World History IntroductionCh. 1

Questions•What is World History? BC and AD? BCE? CE?• Before Christ and anno Domini(Latin for “in the year of our Lord”)

•How old is the Earth?• 4.6 billion years

•Where were the oldest human fossils found?• Africa-Specifically Tanzania and Ethiopia

•Who found the oldest human fossils?• Louis and Mary Leakey, Donald Johanson, Recent Scientists(Name??)

•What are some of the biggest achievements in world history?• Invention of tools, mastery of fire, development of language, invention

of wheels, invention of boats(the sail), art

Louis and Mary Leakey• Searched for hominid remains in

Tanzania from the 1930’s-1970’s• Hominid – the group consisting of all modern

and extinct Great Apes (modern humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans plus all their ancestors).

• Found humanlike fossils in 1959 in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania(in Africa)• This discovery would usher many

other findings over the decades

Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania

Donald Johanson

•Discovered a 3.2 million-year-old fossil of a female skeleton in Ethiopia named “Lucy” in 1974• This was the oldest known hominid

remains found until 2015•Article

Lucy’s death? University of Texas Study

Sourceand More Info

Homo-SapiensNeanderthal vs Cro-Magnon vs

Modern

Agricultural/Neolithic Revolution•Prior to more organized agriculture, people were nomadic and

hunted animals and gathered plants-hunter-gatherer• They lived in groups of about 25-70 people•No one knows exactly how things changed, but about 10,000

years ago, people started more organized farming•Along with planting crops, people also domesticated animals 

such as horses, dogs, goats and pigs

Ancient Sumerian City of Ur

•As time went on, people started setting up villages, which then, over time, turned into towns and then some into cities.•As cities emerged, more complex ways of thinking and living

emerged leading to civilization•As cities grew, social classes emerged

Define Civilization•Book Defintion-Dictionary.com

•An advanced state of human society, in which a high level ofculture,science, industry, and government has been reached

• Student Friendly Definition

•A highly advanced society

The Five Traits of a Civilization•Advances cities •Writing/Record keeping•Specialized workers•Complex institutions•Advanced technology

•What are natural borders?•Why are defensible borders important for a civilization to thrive?•What are some natural boundaries that would be helpful to an early civilization?

Ch. 2-Early River Valley Civilizations

•Arose in 4 separate river valleys around 3500 B.C.•Fertile soil, mild climate, waterway for transportation, water for crops & drinking•Provided for abundant crops and food surpluses

Ch. 2.1 KEY VOCABULARY• Fertile Crescent• See map

•Mesopotamia• Greek for “land between the rivers” See map

• City-state• a city and the surrounding territory it controls• functioned like an independent country

• Dynasty• A series of rulers from a single family-father to son

• Cultural diffusion• Process in which ideas spread from one culture to another

Ch. 2.1 Vocabulary Continued•Polytheism•belief in many gods

•Monotheism•belief in only one god

•Empire •group of territories or nations ruled by a single ruler

Ch. 2.2 Vocabulary• Delta• A broad, marshy area of land formed by deposits of silt where a river runs into a

bigger body of water• See map next slide

• King Narmer• King of Egypt that many believe united Upper and Lower Egypt around 3000 BC

• Pharaoh• The god-kings of Egypt-Seen as almost as powerful as the gods of the heavens

• Theocracy • Government headed by religious leaders or a leader regarded as a god

Ch. 2.2 Vocabulary Continued• Pyramid• Huge structure where the Egyptian pharaohs are placed after they die

•Mummification• The process of drying and embalming a corpse to prevent devay• Usually reserved for royalty and the rich

Ch. 2.2 Vocabulary Continued• Hieroglyphics• Egyptian form of writing

• Papyrus• What Egyptians wrote on. Came from papyrus reeds found in marshy areas.

Ch. 2.3 Vocabulary• Indian Subcontinent• The landmass that includes Pakistan, India and Bangladesh

•Monsoon• Seasonal winds that can bring dry air or heavy rain-Huge impact on India-See map

Ch. 2.4 Vocabulary• Mandate from Heaven• A just ruler that has approval from the gods• An unjust ruler can lose their mandate to rule

• Dynastic Cycle• The rise, fall and replacement of dynasties

Ch. 2.4 Vocabulary Continued• Feudalism• A political system in which the king gives land to nobles/lords and in returns, they vow

loyalty and military service to the king• Used in China, Japan and Europe

Ancient Civilizations• Mesopotamia1. Sumerians2. Akkadians3. Babylonians4. Assyrians5. Phoenicians

• Egyptians• India1. Harappans

• China1. Shang Dynasty2. Zhou(joh)

Topics to Research•Political: Who controls what? What type of government is

there? Anything to do with laws or war. How/when did they came into power? How/when did they lose power?• Economic: What type of economy? How do people make a

living? •Geography: Where is it? Does it have natural barriers? Is the

land mountainous? Desert? • Social: Religion, education, art, entertainment, gender roles• Include any advances they made technologically, politically, etc.