Understanding our PastThe Dawn of History

Beginnings of Civilization

GeographyThe study of people, their environments and

the resources available to them.

5 Themes of Geography#1 LOCATIONLocation: Pinpoint the location of the place

being studied- uses longitude- the east and west of the Prime Meridian and Latitude the distance north and south of the equator.

“Where in the world are you?”

#2 PlaceWhat are the

physical features of this location and the people who live there?

“Why is that hairy guy jumping into the waterfall?”

#3 Human-Environment InteractionHumans are

shaped by the environment in which they live

Humans shape the environment in which they live

Who needs trees when you can have Amazon Disney?

#4 MovementThe transporting of

people, goods and ideas from one place to another

Pack up the recipe for Crusty Crab Burgers…we’re

moving!

#5 RegionDivisions in the

world that share a common theme:

Geographers can divide the world by physical characteristics, political, economic or cultural features

PrehistoryA time before

writing was invented

No cities, governments or complex inventions

AnthropologyStudies the origins and development of

societies and peopleDifferent specialties within the fieldCultural in this field means life of a society is

handed down between generations

Archaeology A branch of anthropology that studies past

people and cultures Archaeologist examine artifacts from the past

to understand how people livedRely on Technology

TechnologyFrom an archaeological point of view

technology refers to the skills and tools people use to meet their needs

The Old Stone AgePaleolithic Age Dates from about 2 million BC- to the first

stone tools 10,000 BCPeriod ends with the introduction of

farmingBroken into 3 eras

Early (Lower) Paleolithic 2 million -250,000 years ago

Middle Paleolithic 250,00-45,000 years agoLate (Upper) Paleolithic 45,000 – 20,000 years

ago (cave drawings)

Paleolithic PeopleHunters and

gathersNomads- they

moved from place to place- following the herds and vegetation

Stone Tools from the Lower Paleolithic Period—Olduvai Gorge Tanzania

Paleolithic ReligionEvidence of animism has been foundBelief that everything living and inanimate

has a spirit and soulConsidered the oldest religionExample Cave paintings asking spirits for

help with a good hunt

Mother GoddessMother Goddess ensures the continuation of the clan

Agricultural Revolution Leads To Neolithic AgeThe ability to farm transformed Paleolithic

people into the Neolithic ageBegan about 11, 000 years ago in the Middle

EastNomadic lifestyle was abandoned Domestication of animalsIncrease in PopulationSpecialization in work

Farming

Domestication of animals

Increase in Population

Specialization in work force

Increase in new technologies (calendars, woven cloth, stone axes)

Beginnings of CivilizationA civilization is a complex, highly organized

social order. Earliest civilizations began along rivers

Tigris – Euphrates RiversModern Day Iraq

Nile River Valley

Indus Valley Civilization- India- Pakistan Region

Yellow River- China

Civilizations in the AmericasIncas, Aztecs emerged in the highlands of

Peru and MexicoFocus was religious centers

Features of a CivilizationDespite arising in different parts of the globe

all ancient civilizations shared 8 features

#1 CitiesAt the heart of all civilizations was a major

city

Ruins of Harappa- Mohenjo-Daro Region of India

#2 Organized GovernmentAs society become

more complex city governments were needed to organize society

First Priests then warrior kings became political leaders

#3 Complex ReligionsPolytheisticNeolithic People believed in multiple gods

Sumerian Ziggurat – in modern day Iraq

#4 Job SpecializationNo longer needed everyone to hunt and

gatherIncreased population allowed people to

specialize in certain crafts– many became artisans

#5 Social ClassesSpecialization led to classesPeople were ranked by their jobsPriests and nobles usually at the topWealthy merchantsArtisansPeasant Farmers –lived by the city in

outlining villages

Social HierarchyPriestsMerchantsArtisansPeasant Farmers

#6 Arts and ArchitectureExpressed the beliefs and values of the

peopleBuildings were a sign of wealth and

strength

#7 Public WorksBuilding projects that support the cityIrrigation systems, roads, bridges and

defensive walls

#8 WritingPriests were the first to use writingPrimary use for agriculture-record grain

collected, accurate info about seasonsEarliest was pictograms-simple drawings

that looked like the objects they represented

Cultural DiffusionA civilizations grew so did trade and

interaction with other peopleCultural Diffusion is the spread of ideas,

customs and technologies from one people to another.

It occurs through trade, migration and warfare