth

All citizens could speak and voteOnly top three classes could hold office

Athens Develops Democracy

500 BC: CleisthenesOrganized citizens by district, not wealthAll citizens could submit lawsCouncil of 500 chosen by lot as the

executiveNOTE: What is a citizen?

An adult male, born in Athens, who owns property

Sparta

Mixed constitutionTwo elected kings, controlled the armyFive elected officials carried out lawsCouncil of Elders (30) proposed lawsAll Spartan citizens voted on laws, elected

kings and officials

Sparta

A militarist societyWhole state devoted to military power

All male citizens, aged 7-30, in the armyThe most powerful army in Greece

Sparta

No value placed on literature, artDuty, discipline, strength valued more

than freedom, individuality, learningLarge population of slaves – helots

The Persian Wars

Darius the Great

546 BC: Persian Empire reached the Aegean Sea Included many Greeks, who revolted

against Persian ruleAthens helped the Greek rebelsPersia crushed the rebellion

490 BC: Darius invaded Greece

The Battle of Marathon

Marathon, a plain NE of Athens 25,000 Persians vs. 10,000 Athenians Greeks had developed the phalanx – army

with iron spears and shields, marching in tight formation

Greek phalanx defeated the lightly-armed Persians

Pheidippides ran to Athens with news of the victory

The Battle of Thermopylae

480 BC: Xerxes invades GreeceMet Greek army at Thermopylae, a

narrow pass300 Spartans held back the Persians

while the Greek army escapedAll Spartans killed

The Battle of Salamis

Xerxes advanced on Athens, set fire to itSent his fleet to destroy the Athenian

navy while he watchedInstead, saw a great Athenian naval

victory1/3 of the Persian fleet destroyed

The Battle of Plataea

479 BC: Greeks crushed the Persian army

478 BC: Greek city-states form the Delian LeagueTurns into an Athenian empire, based on

sea-power

The Golden Age of Athens

Pericles 461-429 BC

Elected leader of AthensThree goals

Strengthen democracyStrengthen the Athenian empireGlorify the city

Established direct democracyAll citizens could speak, vote, hold officeAll citizens equal before the law

Athenian vs. American Democracy

Differences:Direct democracy vs. representative

democracyDefinition of a citizenDuties of a citizen

The Glory of Athens

Architecture:AcropolisParthenon

SculpturePhidiasMyron

The Glory of Athens

TheaterAeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides (tragedies)Aristophanes (comedies)

HistoryHerodotusThucydides

The Peloponnesian War

Athens vs. Sparta

Two states hated and distrusted each other

Athens = sea powerSparta = military powerEach had allies among other city-states

Wanted to avoid warAgreed not to seek or accept city-states that

wanted to switch sides

The Peloponnesian War

431 BC: Dispute between allies of Athens and Sparta leads to out break of war

Athenian strategyAvoid land battlesKeep Athenians inside city walls – which

extended to the seaWait for a chance to attack Sparta by sea

The Peloponnesian War

429 BC: plague strikes Athens1/3 population diesPericles dead

421 BC: temporary truce415 BC: Athens attacks a Spartan ally,

SyracuseAthenian fleet and army wiped out

404 BC: Athens surrenders

Greek Philosophy

Philosophy in Athens

Philosophy = love of wisdomBased on two ideas

That the universe is orderlyThat humans can understand its order

through the use of reasonEmphasis on reason

Humans can understand ethical and physical laws through exercise of the mind

Socrates

Taught by the Socratic method – questions and answers

Forced his students to question received beliefs

Taught self-examination as a route to find truth and justice

399 BC: condemned to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens”

Plato

Student of SocratesBelieved that ideas were more real and

perfect than thingsWrote The Republic – a description of

the perfect form of governmentNo, NOT a democracy!A philosopher-king, governing three classes

of rulers, warriors, and farmers/artisans

Plato

Why did Plato, an Athenian, distrust democracy?

Aristotle

Developed formal rules of logicSyllogism

Analyzed and summarized many fields of learningPoetry, science, nature, ethics

Believed in observation, leading to deduction of rules

Taught Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great and Hellenism

Macedonia Conquers Greece

Peloponnesian War left all Greek city-states weakened

338 BC: Philip II of Macedonia conquered Greece

336 BC: succeeded by his son, Alexander

Alexander the Great

Ruled 336-323 BCConquered the Persian EmpireCaptured Egypt

Established the great city of AlexandriaAdvanced as far as IndiaDied in Babylon, aged 32His empire divided among his generals

Hellenism

Greek culture, blended with additions from the conquered lands of AlexanderEgypt, Persia, India

Became the dominant culture of the whole East Mediterranean, Middle East

Alexandria became the main center of Hellenistic civilization

Hellenism

Koine GreekBecame the common language of the

eastern Roman EmpireThe language of the New Testament

Hellenism

MathematicsEuclid developed modern geometryPythagoras – the Pythagorean TheoremArchimedes calculated π, explained the law

of the lever, and invented…Archimedes screw The complex pulleyA method of calculating the mass of irregular

objects

Hellenism

AstronomyAristarchus – proved the Earth revolves

round the Sun, the Sun is at least 300 times bigger than the Earth

Eratosthenes – calculated the equator to be 28,000 miles long

Ptolemy – argued the Sun and planets revolve around the Earth in fixed circles

Hellenism in Philosophy

StoicismZeno (335-263 BC) argued

People should live lives of harmony and virtueThey should obey natural laws established by

GodHuman desires, power and wealth are

dangerous distractions from virtueVirtuous people control these desires

Hellenism in Philosophy

EpicureanismEpicurus taught that

Gods are not concerned with humansThe only real objects are those perceived by the

five sensesThe greatest good is the absence of painVirtuous conduct involves harmony of mind and

body, to minimize pain – moderation, not abstinence

Hellenism in Politics

The eastern Mediterranean was a region of monarchies

Plato had already accepted kingship as the best form of rule

People of Greek civilization accepted kings as their natural rulers In the east, the Ptolemy dynasty became

the new pharaohs of Egypt