AP World History
Early Man and Beginnings of
Civilization
Writing:
 In
the Saudi Aramco WORLD magazine,
turn to the article on pp. 2 – 9.
 Read the first 2 paragraphs and the
captions for all of the pictures in the rest of
the article.
 Write: ½ page explaining the use of aerial
photography and the theories given for the
formations on the ground. Do you agree
with the theories? Do you have a different
one?
Scientific Clues
 Archaeologists
study bones and
artifacts—humanmade objects
 Anthropologists
study culture—a
group’s way of life
 Paleontologists
study fossils—
plant or animal
remains preserved
in rock
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Mary Leakey’s team discovers
prehistoric footprints in Tanzania
in 1978
Laetoli footprints belong to
hominids–creatures that walk
upright.
Donald Johanson’s team finds
female hominid in Ethiopia in
1974
Nicknames 3.5 million-year-old
skeleton “Lucy”
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Catal Huyuk
Farming thrived here
8,000 years ago;
located in modern
Turkey
Population of 5,000
to 6,000 grew crops,
raised sheep and
cattle
Made pottery, wove
baskets, traded
valuable obsidian
In 1958, remains of
village found; wall
paintings, religious
shrines
Tools Needed to Survive
 Paleolithic (Old Stone
Age) humans were
nomads —moved in
search of food
 Hunted animals, collected
plant foods—were huntergatherers
 Cro-Magnons had more
than 100 specialized tools;
bone needles to sew
 cave paintings, animal
sculptures, rock
engravings and paintings,
jewelry of sea shells, lion
teeth, bear claws,
polished beads from
mammoth tusks
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Neolithic Revolution —
agricultural revolution, began
about 10,000 years ago
Nomadic women scattered
seeds, then discovered crops
growing
Shift from food-gathering to
food-production great
breakthrough
THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION
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The Neolithic Revolution is a turning point in history.
Before the Neolithic Revolution (during the Paleolithic
Age), nomads used simple stone tools and relied on
hunting and gathering for food.
During the Neolithic Age, peoples’ diet and shelter
dramatically changed. The domestication of animals and
the planting* of crops (such as wheat and barley) led to the
development of civilizations**.
*planting = cultivation
 **civilizations = permanent homes and
villages = settled communities
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GEOGRAPHY IMPACTS HOW PEOPLE DEVELOP:
 The four earliest (ancient river valley) civilizations
include:
1) EGYPT (NILE River)
 (The Old, Middle, and New Kingdom were
periods in ancient Egyptian history. The
ancient Egyptians harvested papyrus for
writing
 2) CHINA (YELLOW River)
 The Yellow River is also called the HUANG
HE River.
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3) INDIA (INDUS River)
The Indus River is actually located in modern-day
Pakistan (in SOUTH ASIA).
The archaeological remains of the Indus Valley
cities of Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro show evidence of urban planning
(the cities were designed in grid-like patterns).
This is an indication that a well organized central
government had been established.
4) MESOPOTAMIA (The TIGRIS and EUPHRATES
Rivers) AKA Babylonian civilization.
Mesopotamia was located in modern-day Iraq.
Why did ancient civilizations
develop in valleys of rivers?
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The climate and geography of these river valleys
favored agriculture.
The river valleys provided good farmland. (A
plentiful water supply
provided the means for irrigation. RICH [FERTILE]
SOIL helped grow crops.)
River valleys also provided a source of fresh
water and transportation
(e.g. the transportation of soldiers and resources).
• River valleys contained rich soils because of
annual (yearly) floods.
CHARACTERISTICS (ELEMENTS) OF
CIVILIZATIONS
1. Centralized government
 2. Organized religion(s)
 3. Social classes
 4. Specialization of labor (different jobs)
 5. Art and architecture
 6. Cities
 7. Public Works (e.g. roads, bridges,
temples)
 8. System(s) of writing
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Mesopotamia
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How Civilization Develops
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Sumer
Located in
Mesopotamia, now part
of modern Iraq
One of the first
civilizations—a
complex culture:
advanced cities
specialized workers
complex institutions
record keeping
advanced technology
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Fertile Crescent—arc of
land between Persian
Gulf and Mediterranean
Includes Mesopotamia—
“land between the
rivers”
a fertile plain -- Tigris and
Euphrates rivers flood
once a year, leaving
rich soil.
 Environmental
Challenges
 Around 3300 B.C.
Sumerians begin
farming southern
Mesopotamia
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Environment poses 3
disadvantages:
floods are unpredictable;
sometimes no rain
land offers no barriers to
invasion
- land has few natural
resources; building
materials scarce
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Sumerians worked
together; find solutions
to environmental
challenges:
build irrigation ditches
to control water,
produce crops
Organization,
leadership, and laws
are beginning of
civilization
Sumerian City-States
By 3000 B.C.
Sumerians build citystates—an
independent political
unit
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Sumer city-states Uruk, Kish,
Lagash, Umma, and Ur
Each city has temple and
ziggurat; priests appeal to
gods
Sumerians believe in many
different gods polytheism
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Priests and Rulers
Share Control
Sumer’s early
governments controlled
by temple priests
Some military leaders
become rulers;
dynasties rule after 2500
B.C.
Dynasty—series of
rulers from a single
family
exchange products and
ideas with other cultures
Cultural diffusion—
process of one culture
spreading to others
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Life in Sumerian Society
Sumerians have social classes—
kings, landholders, priests at top
Wealthy merchants next; at lowest
levels are slaves
Women have many rights; become
priests, merchants, artisans
From 3000 to 2000 B.C. citystates at constant war
 Sargon of Akkad
 Around 2350 B.C., Sargon
from Akkad defeats citystates of Sumer
 Creates first empire—
independent states under
control of one leader
 His dynasty lasts about 200
years
 Mesopotamia is a good
model for absolute
monarchies: complete
control over all aspects of
their subjects lives.
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Babylonian Empire
Amorites, nomadic warriors, take
control of region around 2000 B.C.
Make Babylon, on Euphrates River,
the capital Babylonian Empire at peak
during Hammurabi’s rule (1792-1750
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B.C.)
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi creates a code of laws for
the Babylonian Empire
282 laws on all aspects of life;
engraved in stone and made public
Set different punishments depending
on social class, gender
Goal for government to take
responsibility for order, justice
Amorite rule for Fertile Crescent ends
200 years after Hammurabi
Indus River Valley Civilization
Indus River Valley Civilization
The first Indian civilization builds
well-planned cities on the
banks of the Indus River.
 Indian Subcontinent
 landmass that includes India,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh
 World’s tallest mountain ranges
separate it from rest of Asia
 Indus and Ganges rivers form
flat, fertile plain.
 Environmental Challenges
 Seasonal winds—monsoons—
 Floods along the Indus
dominate India’s climate
unpredictable; river can
 Winter winds are dry; summer
change course
winds bring rain can cause
 Rainfall unpredictable; could
flooding
have droughts or floods
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Indus Valley Civilization
Influenced an area larger
than Mesopotamia or
Egypt
About 7000 B.C., evidence
of agriculture and
domesticated animals
By about 3200 B.C.,
people farming in villages
along Indus River Planned
Cities
By 2500 B.C., people build
cities of brick laid out on
grid system
Engineers create plumbing
and sewage systems
Indus Valley called
Harappan civilization
after Harappa, a city.
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Language had writing
systems of 400
symbols; but scientists
can’t decipher it
no great social
divisions
Priests closely linked to
rulers. Some religious
artifacts reveals links to
modern Hindu culture
Had thriving trade with
other peoples,
including
Mesopotamia: seals in
Sumeria
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Harappan Decline
Signs of decline begin
around 1750 B.C.
Earthquakes, floods, soil
depletion may have
caused decline
Egypt
Writing Assignment
Read carefully the handout on “Tutankhamen,
the boy king”.
 Answer all three questions with a solid
paragraph for each.
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 Optimal
Paragraph Structure:
1. Topic sentence (what the heck are you writing about?)
 2. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading.
 3. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading.
 4. Supporting sentence for the topic that mentions
something from a reading.
 5. Conclusion – don’t just stop, finish.
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The Egyptians and the
Hittites
Around 1285 B.C.
Egyptians battle the
Hittites in Palestine
Egypt’s pharaoh,
Ramses II, and the
Hittite king sign a peace
treaty
An Age of Builders
New Kingdom pharaohs
built great palaces,
magnificent temples
Valley of the Kings near
Thebes is home to royal
tombs
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Ramses II builds
impressive temples with
enormous statues of
himself
Egypt’s Settlements
4,100-mile Nile River on
narrow strip of fertile land
The Gift of the Nile
 Yearly flooding brings
water and fertile black
mud—silt
 Farmers build irrigation
system
 Egyptians worship Nile
as a god
 Environmental
Challenges
 Light floods reduce
crops, cause starvation
 Heavy floods destroy
property; deserts isolate
and protect Egyptians
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Upper Egypt and
Lower Egypt
River area south of
First Cataract is
elevated, becomes
Upper Egypt
Cataract—where
boulders turn Nile
River into churning
rapids
River area north,
including Nile delta,
becomes Lower Egypt
Delta—land formed by
silt deposits at mouth
of river; triangular
Egypt Unites into a Kingdom
 King Narmer Creates
Egyptian Dynasty
 Villages of Egypt ruled by two
kingdoms—Lower Egypt, Upper
Egypt
 King Menes/Narmer unites
them around 3000 B.C.
 Establishes first Egyptian
dynasty Pharaohs Rule as
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Gods
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 To Egyptians, kings are gods;
Egyptian god kings called
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pharaohs
 Pharaohs control religion,
government, army, well-being 
of kingdom
 Government based on religious
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authority— theocracy
Builders of the Pyramids
Kings believed to rule even after
death; have eternal life force, ka
Build elaborate tombs, pyramids,
to meet needs after death
Pyramids made with blocks of
stone, 2-15 tons each; 481 ft.
high
Old Kingdom had leadership,
government; economically
strong
Religion and Life
Egyptians believe in 2,000 gods
and goddesses—polytheistic
Re (Ra) is sun god, Osiris, god
of the dead; goddess Isis is
ideal woman
Believe in life after death;
person judged by deeds at
death – The Afterlife
Develop mummification,
process that prevents body
from decaying
Book of the Dead contains
prayers and spells, guides soul
after death
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Life in Egyptian Society
 Social Classes:
 Society shaped like
pyramid, from Pharaoh
down to farmers, laborers
 Few people at top have
great power; most people
at bottom
 90% Farmers
 People move into higher
social classes through
marriage or merit
 Women have many of the
same rights as men
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Egyptian Writing
In hieroglyphics writing
system, pictures
represent ideas
Paperlike sheets made
from papyrus reeds
used for writing
Pharaoh
Clerics
Military
Scribes
Merchants
Artisans
Farmers
Slaves
The Rosetta Stone: Key to Egyptian
Hieroglyphics
The Empire Declines
 Invasion by Land and Sea
 “Sea Peoples” (possibly
Philistines) cause great
destruction in Egypt
 Libyan raids on villages and
Palestine rebellions weaken
empire Egypt’s Empire Fades
 Weakened empire breaks into
smaller kingdoms
 From around 950 to 730 B.C.
Libyan pharaohs rule Egypt, 
erect cities
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 The Kushites Conquer the
Nile Region
 Egypt and Kush
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 From 2000 to 1000 B.C., Egypt
dominates kingdom of Kush in
Nubia
The People of Nubia
Live south of Egypt near
division of Blue Nile and
White Nile
Nile River is a great trade
route for goods and ideas
Nubians link Egypt and
Mediterranean to African
interior through trade
Egypt under the Greeks
 Ancient Egypt: The
Ptolemaic Period
(332-30 BC)
 Began with the
conquest of Egypt
by Alexander the
Great. On
Alexander's death in
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323 BC his empire
was divided among
his generals; Egypt
fell to one named
Ptolemy.
Greek became the
state language and
the capital moved to
the newly founded
Alexandria.
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The fusion of
existing
Egyptian culture
and Hellenistic
influences was
designed to
support the new
administrative
system imposed
on the Egyptians
-- completely
intentional.
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Rosetta Stone
inscribed at this
time.
Egypt under the Romans
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Ancient Egypt:
The Roman Period
(30 BC - around
AD 384)
Egypt became part
of the Roman
Empire when
Cleopatra VII was
defeated by Julius
Caesar and Mark
Antony.
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The Romans installed their
own administrative system.
Egyptian culture gradually
became that of the Roman
empire.