The Great Wall of ChinaChatal HuyukMohenjo-daro The Pyramids at
GizaKush Great Ziggurat at Ur
Slide 2
The story of Humanity begins long before the first cities or
the first writing. The ape-like species that eventually led to
humans arose in Africa millions of years ago.
Slide 3
The first upright-walking ancestors of modern humans,
Sahelanthropus tchadensis, evolved in east- central Africa nearly
seven million years ago. Roughly two million years later, the
slightly less ape- like Ardipithecus genus appeared.
Slide 4
These primitive hominids eventually gave rise to the
Australopithecine species present all over Africa from 3.9 to 1.2
million years ago. The Australopithecine family included: A.
afarensis (Lucy), A. africanus, and A. anamensis. Lucy Taung Child
Laetoli Footprints
Slide 5
The robust line, which was related but probably became a dead
end, included Paranthropus robustus, P. boisei, and P. aethiopicus.
These species had much larger jaws and muscle attachments.
Scientists believe that they survived on a diet of nuts and hard
roots. P. boisei / H. sapiens
Slide 6
The Genus Homo Early Moderns Neanderthals Subsistence Pg.
20
Slide 7
The first recognizable tools were created by Homo habilis, a
species that originated in the Rift Valley of East Africa some two
million years ago. These tools were simple flakes of hard stone,
usually flint. Homo erectus and H. ergaster were the first species
to emigrate from the African continent. They were aided by larger
brain sizes and more developed tool technology. H. habilis H.
erectus Acheulian Hand-axe
Slide 8
The earliest hominids classified as human, known as archaic
Homo sapiens, probably originated in Africa around 400,000 years
ago. They had much larger brains than contemporary species and made
much more complex tools. Archaic H. sapiens Mesolithic tools
Slide 9
When early modern humans left Africa some 50,000 years ago,
they encountered other hominid species, including Homo
neanderthalensis. Neanderthals had lived in Europe and the Middle
East for perhaps 200,000 years before being out- competed by modern
humans. Researchers now think that there was substantial contact
between humans and neanderthals, and that as much as 6% of our DNA
came from neanderthals. A Neanderthal burial
Slide 10
For six and a half million years, hominids and early humans
supported themselves through hunting and gathering. This involved
collecting staple foods such as roots, grasses, berries and nuts
from where they occur naturally. This diet was supplemented with
wild game, fish, and insects.
Slide 11
Because food must be found constantly, hunter-gatherers had to
continually travel throughout their territory. This is called an
itinerant lifestyle. Some human cultures still make their living as
hunter- gatherers, including the !Kung bushmen of the Kalahari
Desert and the Yanomamo people of western Brazil.
Slide 12
Agriculture Early Settlements Rise of States Pgs. 21 - 22
Slide 13
The Neolithic Revolution is the period between 8000 and 4000 BC
in which several human communities spontaneously discovered
agriculture. Technologies quickly spread across Africa, Asia and
Europe during the period.
Slide 14
The keys to agriculture are: the concept of domestication
(modifying plants and animals through selective breeding),
irrigation (moving water over distances to crops), and the division
of labor (individuals each do a single job instead of everyone
doing every job). The evolution of corn
Slide 15
Agriculture led to collective labor, which led to villages,
which led to the first large-scale permanent settlements. The
earliest known city is atalhyk (Chatal Huyuk) in southern Turkey,
which dates back to at least 7500 BC. Other proto- cities include
Jericho in Israel, Mohenjo Daro in India, and Eridu in Iraq. The
earliest cities were all located near rivers. atalhyk Mohenjo Daro
Jericho Eridu
Slide 16
Cities rapidly developed unique social, political and economic
systems including religion, government, art and writing, which can
be classified as civilization. The first agricultural civilizations
arose in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East and in
Egypt along the Nile River. The Royal Tombs at Ur Temple Complex at
Karnak
Slide 17
Answer each question in a half-page response with complete
sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1.
Name and describe the three stages of hominid evolution (pgs.
19-20). 2. Explain how the agricultural lifestyle gave rise to
civilizations (pg. 21). 3. Why are early civilizations found near
river valleys? Give examples (pg. 22).
Slide 18
Western Asia and Egypt Mesopotamian City-States Empires Pgs. 24
- 25
Slide 19
The first large-scale civilizations in the Old World arose in
Mesopotamia and Egypt. These states and, later, empires were
situated along major river courses because they provided ample
fresh water for irrigation as well as transportation for
goods.
Slide 20
The Fertile Crescent is a region of the Middle East between the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The term Mesopotamia literally means
between the rivers. It is arch-shaped and extends through
modern-day Iraq, Syria, the Levant and eastern Turkey. The
Neolithic settlements of Chatal Huyuk and Jericho had been in this
region, but by 3000 BC, the Sumerian people had established the
first true city- states. Sumerians: Spooky
Slide 21
A city-state is a large, established settlement that controls
the political and economic life of the surrounding region. The
Sumerians (who called themselves the Sag-Giga, or Black- Headed
People) established a series of these city-states at Eridu, Ur and
Uruk. Cities were usually centered around a temple complex, which
might include a ziggurat. They also had city walls to protect them
from their neighbors. Ziggurat at Ur A Sumerian king meets
petitioners
Slide 22
The Sumerian city-states were prosperous, but vulnerable to
attack. In 2340 BC, Sargon, the king of the northern Akkadian
tribe, invaded Mesopotamia and conquered the Sumerian cities. The
Akkadians established the first empire in Western history. It
collapsed in 2193 BC. Sargon the Great
In 1792 BC, a new empire arose in Mesopotamia. This one was
centered in the city of Babylon and founded by Hammurabi.
Hammurabis empire only lasted until his death in 1750 BC, but it
was characterized by economic growth, temple- building, and the
worlds first written law code. Babylon Hammurabi
Slide 25
The Code of Hammurabi is a set of 282 laws supposedly given to
the king by a god. They governed every aspect of peoples lives,
from religious worship to consumers rights to marriage and family.
Society was patriarchal, so nearly all privileges and
responsibilities in the law code are given to the male head of the
household. Punishments are harsh. The principle of an eye for an
eye is implemented often, and the majority of crimes are punishable
by death. Hammurabis code is seen as an important influence on the
books of law in the Old Testament. The Code Stele
Slide 26
The Sumerians created arguably (see: China) the first writing
system: Cuneiform. The wedge-shaped characters were made by
pressing a sharpened reed into wet clay. Writing was originally
used to keep business records. It was also used to record the Epic
of Gilgamesh, the earliest known work of fiction. Mesopotamian
cultures were among the first to work in bronze, an alloy of copper
and tin. Sumerians also adapted the wheel to be used on wagons and
to spin pottery. Gilgamesh Bronze daggers
Slide 27
The Egyptian civilization was centered on the longest river in
the world: the Nile. The northern stretch of the Nile, including
the delta region on the Mediterranean coast, is called the Lower
Nile. The southern portion, which runs through Sudan and East
Africa, is the Upper Nile.
Slide 28
Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom New Kingdom Egyptian Society Pgs. 27
- 30
Slide 29
Upper and Lower Egypt had been independent regions, until they
were united by Menes, first pharaoh and founder of the First
Dynasty, in 3100 BC. Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom (2700 2200 BC)
ruled over an age of prosperity and magnificence. All of the famous
pyramids, including Khufus, Khafres, and Menkaures, were built in
this period. The Sphinx may be even older still.
Slide 30
The Middle Kingdom (2050 1652 BC) marked a return to stability
after a long period of chaos. Pharaohs of the eleventh, twelfth and
thirteenth dynasties focused on solidifying the political and
social structure of the nation, as well as improving farming
practices. A series of ineffectual administrations in the late
thirteenth dynasty eventually led to an invasion by the Hyksos, a
people from western Asia who used chariots and bronze weapons to
conquer Egypt and end the Middle Kingdom. Bronze swords Hyksos
EgyptiansSenusret III
Slide 31
The Hyksos ruled Egypt for nearly 100 years, but by 1567 the
Egyptians were able to use their conquerors technology to drive
them out and establish the eighteenth dynasty of the New Kingdom
(1567 1085 BC). The New Kingdom saw Egypt establish an empire over
much of the Mediterranean, from Libya in the west to Israel in the
east. Some of the most famous pharaohs are from the New Kingdom
period, including Ramses the Great, Hatshepsut, and the boy-king
Tutankhamun. Hatshepsuts Temple King Tuts Death Mask
Slide 32
Society was strictly stratified in ancient Egypt. The pharaoh
was regarded as a living god, the reincarnation of Osiris, and his
authority was unquestioned. His government was run by the nobility
and high priests. The middle class consisted of merchants, artisans
and clerks. They managed the economic power of the empire. The vast
majority of people were peasant farmers. They produced the food,
paid the taxes and provided free labor for massive building
projects. Osiris Farmer with Shaduf
Slide 33
Answer each question in a half-page response with complete
sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1.
According to the Code of Hammurabi, what was most highly valued in
Mesopotamian society? What was least valued? Explain (pg. 35). 2.
Describe the process of mummification. What was the spiritual
purpose of the practice (pg. 28)? 3. What contributions did King
Solomon make to the nation of Israel? Why is he so famous amongst
Hebrew kings (pg. 31)?
Slide 34
Culture Ancient Israel Assyrian Empire Pgs. 30 - 34
Slide 35
Not long after the Sumerians invented their writing system, the
Egyptians developed hieroglyphics, a written language that uses
small pictures to represent sounds or words. Egyptian artisans were
able to design and build huge monuments with a great deal of
precision due to their advanced understanding of mathematics.
Priests and educated nobles had a profound understanding of
astronomy. They developed a 365-day calendar and were able to time
the annual Nile flood accurately.
Slide 36
Slide 37
As the Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires were beginning to
wane, around 1200 BC, a number of regional cultures emerged. One of
these was the Israelites. The Israelites were a nomadic, animal-
herding culture. They originally came from Mesopotamia, migrated to
modern- day Israel, and were later enslaved by the Egyptians.
Unique among early cultures, the Israelites were monotheistic and
relatively literate. Around 1200 BC, they began writing down their
history, laws and religious traditions in what would become the Old
Testament. The Torah Moses
Slide 38
By 911 BC, the power vacuum caused by the decline of the
Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires had been filled by the Assyrians.
The Assyrians came from an area of the upper Fertile Crescent that
is now part of Syria (hence the name). Lamassu in relief Palaces of
Nimrud
Slide 39
The Assyrians conquered a huge region of the Middle East. By
627 BC, they controlled what is now Turkey, Syria, Israel, Iraq,
Iran and most of Egypt. All of this conquest was possible for two
reasons: The Assyrians had iron weapons while their enemies still
used bronze, and the Assyrians were utterly ruthless. They
devastated fields, destroyed dams, executed prisoners and mutilated
dissidents. Assyrian iron weapons
Slide 40
Persian Empire India and China Early Indian Civilizations Pgs.
34 - 37
Slide 41
The Persian people were once a nomadic group of loosely-
affiliated families in present-day southern Iran, until they were
united into an empire by Cyrus the Great in 559 BC. The Persians
were much more considerate conquerors than the Assyrians had been.
When Cyrus seized the city of Babylon in 540 BC, he didnt execute
prisoners, and he even freed the Israelites who had been detained
there for 70 years. Cyrus II, the Great
Slide 42
Cyruss successors added huge tracts of land to the Empire, and
by 486 BC, Persia stretched from western India to southern Europe
and Egypt. The entire nation was connected by the Royal Road. This
vast empire was run as a sort of federation, in which regional
kings continued to hold power by the grace of the Great King. The
empire began to fall apart under a series of ineffective kings. The
Persians were finally conquered by Alexander the Great in the 330s
BC.
Slide 43
While city-states and empires were developing in western Asia
and Egypt, similar processes led to the rise of advanced cultures
in India and China. Indian and Chinese civilizations also started
near great rivers, and large scale agriculture was important to
their development, but in other respects they were unique. Harappa
Gateway Terra cotta Warriors of Xian
Slide 44
India is a vast sub-continent characterized by widely varying
climate regions. The north is dominated by the Himalayan mountains,
the center is a dry plain, the coasts are semi-tropical and
fertile. Varied climate has produced varied cultures. Today,
Indians speak over 100 languages. Between 3000 and 1500 BC, the
valley of the Indus river was the center of a civilization composed
of more than 1000 settlements, including the cities of Harappa and
Mohenjo-daro. This is now called the Harappan or Indus
civilization. Mohenjo-daro today
Slide 45
The Aryans Hinduism Buddhism Pgs. 37 - 40
Slide 46
A series of natural disasters had already weakened the Indus
civilization when, around 1500 BC, invaders from the north
conquered the river valley and established an empire. These were
the Aryans. The Aryans were a warlike, nomadic people from central
Asia. Following their conquest of the Indus valley, they quickly
extended their control over central India and the Ganges river
region.
Slide 47
The invading Aryans were in the minority in conquered India, so
they instituted a series of social and economic rules to ensure
their cultural hegemony to this day. This was the caste system.
Brahmans: Priests Kshatriyas: Warriors Vaisyas: Merchants Sudras:
Peasants Untouchables
Slide 48
Hinduism is the religion introduced to India by the Aryans.
Hindus believe in a single universal truth (the Brahman) as
expressed through a nigh-infinite number of gods and described in
the vedas. The notion of reincarnation, or physical rebirth after
death, was introduced to Hinduism in the 500s BC. The cycle of
reincarnation is influenced by the individuals karma, or force of
good deeds in life. Hinduism has been used as a justification for
the strictly ordered caste system. Ganesh Kali
Slide 49
Buddhism is a spiritual philosophy derived from Hinduism by
Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (Enlightened One). Buddhism
teaches that enlightenment can be attained by accepting the Four
Noble Truths and following the Eight- fold Path. One who is
enlightened can escape the cycle of reincarnation and reach
nirvana.
Slide 50
Answer each question in a half-page response with complete
sentences. Be accurate, be specific, be complete. Due tomorrow. 1.
What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism? Explain the Middle, or
Eight-fold, Path (pgs. 3940). 2. How is the Silk Road different
from the other trade routes pictured in the map on pg. 41? How
would these differences have affected trade from east to west? 3.
Explain the concept of filial piety and how it relates to
Confucianism (pgs. 43-45).
Slide 51
Mauryan Empire Early China Shang Dynasty Zhou Dynasty Pgs. 40 -
42
Slide 52
Aryan political hegemony fell apart by 325 BC, and India became
a series of small unaligned states. For a period from 324 to 183
BC, the northern part of India was controlled by the Mauryan kings.
The greatest of the Mauryan monarchs was Asoka, who ruled from 269
to 232 BC. A dedicated Buddhist, Asoka built hospitals, sent
missionaries to China, and encouraged trade along the Silk
Road.
Slide 53
Chinese civilizations developed later than those of western and
central Asia. This is because China had no contact with other
advanced cultures, so they had to invent everything for themselves.
While cities and agriculture may have come comparatively late, the
Chinese might have developed the earliest system of writing:
Scapulimancy. Animal bones were carved with pictures (later symbols
and letters) and thrown into a fire. The way the bone broke was
used to divine the future. The symbols used were the early
precursors to modern Chinese characters. Scapulimancy Chinese
Zodiac
Slide 54
From 1750 to 1045 BC, a series of rulers collectively known as
the Shang dynasty ruled northern China. The Shang developed a
system of imperial government and, under their leadership, Chinese
artisans perfected the art of working in bronze.
Slide 55
Immediately following the Shang dynasty, a new line of emperors
arose under the name Zhou. They ruled from 1085 to 256 BC. The
concept of the Mandate of Heaven was elaborated during the Zhou
dynasty. This states that the emperor is chosen by Heaven to rule
justly and peacefully. His word is law. But if he is unjust, or if
there is a natural disaster, the people have the right to remove
the emperor and replace him. Zhou soldiers destroy a field
Slide 56
Qin Dynasty Han Dynasty Confucianism Pgs. 42 - 45
Slide 57
When the Zhou dynasty lost the Mandate of Heaven and collapsed,
what followed was 200 years of civil war. From these troubled times
came Qin Shihuangdi, the first of the Qin emperors. Qin Shihuangdis
major goal, and the project that occupied his entire reign, was the
building of the Great Wall. The purpose of the wall was to keep
northern bandits out of China. The wall of today was built 1,500
years later to commemorate the Qin project. Terra cotta
warrior
Slide 58
The Qin dynasty lasted exactly one emperor, but it was
succeeded by the Han, which ruled from 202 BC to AD 220. Under the
Han emperors, China expanded into the central Asian deserts and
south into Vietnam. Such a large state required an army of
professional bureaucrats, and the Han Empire established schools to
train them. Statue of a teacher
Slide 59
Confucius (Kongfuzi) was a political and social philosopher who
lived in the sixth century (500s) BC. His sayings, the basis for
Confucianism, were taught to every Chinese child for over 2500
years. Confucianism is concerned with relationships between people
as a model for orderly society. If everyone works hard and obeys
the rules of social interaction (the Dao), then the world will be
in harmony. Confucius