Neolithic Revolution leads to Growth of Civilizations

Neolithic Revolution leads to Growth of Civilizatio

ns

Neolithic: New Stone AgeRevolution: a MAJOR change

Agriculture: deliberate modification of earth’s surface to cultivate plants or raise animals with the purposes of sustenance

and/or economic gain.

The Neolithic Revolution

Agriculture developed in pre-history◦no absolute certainty of its origins◦Archaeological evidence: ~12,000 years

ago

Hunter-gathering people “discovered” agriculture◦observing discarded cuttings or seeds

grew the same plants◦many believe women were the first to

observe/experiment ~ Why?

The Discovery of Farming

Experimented with irrigation and manure◦Saw plants by water, saw plants near where

animals defecated

Development of plant domestication◦Raised in a controlled way that makes them

best suited to human use◦Replant seeds of the ‘best’ plants

First Permanent Villages Developed◦Settled farming allowed Stone Age Early

Humans to stay in one place

The Discovery of Farming

Animals are kept for specific purposes◦Animals dependent on humans for survival◦Breeding is controlled◦Traits develop that differ from the same

animal in the wild◦Uses: companionship, “beasts of burden,”

food, religion, clothing

Developed shortly after seed/vegetative agriculture (~12,000 y.a.)

Animal Domestication

Impacts of Agriculture

All early settlements were near rivers

Began to produce surplus food

Larger food source = larger population

settlements cities job specialization social inequality 1st Civilizations

develop

Settlements Become Cities

What makes a society a “civilization”? How is this term, or the term ‘civilized,’ sometimes misused?

Quickwrites:

CitiesGovernmentsReligionsSocial Classes

Job

Specialization

WritingArt & Architecture

Public Works

Eight Features of Civilization

Weather

agricultural science

calendar

metal work (~4K BCE)

Science & Technology Advances

Higher birth rates◦Death rates high◦Very slow growth

Less migration

Communicable disease

Demographics (Population)

Deforestation

Soil depletion & erosion

Desertification

Water contamination

Environment

The ‘Cradle of Civilization’

Earliest civilization developed in Sumer◦Where: SE Mesopotamia Near Tigris & Euphrates Rivers present-day Iraq

◦When: ~3300 BCE (~5300 y.a.)◦City-states: A central city & the

surrounding areas Elites controlled surrounding regions, collected goods for the city

Government: Ruler maintained defense, enforced laws, collected taxes, kept records, lead religious ceremonies

Religion: Polytheistic ~ gods like humans, control every aspect of life, must be pleased with ceremonies

Social Classes: low (farmers) to middle (merchants, scribes) to elites (priests, leaders)

Job Specialization: farmers, potters, brick makers, boat makers, traders, merchants, priests, leaders

Sumer’s Civilization

Sumer - City of Ur

Writing: cuneiform Art & Architecture: painting, music,

ziggaruts, homes, warehouses Public Works: irrigation, flood control

Sumer’s Civilization

Empires arise in Mesopotamia

◦King Sargon conquers Sumer

◦Soon overtaken by the Bablyonians

◦Other Mesopotamian empires: Assyrians, Hittites, Phoenicians, Persians

Rise of Empires

Ishtar Gate, built by King Nebuchadnezzar