UNIT I - Technological and Environmental Transformations

to 600BCE

Foundations, 12000BCE-600BCE

Need to Knows:1. The Paleolithic Achievements2. The Development of Agriculture and Domesticated

Animals3. The Cultural, Political, and Social Features of the Early

Foundational Civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Olmecs, Chavin, Xia/Shang/Zhou, and Harappa)

Periodization:4. 8000BCE-3500BCE5. 3500BCE-1000BCE

A BRIEF LOOK AT PREHISTORY

Prehistory• Early Human Migration:

1. Food Sources2. Climate Changes3. Overpopulation

• However, archaeologists have found evidence of these generally shared characteristics of prehistoric people:

1. Social structure2. Beliefs3. Economic Structure

THE NEOLITHICS

The Neolithic Revolution• The development of agriculture

and the domestication of animals led to a series of economic and social changes:

1. Increase in reliable food supplies

2. Rapid increase in total human population

3. Job specialization4. Widening of gender differences5. Development of distinction

between settled people and "nomads”

Characteristics of Civilization

These changes in turn allowed the development of "civilization," a basic organizing principle in world history. Civilization may be defined in many ways, but it is generally characterized by:

1. Urban Society2. Religion3. Literacy4. Government5. Specialization6. Social Classes7. Tool-Making8. Concept of Time9. Leisure10. Education/Criticism

Ex. Jericho, Catalhuyuk

Alternative to Agriculture

• Possible Alternatives:1. Shifting Cultivation2. Pastoral Nomads

• How did pastoralism and agriculture interact?– Seen as savages– Interaction vs. conflict– Chariots– Responsible for spread of

ideas, trade

Neolithic Era

• Neolithic Era (“New Stone Age”) is characterized by the refinement of tools for agricultural purposes, whether that be growing crops or raising animals. – Early labor specialization is based on

three craft industries from 800oBCE-3500BCE:

• Pottery • Metallurgy• Textile production

• Three important changes occurred around 4000-3500BCE. They are:– The introduction of the plow– The invention and use of bronze– The advent of writing

• Ex. cuneiform

THE BRONZE AGE CIVILIZATIONS

Commonalities

• Common characteristics:1. Location2. Irrigation Systems3. Legal Codes4. Elaborate Art Forms on

Pottery or Written Literature

5. Numbering Systems and Calendars

6. Increase of Social Inequality

Religious Developments

• Vedic Tradition– Precursor to Hinduism– Indra – main god– Cow and Peepul tree sacred

• Hebrew Monotheism– Ethical monotheism

• Conduct determines salvation– There is only one God speaking through prophets, priests– God made a covenant with the Jews, his Chosen people

• Zoroastrianism– Ahura Mazda – One God– Good vs. Evil, Heaven and Hell– Rejects monasticism

Literature and the Understanding of Civilization

• Ten Commandments– Lack punishments, apply universally

• Hammurabi’s Code– Applies punishment, grading based on social

standing, deals largely with contracts and payment• Epic of Gilgamesh

– Parallels to the Bible• Enkidu/Shamat vs. Adam and Eve• Utnapishtim’s Flood vs. Noah’s Flood

THE SIX

Sumer/BabylonMesopotamia

• Sumer in S. Iraq was first civilization– Cuneiform, sciences, math aided farming – Polytheistic religion

• Religion was to appease gods, control nature• Art, architecture dedicated to gods, religion

– Priests, later kings rule city-states– Land owning aristocracy dominate– Warlike society with slavery

• Cycle of Civilization– Nomads come in and conquer sedentary people– Conquerors assimilate local sedentary culture– New civilization blends cultures, thrives for a while– New civilization grows old, invaded by nomads

EgyptNile River Valley

• Society very different from Sumer

– Nile flooded regularly, predictably• Provided rich, easy soil to farm• Civilization regulated flooding, surveying

– Location isolated– Pharaoh was considered god-king

• Theocracy, almost absolute• Achievements

– Mathematics especially geometry; architecture– Sciences, Medicine, Art was both secular and

sacred– Religion was positive, egalitarian in many ways

Harappa Indus River Valley

• Arose around 2,500 BCE– Mohenjo Daro, Harappa main

cities– Independent city-states, strong

government– Extremely well-planned,

coordinated cities– Elaborate writing system

(undeciphered)– Religion worshipped mother

goddess– Little evidence of warfare until

end• Devastated by environmental

upheavals and destroyed by Indo-European (Aryan) nomads

Xia/Shang/ZhouHuangHe River Valley

• Developed in isolation similar to ancient Egypt– Xia Dynasty (Mythical?)

• God-like kings• Taught irrigation, sericulture

– Shang Dynasty• Warlike kings, landed aristocracy; few priests• Most people worked land as peasants• Elaborate bronze workings; naturalistic art

– Zhou Dynasty• Dynastic Cycle, Mandate of Heaven• Feudalism

• Ideographic– Writing denotes ideas (Difficult to Read)– First used on Oracle Bones – Cuneiform, hieroglyphs had similar effects

OlmecsMesoamerica

• Combination of Chiefdoms– Ruled by priests– Ritual bloodletting– Focus on producing crops: maize, beans, etc.

• Cultural Achievements– Mesoamerican Ballgame– Colossal head architecture– Mother Culture of Mayan, Aztecs

ChavinAndes South America

• City-States Among the Andes– Shaman figures ruled through divine connection– Anthropomorphic figures as gods

• Economy: Llama, potatoes, maize• Achievements:

– Drainage system– Mother culture for the Nazca, Inca

THE FALL OF THE EARLY FOUNDATIONAL CIVILIZATIONS

Causes and Impact

• First heritages passed on – Writing systems inherited– Intellectual systems, art copied– Religious, philosophical systems copied– Useful inventions rarely forgotten, easily spread

• River valley civilizations decline by 1000BCE– All subject to nomadic invasions– Indo-Europeans and Semites were strongest– Geographical centers shifted (all except China)