The Theory of Evolution The theory of evolution, formalized
by Charles Darwin in the 1800’s, is as
much a theory as is the theory of
gravity, or the theory of relativity.
However, unlike theories of physics,
biological theories (especially
evolution) have been argued long
and passionately in socio-political
arenas. Even today, evolution is not
often taught in primary schools.
However, evolution is the binding
force of all biological research - the
unifying theme - and is supported by
the scientific community.
As evolution became
widely accepted in
the 1870s,
caricatures of
Charles Darwin with
an ape or monkey
body symbolized
evolution for some.
http://www.phy.syr.edu/c
ourses/modules/ORIGIN
S/origins.html
Prehistory
•The time before written records were kept.
•Human beings and our ancestors (hominids)
lived on earth for millions of years before the
start of history.
•Prehistory is divided into three main periods:
1. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age)
2. Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age)
3. Neolithic (New Stone Age)
**Prehistoric humans were the first to begin developing culture. The most basic definition of culture is:
Learned patterns of action
The existence of cave paintings proves that culture existed among early humans.
From Culture to Civilization
Culture: is a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior. An abstract "mental blueprint" or "mental code." Culture is examined by studying behavior, customs, material culture (artifacts, tools, technology), language, etc.
Another Definition of Culture:
The Agricultural Revolution(s)
•Archaeologists and historians believe plant domestication began about 10,000 years ago among some human groups. This led to the first permanent, or sedentary, villages.
•Domestication of animals was also an important part of the Neolithic Revolution.
•Several agricultural revolutions occurred at different times throughout the world. Some societies, because of geography, climate, and resource availability, did not develop agriculture.
•Calendars were developed to keep track of planting/harvesting seasons.
Regions of world where agriculture first
developed:
•Southwest Asia
•East Asia
•Southeast Asia
•Mesoamerica
•Northeastern America
•East Africa (Nile Valley)
•West Africa
•Southeast Europe
•South America (Andes Region)
(Independently developed ag.)
(Evidence indicates agricultural knowledge and technology may have been borrowed from other regions.)
Agricultural Revolutions occurred
throughout the world between
9000 BCE – 2000 BCE.
Neolithic Revolution - domestication of plants (farming) begins
Villages form, population increases
Need for food surplus and irrigation arises
Political organization begins in order to organize labor for large irrigation projects
Social classes form
Civilization – reflective writing
•How would you define the term “civilization?”
•What do you consider “uncivilized?” •What are some characteristics of a civilization?
Official Definition: An organized social structure. The 8 Main Features of early civilizations, according to
some historians:
1. cities 2. central government 3. religion 4. job specialization (such as scribes, artisans, priests, etc.) 5. social classes 6. arts and architecture 7. public works 8. a form of writing Another characteristic of many early civilizations was
polytheism. Also, the use of slave labor was common.
•The earliest complex societies (located in Egypt and Mesopotamia) began to develop about 5000 years ago, around 3100 B.C.E. This is often referred to as the “Urban Revolution.” •Writing also began about 5000 years ago in some societies, due to the need to keep economic and administrative records. •People began to acquire more possessions •New technologies were developed (irrigation, etc.) •Women lost status as a result of the development of agriculture in most societies. Q: Why do you think this occurred?
A:
Some Early Civilizations of the Middle East
Sumeria
Babylonia
Assyria
Phoenicia
Canaan (Palestine)
Persia
Egypt
Nubia
•The Fertile Crescent, (including Mesopotamia) was home to many of the earliest and most advanced civilizations.
•As society and population grew, scarce resources and a variety of ideas and beliefs led to conflict in the region.
The Babylonians were a
Mesopotamian
civilization descended
from the Sumerians.
The most famous
Babylonian king was
Hammurabi (c. 1728 –
1686 B.C.E.) He
created the first public,
written law code and
expanded Babylonian
territory in Mesopotamia.
Hammurabi’s Code is extremely significant because it was the first, comprehensive written law code of the ancient, or foundations period.
Hammurabi was the ruler who mainly contributed to the rise and greatness of Babylon, the world's first metropolis. Many relics of Hammurabi's reign (1795-1750 B.C.E.) have been preserved, including the law code.
The code is the earliest known example of a ruler proclaiming publicly to his people an entire body of laws, arranged in orderly groups, so that all literate men could read and know what was required of them.
The code was carved upon a black stone monument, eight feet high, and clearly intended to be reared in public view.
6. If a man has stolen goods from a temple, or house, he
shall be put to death; and he that has received the stolen
property from him shall be put to death.
8. If a patrician has stolen ox, sheep, ass, pig, or goat,
whether from a temple, or a house, he shall pay
thirtyfold. If he be a plebeian, he shall return tenfold.
If the thief can not pay, he shall be put to death.
22.If a man has committed highway robbery and has been
caught, that man shall be put to death.
23.If the highwayman has not been caught, the man that has
been robbed shall state on oath what he has lost and the
city or district governor in whose territory or district
the robbery took place shall restore to him what he has
lost.
195. If a son has struck his father, his hands shall be cut off.
196. If a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye
shall be knocked out.
197. If he has broken the limb of a patrician, his limb shall be
broken.
198. If he has knocked out the eye of a plebeian or has broken
the limb of a plebeian’s servant, he shall pay one mina of
silver.
199. If he has knocked out the eye of a patrician’s servant, or
broken the limb of a patrician’s servant, he shall pay half
his value.
200. If a patrician has knocked out the tooth of a man that is
his equal, his tooth shall be knocked out.
201.If he has knocked out the tooth of a plebeian, he shall pay
one-third of a mina of silver.
229. If a builder has built a house for a man, and has
not made his work sound, and the house he built has
fallen, and caused the death of its owner, that
builder shall be put to death.
230. If it is the owner’s son that is killed, the
builder’s son shall be put to death.
231. If it is the slave of the owner that is killed, the
builder shall give slave for slave to the owner of
the house.
232. If he has caused the loss of goods, he shall
render back whatever he has destroyed.
Moreover, because he did not make sound the house
he built, and it fell, at his own cost he shall rebuild
the house that fell.
This is a beautiful photo of the partly restored ruins of
Nebuchadnezzar's Palace. This photo was taken by a soldier serving
with the United States Army during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.