Foundations of
Civilization
The origins, development,
and achievements of early
human beings will influence
the establishment of
civilization.
The Peopling of the World
2 million BC
8000 BC
3000 BC
•Hunting-Gathering Bands
•Growth of Villages
•Rise of Cities
Hunting-Gathering Bands
Key Achievements:
• Invention of tools
• Mastery over fire
• Development of
language
• Creation of art
Neolithic Revolution
Far-reaching changes
in human life resulting
from the beginning of
farming
One of the great
breakthroughs in
history
Growth of Villages
Key Achievements:
• Breakthroughs in
farming technology
• Development of
agriculture
• Domestication of
animals
• Food surpluses
Rise of Cities
Key Achievements:
•
•
•
•
Specialized workers
Record keeping
Complex institutions
Advanced technology
Culture
The way of life of a group of people
Includes:
• Common practices
• Clothing, food, sports, social customs
• Shard understandings
• Language, symbols, values, religious beliefs
• Social Organization
• Family, class structure, economic system, view of authority
Culture is learned:
• Observation and imitation
• Direct teaching (spoken or written language)
After the Neolithic Revolution shifted
humans from nomadic to more
sedentary life, early peoples organized
their societies and built advanced
civilizations.
Characteristics of Civilizations
Advanced Cities
• Centers of political, economic, and religious life
Specialized Workers
• Food surpluses allowed people to specialize in jobs outside of
agriculture
• Artisans, traders, soldiers
Complex Institutions
• Law codes, religion, economy
• Organized, untied, and helped civilizations to prosper
Record Keeping and Writing
• Record laws, write down religious dates and rituals, record
transactions
Advanced Technology
• Metals, pottery, calendars
Sumer
Environment:
• Tigris and
Euphrates
flooding
unpredictable
• No natural
barriers
• Limited natural
resources
Sumer
Power and
Authority:
• Independent
city-states
governed by
monarchs
• City-states
united into first
empires
Sumer
Science and
Technology:
• Cuneiform
• Irrigation
• Bronze
• Wheel, sail, plow
Egypt
Environment:
• Nile flooding
predictable
• Natural barriers:
deserts
• Nile and easy
transportation
link
Egypt
Power and
Authority:
• Pharaohs rule
kingdom as gods
• Pharaohs built
pyramids
Egypt
Science and
Technology:
• Hieroglyphics
• Pyramids
• Mathematics,
geometry
• Medicine
Indus Valley
Environment:
• Indus flooding
unpredictable
• Natural barriers:
mountains,
deserts
• Monsoon winds
Indus Valley
Power and
Authority:
• Strong
centralized
government
• Planned cities
Indus Valley
Science and
Technology:
• Writing (not yet
deciphered)
• Cities built on
precise grid
• Plumbing and
sewage systems
China
Environment:
• Huang He
flooding
unpredictable
• Natural barriers:
mountains,
deserts
• Geographically
isolated
China
Power and
Authority:
• Community and
family important
• Sharp social
divisions
• Mandate of
Heaven
• Dynastic Cycle
China
Science and
Technology:
• Writing
• Silk
• Coined money
• Cast iron
Migration and trade spread goods and
cultural ideas throughout the ancient
world.
Indo-European Migrations
Three major religions develop
and spread as people migrated.
Hinduism
Buddhism
Judaism
Hinduism
Number of Gods
Many gods, all faces of
Brahman
Holy Books
Vedas; Upanishads,
Mahabharata, and others
Moral Law
Karma
Leaders
Brahmins
Final Goal
Moksha
Buddhism
Number of Gods
Originally, no gods
Holy Books
Books on the teachings and
life of the Buddha
Moral Law
Eightfold Path
Leaders
Monks
Final Goal
Enlightenment, Nirvana
Judaism
Number of Gods
One God
Holy Books
The Torah and other books of
the Hebrew Bible
Moral Law
Ten Commandments
Leaders
Priests, judges, kings,
prophets
Final Goal
A moral life through
obedience to God’s law
Seafaring Trade
•
•
•
•
Mediterranean Sea- Minoans and Phoenicians
South and East Asia
Land routes connect to Central Asia
Trade networks ensured the exchange of products and
information- CULTURAL DIFFUSION
First Age of Empires
The first large empires develop
in Africa and Asia between 1570
BC and 200 BC
Egypt (1570 – 1075 BC)
• Pharaohs set up a
professional army
• Pharaohs invaded
territories in Africa
and Southwest Asia
• Egypt drew vast
wealth from the
lands it controlled
Nubia (751 BC – 350 AD)
• Nubia and Egypt
interacted and
spread their culture
through trade
• The kings of Nubia
conquered Egypt and
maintained the
Egyptian way of life
• Nubia established
trade among Africa,
Arabia, and India
Assyria (850-612 BC)
• Assyria used a
sophisticated military
organization to
conquer an empire
• The empire engaged
in brutal treatment
of its conquered
peoples
• Kings used harsh
taxes to control
conquered peoples
Persia (550-330 BC)
• Persian kings were
tolerant
• Kings permitted a
high degree of local
self-government
• The empire was
divided into 20
provinces
China (221-202 BC)
• Ethical systems laid the
groundwork for a
strong central
government
• The Qin Dynasty
defeated invaders,
crushed internal
resistance, and united
China
• China initiated a
sweeping program of
centralization