Chapter 1 Sec 3

8/11/2019 Chapter 1 Sec 3

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The establishment of villages such as Catalhuyukand Jericho symbolized a huge step in humandevelopment

Societies were becoming more organized whichwould eventually lead to the development ofcivilizations



A. Earliest civilizations arose near majorrivers1. Rivers provided a regular water supply anda means of transportation2. Animals that came to the rivers to drink

were a source of food3. Conditions in the river valleys were good for

farming because the soil was fertile4. Farmers were able to produce surpluses of food, more than was necessary.

a. This allowed them to feed more people andto store food for the future



a. Some people were able to work jobs other thanfarming b. This was a departure from the

traditional economies of the Stone Age

1. Traditional economies rely onhabit, custom, or ritual and tendnot to change over time

c. Life became dramatically differentthan it had been before



1. A civilization is a complex, highly organized

social order a. Sumer between the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers in the Middle East b. Egypt along the Nile River

c. Indus civilization along theIndus River in India

d. Shang civilization along theHuang River (Yellow River) inChina.



1. Major civilizations emerged in the highlands ofPeru, Mexico, and Central America where peoplelearned to farm on the sides of mountains or to fillswamps with land for farming

D. Life Away from Cities – Away from the first cities,many people continues to hunt, gather food, or live in

farming villages 1. On some less fertile lands called steppes , nomadicherders tended cattle, sheep, goats, or other animals

a. Because the land did not have abundantwater or grass, these nomads had to keepmoving to find pasture



1. In cities, more powerful organized governmentsarose to oversee large-scale efforts that benefited thepeople

2. A central government could coordinate theproduction of large amounts of food

3. A well-organized government could bring peopletogether for projects that controlled flooding orchanneled water to the fields.



4. Many rulers relied on royal officials to helpthem govern by issuing law, collecting taxes, andorganizing systems of defense.

5. In many early cases, priests probablyhad the greatest power in government while inothers warrior kings as the main political leaders. a.) Often, warrior kings claimed

their right to rule came from thegods, and they passed their powerfrom father to son

b.) This resulted in many political

leaders gaining religious power as well.



1. People believed that there were gods whocontrolled natural forces or human activitiessuch as birth and war 2. Priests and worshippers often tried to

gain favor of the gods through rituals such asceremonies, dances, prayers, and hymns. 3. People built temples and sacrificedanimals, crops, or sometimes other humans

to the gods



1. artisans – skilled craftspeople who madepottery or finely carved or wooden goods 2. People learned to make tools andweapons first out of copper and later out ofbronze, a more durable mixture of copperand tin3. Bricklayers built city walls, soldiersdefended the walls, merchants sold goods inthe marketplace4. Singers, dancers, and storytellersentertained on public occasions



1. Priests and nobles were at the top level 2. Next, came a small class of wealthy merchantsfollowed by artisans3. The vast majority of the people were peasantfarmers who lived in the surrounding villages andprovided food for the city.4. In many civilizations slaves occupied the lowestsocial level a.) Slaves sometimes came from poor families

who sold family members into slavery to paytheir debts

b.) Others became slaves for punishment forcrimes or were prisoners captured in war



1. Temples and palaces often dominated the citylandscape2. The skilled workers who built these buildingsdecorated them with wall paintings, pictures of

gods, goddesses, or rulers, and other designs



1. Public works were meant to benefit thecity by protecting them from attack,ensuring its food supply, or enhancing thereputation of its ruler

2. These projects were often quite costly andrequired a great deal of human labor,sometimes resulting in the loss of lives duringconstruction



1. The earliest writing systems varied in appearance,structure, and purpose a.) Some were first used in temples where

priests needed to record the amounts ofgrain collected, accurate information

about the seasons, and precise rituals andprayers 2. The first step people took was to use

pictographs (simple drawings) that look like theobjects they represent

a.) Later, they developed complex writingsystems including symbols that representwords, syllables, or letters



3. As writing became more complex, onlyscribes (specially trained people) could read andwrite a.) Scribes kept records for priests,

rulers, and merchants b.) Only a few societies permitted

women to become scribes, anoccupation that could lead to politicalpower



1. Nomadic cultures did not have many ofthe characteristics of a civilization a.) The people did not build cities,

and their government was simple2. Nomadic people often excelled in arts andscience and many groups developedtraditions in oral poetry, music, weaving,

jewelry making, and animal raising



Among the chief causes of change were shifts in thephysical environment and interactions among people.

One of the major results was the expansion of citiesinto larger political entitiesA. Environment Affects People’s Lives – People living inearly civilizations depended heavily on their physical

environment 1. People needed enough rain and fertile soil in orderto produce crops 2. Resources such as stone, timber, or metals were

also essential



3. Significant changes in the environmentcould have an immediate impact on people’slives a.) An earthquake or volcanic eruptioncould wipe out an entire civilization b.) Farming the same land too much

could destroy soil fertility and rivers couldbecome too salty 1. Cities would then suffer famine

and survivors were forced to move away

Chapter 1 Sec 3

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