Early Civilizations
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Transcript of Early Civilizations
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