Early Civilizations

LEQs: Why did humans switch from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture? Was this humanity’s BIGGEST mistake?

Today’s Warm Up

How would you define CIVILIZATION? What criteria do you feel must be met for a group to be considered civilized?

Answer in your notes & be ready to share

Defining Civilization

Societies distinguished by reliance on sedentary agriculture, ability to produce food surpluses, and existence of nonfarming elites, as well as merchant and manufacturing groups

Early Civilizations We’ll Study:

Mesopotamia in the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys

Egypt in the Nile River Valley Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in the

Indus River Valley Shang in the Yellow River or Huang

He Valley Olmecs in Mesoamerica Chavin in Andean South America

Why Did Civilization Begin? Agriculture &

pastoralism led to increased populations

Family groups gave way to village life and eventually urban life

Led to new and more complex economic and social systems

Civilization began

Innovation vs. Diffusion

Cities Formed along River

Rivers provided: Water supply Transportation Food supply from

animals Rivers provided

Challenges Flooding Irrigation

Required organized, mass labor Construction and

repair of canals and irrigation ditches

Social Hierarchies

WHY? Surpluses in food led to specialization of labor Not everyone had to farm;

others free to build, invent, etc.

Led to social stratification

Patriarchy – rule by males/women viewed as needing protection or control

Organized Central Governments

First needed to control food surpluses Labor, storage, dispersion

Needs become more complex: Tax collecting Law making Handling public works projects Organizing defense

Jobs Specialization & the ArtsArtisans specialized in various

jobs Bricklayers Blacksmiths

Production of luxuries (not related to survival)

Metal technology i.e. weapons, tools

Great architecture and art created i.e. pyramids

Writing Developed

Pictograms first; symbols later added to represent words and then sounds

Scribes specially trained to read, write, record information Religion, trade, gov’t

Complex Religions

Generally polytheistic Represented natural forces Controlled human activities Rituals and sacrifice used to gain gods’

favor Rulers regarded as a god or gods’

agent Temples often built to honor specific

gods and goddesses

Outside Contact

Trade intensified within and between civilizations, as well as with nomadic pastoralists

Walls indicate some were fearful; others more peaceful

Accumulation of wealth spurred warfare between communities and/or with pastoralists Drove development of war technologies

and urban defense