C.4 World History, Skill #1- Notes

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C.4 World History, Skill #1

Identify characteristics of prehistoric cultures and early civilizations (e.g., Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Indus Valley, Chinese).

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Identify Characteristics of Prehistoric Cultures and Early Civilizations

prehistory

before writing

non-written records, pottery shards, buildings, tool.s, etc.

early humans

homo sapiens (Africa/ Southwest Asia)

homo erectus (Africa)

homo neanderthalensis (Europe)

Multi-regional Continuity Model

homo sapiens evolved from a group of homo erectus and dispersed all over the world, creating different races

Out of Africa model

homo erectus left Africa and mingled with other populations, but homo sapiens developed in Africa and took over without interbreeding

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Stone Age

period of time when humans made tools from Stone

Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): 2.5 million years ago

Europe/ Asia/ Africa

first hominids, homo sapiens

hunter gatherers; nomads

crude tools, fire, art

work divided among gender lines

Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): 10,000- 8,000 BCE

shortest period in Stone Age

people develop smaller, more refined tools and start to develop agricultural practices

Neolithic Revolution

shift from food-gathering to food-producing/ farming

laid foundation for rise of civilization

farming= less nomadic lifestyle = larger population

domestication of animals; people able to relate to one another

more diseases, narrowing of diet to what could be produced, food supplies less reliable because people depended on a small range of farmed areas

Neolithic Period

more developments in domesticating plants/ animals

agricultural villages rather than being nomadic

early cities/ villages

institutions such as family/ religion/ state government

crafts such as pottery/ knitting/ spinning/ weaving

development of Bronze-age tools at the end of this period

rise in trade among groups

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Bronze Age & Iron Age

developed at different times in different areas, blur together depending on location

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River Valley Civilizations

civilization

developed as people transitioned toward communal living, advanced farming/ herding techniques, turned toward production of pottery/ textiles

characterized by existence of law/ government, economic growth, military, religion

early communities emerged along rivers

water needed for survival

good source of food

fish, attraction to other animals

fertile land for farming

transportation

main characteristics of river valley civilizations

cities/ large dense settlements

separation of population into specialized occupational groups

people could have jobs unrelated to food sourcing such as artisans, merchants, healers, etc.

social hierarchy, including elite population exempt from substance labor

elite class dominated lower class

elite class didn't have to do blue collar work

elite able to tax lower class

monumental public buildings

writing

long distance trade

rule of law

non- kin-based society

Mesopotamia (Tigris & Euphrates rivers)

"land between two rivers"

history and culture dependent on ebb/ flow of rivers

flooding threatened towns but rivers were still beneficial in that they nourished soil, enabling people to produce surplus food

evolved into independent city-states with little interest in unification

Sumer

cuneiform

first group to develop system of writing

conveyed concepts and sounds

led to creation of new social class (scribes)

scribal schools centers of learning/ culture

math system based on 60

explains why there are 60 minutes in 1hr; 360 degrees in circle

geometry

applied math to construction of buildings/ irrigation

calendar based on lunar phases

invented wheel and plow, used bronze to make tools

medical advances related to religion, basic surgery

polytheistic religion

gods represented almost everything

ziggurat

step-shaped pyramid temple in heart of cities

priests controlled some government early on

farmers relied on priests as a go-between with gods to oppose them

priests began to lose control when cities needed military protection

military leaders became full-time rulers, passing control onto children, which led to the creation of dynasties

Epic Giglamesh

details the organization of Sumerian society

explains creation of Universe

explores morality/ immorality, loyalty, friendship

social hierarchy

king (kingship is hereditary)

nobles (held most of the land's wealth)

commoners

slaves (foreigners, prisoners of war, criminals/ debtors)

women could pursue most occupations, even priesthood

demise

location (no geographical protection/ predictable flooding)

overthrown by 1700 BCE

Akkadians (2331 BCE)

led by King Sargon I

created permanent army, became world's 1st empire

lasted about 140 days

Babylonian Empire (1792)

led by Hammurabi

united all of Mesopotamia

code of Hammurabi

instituted different laws and punishments by class/ gender

punishment should fit the crime

Hittites (1595)

overthrew Babylon

use of iron tools in agriculture and war, ultimately leading to their success, as their enemies were still using Bronze

horse-drawn chariots

defeated in 1200 BCE by Lydians

Assyrians

capital in Niveveh

army= war chariots, foot soldiers, cavalry

masters at siege warfare

allowed kings to rule through local leaders who collected taxes, enforced laws, raised troops

constructed roads that linked parts of empire

Chaldeans

Babylon as capital

Nebuchadnezzar II

fought Egyptians and Jews, captured Jerusalem, rebuilt Babylon into city of splendor

Hanging gardens of Babylon

Phoenicians

wealthy trading society

Phoenician alphabet

more flexible/ easier to use than pictures/ cuneiform

22 letters, all consonants

adapted by Greeks who added vowels and then modified by Romans into modern alphabet

Hebrews

monotheism

Yahweh

migrated from Egypt to Palestine

originally nomadic, settled when cities emerged

Philistines

settled in Canaan

knew how to use iron (Hebrews eventually learned)

defeated by David and the Jews

Jerusalem

King Solomon

built large temple home to the Arc of the Covenant; 12 districts of Israel (unified Israel)

after Solomon's death, Israel was split in 2

North destroyed (Israel) by Assyrians

South becomes center of Judaism until Babylonian Control

After the fall of Babylon, the Persian king allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild Solomon's temple

Egypt (Nile River)

Egypt split in two areas, named after the direction of the Nile

Upper (southern) Egypt

valley of the Nile

Lower (northern) Egypt

triangular Delta region

characteristics

social

peasants make up the majority of the population

women had more freedom than in Mesopotamia

Slavery is limited

advancement in math/ science/ engineering largely attributed to obsession with afterlife (i.e. pyramids)

religion/ government

pharaohs- divine kinds

ma'at- set of principles from pharaoh enforced by bureaucracy

vizier- leader of bureaucracy, hereditary position

Old Kingdom

political unification under theocracy

pyramids

used hieroglyphics to keep track of land, labor, products, people, taxes

men and women have equal rights

social hierarchy

royal family --> priests --> admin --> regional government --> military commanders --> free workers

art and literature displayed interest in maintaining social order and relationship with the gods

Book of the Dead

rituals and spells to protect journeying spirit

Middle Kingdom

capital in Thebes

pride in military defense

demise

invaders from Hyksos/ climate change (flooding)

New Kingdom

Egypt's first permanent army

expanded its rule South; increased trade

Queen Hatshepsut

queen mother

focused on trade rather than war

murdered by stepson Thutmose (more interested in war, destroyed paintings of her)

Akhenaton (Amenhotep III)

changed Egypt to monotheistic-based society, worshiping Aten

Tutankhamon

restored traditional gods, moved capital back to Thebes

Ramses the Great (Ramses II)

settled conflict with Hittites by marrying Hittite princess

India (Indus River)

Khyber Pass

allowed trade/ contact with other lands

skilled builders focused on practical aspects of city

brick walls, streets, waste management, writing

Aryans

conquered Indus but chose to live alongside them

brought agriculture and class system

priests, warriors, peasants/ traders

added new class of non-Aryan workers; limited contact with non-Aryans

caste system ranked people by occupation color, ritual purity

language --> Sanskirt

Vedas

sacred literature consisting of 4 collections of prayer, magical spells, and instructions for rituals

most of the info on Aryans come from the Rigveda

China (Yellow River)

Xia

1st Chinese dynasty

formation of authoritarian Central government

Shang

1st historic dynasty

introducing irrigation and flood control systems

major cities constructed of wood, highly stratified

upper class (Anyang) lived inside the city; lower class lived outside

production of silk cloth, pottery (kaolin), bronze casting

calendar, written language

used religion to bolster ruling position in society

prominent burial sites for rulers

massive building projects, in particular walls

rulers depended on large bureaucracy

limited contact w. outside world, trade with Mesopotamia

ethnocentric

patriarchal society, most power to oldest male

Zhou

developed concept of ruler as divine son of heaven who ruled with Mandate of Heaven

gods pleased = wars won, plentiful harvests

justification for overthrowing Shang dynasty

water projects to control rivers and irrigation

manufacture/ trade of silk

caravan routes

established schools of ancient philosophies

decentralized government

feudal system --> land given to nobles who overtime become less dependent on king

warring states --> regional lords undermined aristocracy and became more powerful

Kongfuzi (confucius)

offered advice and wisdom

Hundred schools of thought --> yin/ yang; 5 elements

analects --> followers

family important to the state

Daoism

people should withdraw from hierarchy/ formality

Laozi --> created the Dao De Jing (foundational text)

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Mesopotamia