AP World History

Early Man and Beginnings of Civilization

Writing: In the Saudi Aramco WORLD magazine,

turn to the article on pp. 2 – 9. Read the first 2 paragraphs and the

captions for all of the pictures in the rest of the article.

Write: ½ page explaining the use of aerial photography and the theories given for the formations on the ground. Do you agree with the theories? Do you have a different one?

Scientific Clues Archaeologists

study bones and artifacts—human- made objects

Anthropologists study culture—a group’s way of life

Paleontologists study fossils—plant or animal remains preserved in rock

Mary Leakey’s team discovers prehistoric footprints in Tanzania in 1978

Laetoli footprints belong to hominids–creatures that walk upright.

Donald Johanson’s team finds female hominid in Ethiopia in 1974

Nicknames 3.5 million-year-old skeleton “Lucy”

Catal Huyuk Farming thrived here

8,000 years ago; located in modern Turkey

Population of 5,000 to 6,000 grew crops, raised sheep and cattle

Made pottery, wove baskets, traded valuable obsidian

In 1958, remains of village found; wall paintings, religious shrines

Tools Needed to Survive Paleolithic (Old Stone

Age) humans were nomads —moved in search of food

Hunted animals, collected plant foods—were hunter-

gatherers Cro-Magnons had more

than 100 specialized tools; bone needles to sew

cave paintings, animal sculptures, rock engravings and paintings, jewelry of sea shells, lion teeth, bear claws, polished beads from mammoth tusks

Neolithic Revolution —agricultural revolution, began about 10,000 years ago Nomadic women scattered seeds, then discovered crops growing

Shift from food-gathering to food-production great breakthrough

THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION The Neolithic Revolution is a turning point in history. Before the Neolithic Revolution (during the Paleolithic

Age), nomads used simple stone tools and relied on hunting and gathering for food.

During the Neolithic Age, peoples’ diet and shelter dramatically changed. The domestication of animals and the planting* of crops (such as wheat and barley) led to the development of civilizations**.

*planting = cultivation **civilizations = permanent homes and

villages = settled communities

GEOGRAPHY IMPACTS HOW PEOPLE DEVELOP: The four earliest (ancient river valley) civilizations

include: 1) EGYPT (NILE River) (The Old, Middle, and New Kingdom were

periods in ancient Egyptian history. The ancient Egyptians harvested papyrus for writing

2) CHINA (YELLOW River) The Yellow River is also called the HUANG

HE River.

3) INDIA (INDUS River) The Indus River is actually located in modern-day

Pakistan (in SOUTH ASIA). The archaeological remains of the Indus Valley

cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro show evidence of urban planning

(the cities were designed in grid-like patterns). This is an indication that a well organized central government had been established.

4) MESOPOTAMIA (The TIGRIS and EUPHRATES Rivers) AKA Babylonian civilization.

Mesopotamia was located in modern-day Iraq.

Why did ancient civilizations develop in valleys of rivers?

The climate and geography of these river valleys favored agriculture.

The river valleys provided good farmland. (A plentiful water supply

provided the means for irrigation. RICH [FERTILE] SOIL helped grow crops.)

River valleys also provided a source of fresh water and transportation

(e.g. the transportation of soldiers and resources). • River valleys contained rich soils because of

annual (yearly) floods.

CHARACTERISTICS (ELEMENTS) OF CIVILIZATIONS 1. Centralized government 2. Organized religion(s) 3. Social classes 4. Specialization of labor (different jobs) 5. Art and architecture 6. Cities 7. Public Works (e.g. roads, bridges,

temples) 8. System(s) of writing

Mesopotamia

How Civilization Develops

Sumer Located in

Mesopotamia, now part of modern Iraq

One of the first civilizations—a complex culture: advanced cities

specialized workers complex institutions record keeping advanced technology

Fertile Crescent—arc of land between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean

Includes Mesopotamia—“land between the rivers”

a fertile plain -- Tigris and Euphrates rivers flood once a year, leaving rich soil.

Environmental Challenges

Around 3300 B.C. Sumerians begin farming southern Mesopotamia

Environment poses 3 disadvantages:

- floods are unpredictable; sometimes no rain

- land offers no barriers to invasion

- - land has few natural resources; building materials scarce

Sumerians worked together; find solutions to environmental challenges:

build irrigation ditches to control water, produce crops

Organization, leadership, and laws are beginning of civilization

Sumerian City-States By 3000 B.C.

Sumerians build city-states—an independent political unit

Sumer city-states Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, and Ur

Each city has temple and ziggurat; priests appeal to gods

Sumerians believe in many different gods polytheism

Priests and Rulers Share Control

Sumer’s early governments controlled by temple priests

Some military leaders become rulers; dynasties rule after 2500 B.C.

Dynasty—series of rulers from a single family

exchange products and ideas with other cultures

Cultural diffusion—process of one culture spreading to others

Life in Sumerian Society Sumerians have social classes—

kings, landholders, priests at top Wealthy merchants next; at lowest

levels are slaves Women have many rights; become

priests, merchants, artisans

From 3000 to 2000 B.C. city-states at constant war

Sargon of Akkad Around 2350 B.C., Sargon

from Akkad defeats city-states of Sumer

Creates first empire—independent states under control of one leader

His dynasty lasts about 200 years

Mesopotamia is a good model for absolute monarchies: complete control over all aspects of their subjects lives.

Babylonian Empire Amorites, nomadic warriors, take

control of region around 2000 B.C. Make Babylon, on Euphrates River,

the capital Babylonian Empire at peak during Hammurabi’s rule (1792-1750 B.C.)

Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi creates a code of laws for

the Babylonian Empire 282 laws on all aspects of life;

engraved in stone and made public Set different punishments depending

on social class, gender Goal for government to take

responsibility for order, justice Amorite rule for Fertile Crescent ends

200 years after Hammurabi

Indus River Valley Civilization

Indus River Valley Civilization The first Indian civilization builds

well-planned cities on the banks of the Indus River.

Indian Subcontinent landmass that includes India,

Pakistan, and Bangladesh World’s tallest mountain ranges

separate it from rest of Asia Indus and Ganges rivers form

flat, fertile plain. Seasonal winds—monsoons—

dominate India’s climate Winter winds are dry; summer

winds bring rain can cause flooding

Environmental Challenges Floods along the Indus

unpredictable; river can

change course Rainfall unpredictable; could

have droughts or floods

Indus Valley Civilization Influenced an area larger

than Mesopotamia or Egypt

About 7000 B.C., evidence of agriculture and domesticated animals

By about 3200 B.C., people farming in villages along Indus River Planned Cities

By 2500 B.C., people build cities of brick laid out on grid system

Engineers create plumbing and sewage systems

Indus Valley called Harappan civilization after Harappa, a city.

Language had writing systems of 400 symbols; but scientists can’t decipher it

no great social divisions

Priests closely linked to rulers. Some religious artifacts reveals links to modern Hindu culture

Had thriving trade with other peoples, including Mesopotamia: seals in Sumeria

Harappan Decline Signs of decline begin

around 1750 B.C. Earthquakes, floods, soil

depletion may have caused decline

Egypt

Writing Assignment Read carefully the handout on “Tutankhamen,

the boy king”. Answer all three questions with a solid

paragraph for each.Optimal Paragraph Structure:

1. Topic sentence (what the heck are you writing about?) 2. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions

something from a reading. 3. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions

something from a reading. 4. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions

something from a reading. 5. Conclusion – don’t just stop, finish.

The Egyptians and the Hittites

Around 1285 B.C. Egyptians battle the Hittites in Palestine Egypt’s pharaoh, Ramses II, and the Hittite king sign a peace treaty

An Age of Builders New Kingdom pharaohs

built great palaces, magnificent temples

Valley of the Kings near Thebes is home to royal tombs

Ramses II builds impressive temples with enormous statues of himself

Egypt’s Settlements4,100-mile Nile River on

narrow strip of fertile landThe Gift of the Nile Yearly flooding brings

water and fertile black mud—silt

Farmers build irrigation system

Egyptians worship Nile as a god

Environmental Challenges

Light floods reduce crops, cause starvation

Heavy floods destroy property; deserts isolate and protect Egyptians

Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt

River area south of First Cataract is elevated, becomes Upper Egypt

Cataract—where boulders turn Nile River into churning rapids

River area north, including Nile delta, becomes Lower Egypt

Delta—land formed by silt deposits at mouth of river; triangular

Egypt Unites into a Kingdom King Narmer Creates

Egyptian Dynasty Villages of Egypt ruled by two

kingdoms—Lower Egypt, Upper Egypt

King Menes/Narmer unites them around 3000 B.C.

Establishes first Egyptian dynasty Pharaohs Rule as Gods

To Egyptians, kings are gods; Egyptian god kings called pharaohs

Pharaohs control religion, government, army, well-being of kingdom

Government based on religious authority— theocracy

Builders of the Pyramids Kings believed to rule even after

death; have eternal life force, ka Build elaborate tombs, pyramids,

to meet needs after death Pyramids made with blocks of

stone, 2-15 tons each; 481 ft. high

Old Kingdom had leadership, government; economically strong

Religion and Life

Egyptians believe in 2,000 gods and goddesses—polytheistic

Re (Ra) is sun god, Osiris, god of the dead; goddess Isis is ideal woman

Believe in life after death; person judged by deeds at death – The Afterlife

Develop mummification, process that prevents body from decaying

Book of the Dead contains prayers and spells, guides soul after death

     

                   

                                      

                      

     

                   

Life in Egyptian Society Social Classes: Society shaped like

pyramid, from Pharaoh down to farmers, laborers

Few people at top have great power; most people at bottom

90% Farmers People move into higher

social classes through marriage or merit

Women have many of the same rights as men

Egyptian Writing In hieroglyphics writing

system, pictures represent ideas

Paperlike sheets made from papyrus reeds used for writing

Pharaoh

Clerics

Military

Scribes

Merchants

Artisans

Farmers

Slaves

The Rosetta Stone: Key to Egyptian Hieroglyphics

The Empire Declines Invasion by Land and Sea “Sea Peoples” (possibly

Philistines) cause great destruction in Egypt

Libyan raids on villages and Palestine rebellions weaken empire Egypt’s Empire Fades

Weakened empire breaks into smaller kingdoms

From around 950 to 730 B.C. Libyan pharaohs rule Egypt, erect cities

The Kushites Conquer the Nile Region

Egypt and Kush From 2000 to 1000 B.C., Egypt

dominates kingdom of Kush in Nubia

The People of Nubia Live south of Egypt near

division of Blue Nile and White Nile

Nile River is a great trade route for goods and ideas Nubians link Egypt and Mediterranean to African interior through trade

Egypt under the Greeks Ancient Egypt: The

Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BC)

Began with the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great. On Alexander's death in 323 BC his empire was divided among his generals; Egypt fell to one named Ptolemy.

Greek became the state language and the capital moved to the newly founded Alexandria.

The fusion of existing Egyptian culture and Hellenistic influences was designed to support the new administrative system imposed on the Egyptians -- completely intentional.

Rosetta Stone inscribed at this time.

Egypt under the Romans Ancient Egypt:

The Roman Period (30 BC - around AD 384)

Egypt became part of the Roman Empire when Cleopatra VII was defeated by Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

The Romans installed their own administrative system. Egyptian culture gradually became that of the Roman empire.