Part One - The Emergence of Human Communities, to 500 BCE (ch. 1-3)
Ch. 1 – Ancient River Valley Civilizations
1. Origins of Agriculture
a. Defines civilization (p. 6)
b. Paleolithic – about 2.6 million yrs ago (when stone tools are first used by
different humanoids) to 8000 BCE. Mesiolithic comes next, Neolithic is
the use of bronze tools as well as stone and the agricultural revolution
(Holocene).
c. Organization of forage society (p.7) –
i. had cooking, probably controlled fire starting 12,500 yrs ago and
cooking pots, p.7
ii. used donut shaped stones on their sticks for digging, wove leaves
and animal skins
iii. about 50 people lived together in a band – big enough to fight off
predators, but small because food was limited, p.8
iv. moved to follow the food, women gathered, men hunted, (more
egalitarian, since women were more essential to finding food) p.8.
Settled in an area for a season (climate affected their movement)
v. Science – learn what foods were edible, discovering habits of
animals, which plants are curative; may have returned to an area
the following year and noticed food had grown where they left
seeds; dogs domesticate first – drawn to fire by food, found that
they were useful in hunting, p.8
vi. Religious – buried and honored their dead
vii. Arts – may have had music, no artifacts survive, but cave drawings
have, p.8
d. Changes brought by Agricultural Rev. (p.8-9) and how it ended foraging.
i. Many changes, taking place over many generations; most likely
caused by climate change and maybe also decreased animals to
hunt, p.11
1. Climate change was different in different areas, p.11
2. Areas that maintained game, like Australia, continued
foraging, p.11
3. Initially was harder work and yielded less nutrition and less
variety of food than foraging, so may have been triggered
by ecological crisis. Evidence indicates it was initially a
step backward (smaller skeletons)
ii. Seasonal camps may have started scattering seeds; animals more
likely to approach the camp if not moving a lot.
iii. Discover and cultivate crops that yield better/more food
iv. Use more advanced stone tools to work the soil, p.8
v. Shared crops/tools between bands of people (7000 BCE – 3000
BCE), p.10
vi. Effect: Increase in population
e. Organization of early farming societies (p.11-14)
i. Led to an increase in diseases
ii. Kinship groups grew larger than bands, into lineages or clans.
Tracing ancestors increased knowledge of kin groups – could be
patrilineal or matrilineal (but matrilineal is not the same as
matriarchy)p.12
iii. More consistent, predictable food supply
iv. Probably co-existed with foraging groups for centuries – unclear if
there was conflict between the groups, p.11
v. Religion – more focused on Mother Earth than the foraging groups
and used megaliths in their “temples”. Stonehenge is from a
Neolithic farming community, around 2000 BCE, p.12
f. Indications are of oligarchy or rep democracy prior to autocracy
developing, p.16
2. Mesopotamia
a. Identifies economic aspects of life in Mesopotamia (trade, p.17-18), social
(class structure, status of women, p.18), political (city-state, p.16 code,
p.17), religion (gods, priests and forms of worship, p.19-20), tech/science
(cuneiform, written items, p.20,23, irrigation, stone tools, uses of clay,
military, number system, p.23)
b. Key Terms from Mesopotamia –
 Holocene Era – time since 9000 BCE, started by global warming
that took place after the last Ice Age. Credited with causing the
Agricultural Revolution.
 Sumer – starts around 5,000 BCE, southern Iraq, Epic of
Gilgamesh
 Akkadian – rival group, language is Semitic (Aramaic, Hebrew
and Phoenician languages)
 Leaders: Sargon (Akkadian) unites city-states in 2350 BCE;
explains his society on p.17, end of Akkadian power unclear;
Hammurabi (Sumerian revival) 1792-1750 BCE.
3. Egypt
a. The Land
i. Geographically isolated and so self-sufficient. Also note Upper
and Lower Egypt follow the river, which flows South to North.
ii. Explains the land’s resources – flooding river, papyrus, animal life,
mineral deposits; river flooding is predictable – makes cultivation
easier and also orders their religions to believe in an orderly
universe p.25
iii. Farming villages begin around 5500, supported by Sahara drying
up and people moving to Egypt.
b. Identifies political aspects of life (unified early under a king, p.25, p.7 has
the times of major eras, no code of law) social (bureaucrat class and other
social classes, p.26-27), economic (trade with Levant, but mostly south
along the Nile, p.27), status of women (more power than Mesopotamia,
p.27-28), religion (p.28-29), tech/science (chem,math, engineering p.30)
c. Key terms
i. Ma’at – divine right
ii. Nubia or Kush – society in the southern part of the Nile
iii. Shawabtis – statues of servants put in the tombs for the afterlife
4. Indus Valley
a. Communities all along the Punjab were culturally similar. Areas
flourished from 2600 – 1900 BCE. Major urban areas discovered are
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
b. Less known about these areas because excavation has been slow, but
hypothesizes about political (p.32, central govt), economic (p.32, trade
between their own cities, maybe engaged in long distance with Sumer,
Iran, Afghanistan) tech/science (p.32, irrigation, metal tools).
c. End of the civilization is still uncertain – current hypothesis is “systems
failure” precipitated by a natural disaster. Know that urban centers were
replaced with village-based farming and herding. (decline of nonagricultural related activities)
Ch. 2 – 2200-250 BCE New Civilizations in Eastern and Western Hemispheres
1. Not all of these civilizations are tied to a river valley
2. Early China, 2000-221 BCE
a. Geography – isolated by mountains and deserts so developed
independently, but did later trade with Middle East., p.40-41
b. North is more dry, and along the Yellow River; south is wet, grows
rice. Both are labor intensive; rice has high yields that support
population growth.
c. p.42 has map of original Chinese civilizations – Shang and Zhou
d. Shang Dynasty(1750-1027 BCE, 2nd millennium BCE)
i. Warrior aristocracy that used bronze to show their power and
also used their power to mine it. p 43-44
ii. Warriors who liked to party, “theater state”, traveled around to
nearby areas under their control and req’d parties,
entertainment. More fun loving than Zhou period, also still
used divination, which wasn’t used in the Zhou period. Rule
was weaker outside the central area – local rulers had more
autonomy on the periphery.
iii. Believed that leaders were intermediaries between people and
male ancestors who they worshipped. Ritual sacrifices included
animals, servants, women, children (which will help hold the
power!) p. 44
iv. Cities built on a grid, used feng shui, had pictogram alphabet.
d. Zhou Dynsasty (1027-221 BCE)
i. Defeats last ruler of Shang to come to power, then rules for 6
centuries. (longest lasting and most revered of all dyns in China)
ii. Adopts culture of Shang, explanation of religious hold is p.46 and
uses propaganda to win over the people (Mandate of Heaven)
iii. Explains political
1. Western Zhou period then Eastern Zhou period then
Warring States period, legalism p.46-47
a. 800 BCE – Western Zhou power wanes,
b. 771 BCE the royal family moves the capital east to
Luoyang
c. 771-481 BCE is called Eastern Zhou period
(Confucius lives during this time, 551-479 BCE,
Laotzu probably also did)
d. 480 – 221 BCE is the Warring States period (start
seeing walls between areas for protection, legalism
and Daoism are popular, and 3 generation family grandpa, dad, son - replaces clan kinship ties)
2. religion of aristocratic advisors (Confucius, Han Fei, p.4750) Daoism (opposite of Confucius, p. 50) social
structure and role of women – yin/yang describes gender
roles, (p.50-51)
3. Nubia, 3100 – 350 BCE
a. 1,000 mile stretch along the Nile River from Aswan to Khartoum; corridor
for commerce between sub-Saharan and Mediterranean (p. 51)
b. Benefitted from technology and influence by culture of Egypt, had gold
and other resources
i. Middle Kingdom of Egypt tried to conquer it and run the gold
mines; set up forts. Hard to do because of the rapids/portage the
boats, so hard to sail down the Nile.
ii. Egyptians used Kush to refer to specific region around Kerma with
its own king (p. 52)
iii. New Kingdom (1532-1070) controlled Nubia and its gold (Ch 3);
learned Egyptian, blended religions, culture and social structure (p.
53)
c. The Kingdom of Meroe (800 BCE-350 CE)
i. Nubian rulers were pharaohs of Egypt from 712 – 660 BCE. Lost
power when they made the mistake of helping out Palestinian
rulers against an Assyrian attack. Assyrians retaliate, drive them
out of power in Egypt. They continue to exist in Nubia area til 350
CE (maybe overrun by Western nomads), Egypt goes back to
Egyptians (til Ptolomeic time)
ii. Political history (p.53), religion (p. 53) role of women
(matrilineal succession of sons and also queens as rulers, p.53-54)
description of the city of Meroe (p. 54)
4. First Civilizations of the Americas: Olmecs and Chavin (1200-250 BCE)
a. Peoples in Americas spread throughout the continents, but lived in
isolation from the rest of the world. Most advanced civilizations come out
of South America and Mesoamerica.
b. Olmec and Chavin, 1200-250 BCE
i. Identifies beginning of domesticated plants leads to differentiated
jobs, then religious and political structures which can command
labor to build larger projects (structures, irrigation, canals) in
Central and South America around 1000 BCE (p. 54)
ii. Mesoamerican Olmecs, 1200-400 BCE
1. Geography and resources – p.55-56
2. Urban centers and their dates – p.56 Unknown why the
cites were abandoned or details of the history
3. Political structure is mostly unknown – artwork gives some
clues, p.56-57. Not likely it was an empire, but goods
found in other areas of Mexico indicate the scope of their
trade and/or cultural influence.
4. Religion – human sacrifice, polytheistic, humans
transformed to animals, large ceremonies, use of astrology,
p.57
c. Early South America: Chavin, 900-250 BCE
i. Andean geography – rainforest, mountains and plains lead to
specialized products from each area and interdependence. True for
most civilizations that form in this region, p.57
ii. Describes early civilization, Caral, 2600 BCE, it influences Chavin
development p.57
iii. Geography – capital in Andes, controls east-west, north-south trade
routes. Corn allows surplus of food and development of trade,
which also brings in quinoa and potatoes. Llamas are
domesticated beast of burden, p. 57-58
iv. Trade and Class structure, p. 58
Chapter Three – The Mediterranean and Middle East, 2000-500 BCE
1. Bronze Age (2nd millennium BCE) is followed by Iron Age (1st millennium BCE).
Explanation of iron development, p.64
2. This time period is called “cosmopolitan” b/c it sees trade, cultural diffusion,
diplomacy around Middle East, western Asia, northern Africa and the
Mediterranean.
3. The Cosmopolitan Middle East, 1700-1100 BCE
a. Larger territorial states exist between 1500-1200 BCE – Late Bronze Age
(Hittite, Mesopotamia, Egypt) that interacted with each other more than
city-states of 3rd millennium had. Assyria is in North, Babylonia is in
South of Tigris/Euphrates valley, map on p.66.
i. Babylonia – builds off of Hammurabi, includes non-Semitic
Kassites from Zagros Mts, form a dynasty in 1460 BCE who
maintain Babylonian culture, did not try to expand their territory,
p.66
ii. Assyria – City of Ashur is commercial center as early as 2nd
millennium, conquered parts of Syria and Turkey at points in its
history, p.66
iii. Hittites – 1700-1200 BCE in Anatolia; adopted cuneiform writing
system from Mesopotamia, as well as art and literature, p.67
b. Egypt
i. Political - 400 yrs of Middle Kingdom’s central gov’t followed by
political instability and foreign rule around 1700s-1600s BCE.
1. Foreigners (“Hyksos”, bring with them the composite bows
and chariots) intermarried but were always seen as
outsiders (as opposed to Kassites in Mesopotamia), p.67-68
2. New Kingdom brings back Egyptians from Thebes;
describes rulers – Hatshepsut, a female ruler and
Akhenaten, takes back from the priests for one generation
and monotheistic, p.68, his son, Tutankhamun (power
returns to the priests), p.69 and Ramses II, p.69
3. Interactions with Hittites – 1st war over Syria/Palestine in
1285 BCE, followed by the world’s 1st peace treaty, then
intermarriage and trade, p.69-70.
4. Bronze weapons played important role in expanding
territory at end of 2nd millennium in Western Asia, p.70
c. Aegean World, 2000-1100 BCE
i. Influenced by the older cultures of the larger territorial states.
Minoan is on Crete and Mycenaean is mainland Greece and other
Aegean islands, p.71
ii. Resources and geography – rocky territory, dependent on trade for
timber, food and metals because they can’t grow much beyond
olives, grains and grapevines, few deposits of metal and little
timber, p.71
iii. Minoan Crete, 2000 – 1450 BCE
1. 1st European area with complex political and social
structures (due to trade and proximity to Middle East, as
well as surplus food)
2. Artifacts show art, central government and writing.
Political - Had strong navy and central gov’t. (shown by
big palaces) Religion – fertility goddesses (statues of
women with headdresses) p.71; Culture – frescoes, pottery
and sport, p.71
3. Artifacts show it was taken over by Mycenae after 1450
BCE
iv. Mycenaean Greece, 1600 – 1150 BCE
1. Borrowed centralized gov’t, art and writing system from
Minoans, p.72
2. Believe that they gained power through piracy (also econ)
and wars (able to pay their soldiers, makes them more
successful) p.72 Politically – begin to colonize
Mediterranean islands (Crete/Minoans is one of many).
3. Geography, p.72-73
4. Language of Minoa is called Linear A, Mycenae is called
Linear B, p.73 Haven’t been able to translate Linear A, but
we have translated Linear B.
5. Political –mostly unknown and contested (central control
vs. city-states, may have been periodically powerful kings
who unified the city-states), had military power p.73;
Economic – gov’t controlled grain production and wool
industry; resources and trade, p.73
d. Fall of Late Bronze Age Civilizations
i. Around 1200 BCE – many migrations, larger fortresses and
invasions (by unidentified “Sea Peoples”) indicate an end of this
time period, p.74-75; dark age is 1200-800 BCE.
ii. Breaks down how a civilization can collapse/how artifacts indicate
this, p.75
4. The Assyrian Empire, 911-612 BCE (Neo-Assyrians)
a. First state with lands that extend far enough to be referred to as an
“empire” by historians (empire is defined as area over far-flung regions
with diverse people); map, p.75. Follows a “Dark Age” of about 200 yrs
after the sea peoples and collapses of 1200 BCE.
b. Geography and how the empire expanded (started out as self-defense and
looting, became about power, with peripheral regions supporting the
imperial center), p.75-76
c. Religion – divine right and theocracy; Ashur is the city and name of the
god, p. 76; Military/Political – propaganda to build support, iron weapons
included bows/arrows, spears and chariots. Campaigns included sieges,
tunnels under fortresses, battering rams, towers for archers, spies. Terror
tactics maintained control (gain submission of areas, giving up because
they’re scared) and so did mass deportations (Israelites), p.76-77.
Political - Assyrian king could choose any one of his sons to be his
successor, but the elites or priests had to confirm the decision, p.76; Social
structure – organization and elite class in imperial city, public works
included infrastructure and fortresses, p.77; 3 classes of society – free
landowners, dependent farmers/artisans working for landowners and
slaves; military can come from any class, which allows for a lot of social
mobility in the Assyrian empire, p.78. Surplus crops allowed for
differentiation of careers. Trade and resources – state controls long
distance trade, uses silver as currency (but before coins); locally making
pottery and weaving, long distance trade brings in ivory or metals, p.78
d. Culture – built temples, Assyrian scholars record observations that are
stored in libraries (not public). Library of Ashurbanipal, p.78
5. Israel, 2000-500 BCE
a. Records are based on archaeology and Hebrew Bible (written or edited in
5th century BCE after the return from Assyria, by temple priests). Legacy
of monotheism is their unique contribution; nomadic to agricultural with
monarchy is similar to other groups of this time, p.91-92
b. Geography – center of trade routes, desert with fertile areas along the
coast (controlled by Philistines) and near Galilee, p.78
c. Migration patterns – nomadic and grazing land (Abraham to promised
land) in 2000 BCE (follows pattern of the time). Part of the foreign
(Hyksos from the northeast) rule in Egypt from 1700-1500 BCE (Joseph)
and then enslaved when they lost power, helped build projects of New
Kingdom (1500 BCE). Joshua and walls of Jericho correspond to attacks
in Canaan in 1250-1200 BCE (continue Canaan traditions, not one,
organized attack), p.79-80
d. Political – confederation of 12 tribes, leaders and “judges” at first. 1200
BCE saw Philistines attack the Israelites (stories of Samson and Goliath).
Central gov’t formed to fight against Philistines: Saul (1020 BCE) then
David (1000-960 BCE) makes it a monarchy, moves capital to Jerusalem,
and Solomon (960-920 BCE) who engaged in Red Sea trade, built up
wealth, used slaves to make the 1st Temple, p.80-81. Social structure –
priests, urban, rural, p.81, Role of women –similar to Mesopotamia, can’t
divorce, adultery=death, but econ opportunities for women in urban
centers, p.84. Ban on marrying non-Jews, p.85
e. Split into 2 kingdoms after 920 BCE – Samaria (north) and Judah (south),
Cultural - monotheism fully formulated, Yahweh is the God, p.84.
Forced migration of Samaria to Neo-Assyria in 721 BCE and of Jerusalem
(destruction of the 1st temple) by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 BCE to Babylon;
some returned 50 yrs later, some stayed in Babylon; describes diaspora,
p.85, impact of diaspora and loss of independence on Jewish identity after
5th century – p.85. Dietary restrictions, day of worship, architecture –
temple, literature (bible)
f. Language – borrowed alphabet from Phoenicians; language influenced by
them and also Aramaic, Arabic and Akkadian. (connections to neighbors)
6. Phoenicia and the Mediterranean, 1200-500 BCE
a. Originated in area of Syria-Palestine (north of Israel), also called
Canannites; pressure from Neo-Assyrians led them to trade and control the
Western Mediterranean with Carthage becoming their capital, p.91.
b. Encounter Greeks after 1000 BCE during sea trade, p.85. Resources and
trade –trade Lebanese cedar/wood, describes the different city-states and
their resources, p.87, Cultural - alphabet – creates an alphabet where
each symbol represents its sound, but no vowels (til the Archaic Greeks)
p.87. Polytheistic religion included child sacrifice. Political – 2 judges
and a senate composed of leading merchant families; convened an
assembly of citizens to elect public officials – occasional/flirting with
democracy; had a strong navy, p.89 and expansion westward, after 900
BCE (colonies included Cyprus, N. African coast, and southern Spain,
map on p.88). Lost power to Assyrians in 701 BCE, competed with
Archaic Greece for control of Sicily, p.89.
c. Carthage – founded in 814 BCE, strategic location in trade makes it
dominant colony of Phoenicians. Describes the city, political
organization, and trade routes, p.89. Political - Provided military
protection to other parts of the Phoenician empire, but different parts of
the empire operated largely independently, more like a trade empire
(unlike Assyria). Used African mercenaries in its wars against Rome and
Hellenistic Greece in 4th century BCE.
7. Failure and transformation, 750-550 BCE
a. Assyria is the dominant power of region/time. Brings different cultures
into contact but also inspires hatred of people being controlled.
b. Attacks from Neo-Babylon (Chaldeans) and Iran (Medes people) destroys
Assyrian cities by 612 BCE. Assyrian empire’s decline is so rapid that it
becomes a forgotten empire in subsequent years.
c. Neo-Babylon dominates from (625-562 BCE), continues cultural aspects
and extends learning in math, astronomy, etc.