Chapter One
Foundations of Civilization
Prehistory-3000 B.C.
Section Three
Beginnings of Civilization
The Neolithic Revolution turned nomads into farmers. It took
surpluses of agricultural products to create the first
civilizations.
Farmers began cultivating lands along river
valleys and producing surplus, or extra, food.
Surpluses helped populations expand.
As populations grew, some villages
swelled into cities.
What Are the Basic Features of Civilization?
A civilization is a
complex, highly
organized social
order. Historians
have identified eight
basic features found
in most early
civilizations.
Early civilizations began near rivers.
River Valley Civilizations
The earliest civilizations developed along rivers in
Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China.
The eight basic features found in most early civilizations are:
cities
complex religions
central governments
public works
writing
art and architecture
social classes
job specialization
evidence of cities
Ston
The
Neolithic
city of
Catalhoyuk,
in central
Turkey,
dates back
to 7400 B.C.
evidence of cities
This is Machu Picchu in Peru’s Andes Mountains
In the New World, the
domestication of plants and
animals occurred
independently of Old World
developments.
By 1500 B.C., Neolithic
cultures based on the
cultivation of corn,
beans, squash, and
other plants led to the
rise of the Inca and
Aztec civilizations.
evidence of central governments
The earliest
governments were
patriarchal. Fathers
governed their families;
and from the family to
the tribe, from the tribe
to the nation governments were
extensions of that
patriarchal authority.
evidence of central governments
Cuneiform tablets,
like this one from
the ancient city of
Nuzi in northern
Iraq, recorded laws
that codified the
patriarchal structure
of early civilizations.
Such laws
allowed
childless
couples to
adopt a male
servant who
would become
their heir.
A father was required to find a wife for his sons
and arrange marriage contracts for the daughters
evidence of central governments
Zhengzhou, in
Central China’s
Henan province,
is the site of an
archaeological
study of a palace
from the early
Shang Dynasty
(1600 B.C. to
1046 B.C.).
evidence of writing
Pictographs are signs or
symbols that represent
words or phrases. The
earliest forms of writing
were pictographs, like these
on a clay tablet from 4th
century B.C. Sumer.
evidence of writing
These are some modern
pictographs.
Pictographs like these from
ancient Egypt are the earliest
known form of writing.
evidence of writing
Akhet is the Egyptian hieroglyph representing
the place where the sun rises and sets. It is
often translated as “horizon.”
evidence of writing
Egyptian hieroglyphics used pictographic and alphabetic elements. The
football shapes in the image on the left represent the “s” and “r” sounds.
evidence of writing
These are Egyptian
hieroglyphs inscribed
on clay. (below)
These Maya glyphs (at left)
were created in stucco.
evidence of writing
This is the
scapula of
an ox with
an
inscription
from the
Shang
dynasty.
This is an oracle bone pit at the
Shang Dynasty capitol at Henan.
evidence of writing
The Code of
Hammurabi
was inscribed
in cuneiform
on stele, like
this one, and
placed in
public so that
everyone
could see it.
evidence of
writing
Scribes had to
undergo training.
Scribes became
members of a
privileged élite
who might look
with contempt
upon their fellow
citizens.
An ancient Egyptian scribe from
around 2400 B.C.
evidence of social classes
Hammurabi’s 8th law
If any one steal cattle or sheep, or an ass, or a pig
or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the
thief shall pay thirtyfold therefor; if they belonged
to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if
the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be
put to death.
Penalties for breaking the law varied according to the
social class of the offender and the victim.
evidence of social classes
In ancient
Egypt, a
person’s social
class was
determined by
his practical
distance from
the pharaoh.
evidence of
complex religions
In the Neolithic Period,
early civilizations like the
Sumerians and the
Egyptians had polytheistic
religions, or religions with
many gods, like the many
gods of Greek and Roman
mythology.
This carving shows the
Sumerian sun god
Shamash being visited by a
king and two other gods.
evidence of complex religions
HORUS
SET
THOTH
KHNUM HATHOR
SOBEK
RA
AMON
PTAH
ANUBIS
OSIRIS
ISIS
Egyptian religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Although a
human, the Pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods.
evidence of
complex religions
Stone statues are believed
to have had religious
meaning. Statues of
pregnant women suggest
that early people worshiped
earth-mother goddesses.
This is Mut, one of Egypt's
earliest mother goddesses
Early
people
began
burying
their dead
with care,
suggesting
a belief in
life after
death.
evidence of complex religions
This is a Maya temples in
Chichén Itzá on the Yucatán
Peninsula in southern Mexico.
The Temple of the
Cross pyramid at
the Maya ruins of
Palenque in the
state of Chiapas in
Mexico.
Temple I, Tikal,
Guatemala
This is a
corridor
with an
irrigation
canal at
the royal
quarters
of
Phaistos
on the
island of
Crete.
evidence of public works
Many
Neolithic
public
works
projects
were meant
to improve
irrigation for
agriculture.
Much of
that
evidence is
lost.
evidence of public works
This is the Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro in
Pakistan’s Indus River Valley. It is 39 feet long.
Mohenjo-Daro was built
around 2600 B.C. It had a
central marketplace, with
a large central well.
Individual households or
groups of households
obtained their water from
smaller wells. Waste
water was channeled to
covered drains that lined
the major streets.
evidence of public works
These are
Russian
photographers
atop the Great
Pyramid at
Giza in 2013.
Climbing the
pyramids is
illegal.
evidence of arts and architecture
When surpluses
allowed Neolithic
tool makers
recreational time,
some began to
create works of art.
evidence of art and architecture
This is the reconstructed
facade of the Great
Ziggurat of Ur, near
Nasiriyah, Iraq. Below, U.S.
soldiers climb the ziggurat
in 2010.
evidence of job specialization
This Neolithic grindstone was
used for processing grain.
Reliable food sources led to job
specialization. Food surpluses
allowed societies to support
leaders, artists, craftsmen,
priests, scribes, and soldiers
because it wasn’t necessary for
everyone to grew his own food.
Musicians were
trained in schools and
formed an important
professional class
in Mesopotamia.
evidence of job specialization
Some ancient
Egyptians were
craftsmen,
doctors,
lawyers,
engineers,
military leaders,
scribes, and
priests, but
most people
were farmers.
A flat, copper chisel
used for stone work in
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians invented
the Chorobates like the one
above. A Chorobates helped
engineers to create level
structures.
Cultural Diffusion
Cultural diffusion is the
spread of ideas,
customs, and
technologies from one
people to another. In
the Neolithic period,
cultural diffusion
occurred through
migration, trade, and
warfare.
Cultural Diffusion
People was
discovered in about
9000 B.C. in the
Middle East. A copper
pendant was found in
northern Iraq that
dates to 8700 BC. Just
like agriculture,
copper smelting was
invented locally in
several different
places.
Cultural Diffusion
Gunpowder
emerged in
China in
about 900
A.D. In
1000 A.D.,
the Chinese
invented
the flame
thrower.
Gunpowder technology followed the same routes as the Mongol
invasions of the Middle East and Europe.
and now…
some more final exam
questions…
Which geographic feature had a major influence
on the development of both Egyptian and
Mesopotamian civilizations?
a)
cool temperatures
b)
mountains
c)
locations near a strait
d)
river valleys
Which geographic feature had a major influence
on the development of both Egyptian and
Mesopotamian civilizations?
a)
cool temperatures
b)
mountains
c)
locations near a strait
d)
river valleys
Which is a characteristic shared by the Ancient
Egyptian Civilization, Ancient Mesopotamian
civilizations, Ancient Indus Valley Civilization,
and Ancient Chinese Civilization?
a)
Anyone who wasn’t wealthy was a slave.
b)
Each had an organized religion.
c)
They used the same coins for money.
d)
They spoke the same language.
Which is a characteristic shared by the Ancient
Egyptian Civilization, Ancient Mesopotamian
civilizations, Ancient Indus Valley Civilization,
and Ancient Chinese Civilization?
a)
Anyone who wasn’t wealthy was a slave.
b)
Each had an organized religion.
c)
They used the same coins for money.
d)
They spoke the same language.
The most common farming feature shared by all
river civilizations of the ancient world was
a)
using cattle for work.
b)
designing and using irrigation in fields.
c)
the practice of sifting grain from a screen.
d)
the use of plows only made from stones.
The most common farming feature shared by all
river civilizations of the ancient world was
a)
using cattle for work.
b)
designing and using irrigation in fields.
c)
the practice of sifting grain from a screen.
d)
the use of plows only made from stones.