Prehistoric and Ancient History

Prehistoric = before written history

Paleolithic Age vs.                                  Neolithic Age

Old Stone Age                                           New Stone Age

Hunter-gatherer                               agriculture and domestication

Nomadic                                          settlements and semi-nomadic

 

**** To get from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age =

farming developed

This is the Neolithic Revolution or The Agricultural

Revolution

**** To move from the Neolithic Age to Civilization = food

surplus

 

Civilization: a form of culture characterized by cities,

specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and

advanced technology

Must have a majority of these to have civilization:

·  Cities

·  Government

·  Religion

·  Taxes

·  Written language

·  Specialized jobs

·  Science and technology

·  Art

·  Social classes

 

I. Ancient River Valley Civilizations

A. Tigris and Euphrates River Valley

1. Geographical Issues:

a. unpredictable flooding

b. no natural barriers = constant invading

c. access to water = trade

2. Mesopotamia = land between two rivers

3. Modern day Iraq

4. Part of the Fertile Crescent

5. Evidence of Civilization

a. cities: Ur, Babylon, Akkad, Sumer, city-states

b. gov’t: Code of Hammurabi = king’s laws “eye for an eye”

c. religion: polytheism, ziggurats

d. written language: cuneiform

e. specialized jobs: scribes, priest, farmers, artists

f. science and technology: irrigation, wheel, sail, plow

B. Nile River Valley

1. Geographical issues

a. floods predictably = growing seasons and calendar

b. river floods, river receeds, fertile soil (SILT) left behind

c. delta region at mouth of river

d. papyrus plant becomes paper

e. access to Mediterranean Sea + Red Sea = trade

f. cataracts = steep cliffs along river

2. North Africa = modern day Egypt

3. Evidence of Civilization

a. cities: Memphis, Thebes

b. gov’t: theocracy, pharaoh

c. religion: priests, after life, mummification, polytheism,

d. written language: hieroglyphics

e. science and technology: mummification, pyramids, irrigation, mathematics, geometry, medicine

C. Indus River Valley

1. Geographical Issues

a. unpredictable flooding

b. Himalaya Mountains = natural barrier

c. Monsoon winds

i. wet = warm = summer

ii. dry = cold = winter

2. Northern India

3. Evidence of Civilization

a. cities: Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, planned grid cities

b. gov’t: social welfare, strong central gov’t

c. religion: polytheism, related to Hinduism

d. specialized jobs: farming, artisans

e. science and technology: plumbing, grid cities, irrigation, sewage system

f. written language: not deciphered yet

D. Huang He (Yellow) and Yangtze Rivers

1. Geographical issues:

a. rivers flood unpredictably

b. soil deposited = loess

c. on a plain

d. natural barriers = Gobi Desert + Himalaya Mts.

e. Isolated

2. central China

3. Evidence of Civilization

a. cities: Amyang, Ynagzhou, Hao, Luoyang

b. gov’t: strong central gov’t, dynasties, Mandate of Heaven, dynastic cycle

c. social classes: family more important than individual, man centered, nobles and peasants

d. science and technology: porcelain, writing, silk, coined money, cast iron

e. religion: ancestor worship, oracle bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

II. Other Ancient Civilizations

A. Indo-Europeans

1. Aryans invade India

a. caste system

b. lighter skin = higher caste

c. blend of culture

d. new religion = Hindu

i. caste system

ii. reincarnation

iii. karma and dharma

e. Buddhism develops by Siddhartha Guatama

i. no classes

ii. enlightenment and Nirvana

iii. 4 Noble Truths and the 8 Fold Path

2. Hittites

a. Anatolia = Modern day Turkey

b. Adopt other ideas

c. Iron techonology

d. Chariots

B. Fertile Crescent

1. Phoenicians

a. coast of Mediterranean

b. seafaring nation

c. colonies strung out like beads = day’s journey

d. carries of civilization

e. purple snail dye

f. alphabet “Hooked on Phonics”

2. Minoans

a. Aegean Sea

b. Isle of Crete

c. Women had higher status

d. Human sacrifice

e. End mysteriously

3. Hebrews

a. Palestine Area = Canaan

b. Monotheism

i. history written = Torah

ii. Abraham starts

iii. God = Yahweh

iv. Covenant

c. enslaved in Egypt

i. leave Egypt

ii. new covenant = 10 commandments

d. Kingdom of Israel

i. David

ii. Solomon

e. Babylonian Captivity

f. interacted with Empires

i. Egyptian

ii. Persian

iii. Babylonian

iv. Greek

v. Romans

g. Diaspora = Jews spread from Palestine to Eastern Europe. (during Roman Empire)