The Legacy of the Western World
Chapter 1
The Legacy of the Western World
Chapter 1
Section 1: The First Civilizations
What is civilization?
The word "civilization"
comes from the Latin
word for townsman or
citizen, civis, and its
adjectival form, civilis.
To be "civilized"
essentially meant
being a townsman,
governed by the
constitution and legal
statutes of that
community
The rise of civilization
Civilization is defined as: highly
organized society marked by advanced
knowledge of trade, government, arts,
science and often time written language
The Parthenon in Athens is an example of classical Greek Civilization.
The ruins of Machu
Picchu, "the Lost City of
the Incas," has become
the most recognizable
symbol of the Inca
civilization.
What is culture?
Culture - has been called "the way of life
for an entire society." As such, it includes
codes of manners, dress, language,
religion, rituals, norms of behaviors and
systems of belief.
What is the first know society
The earliest known civilizations (as defined in
the traditional sense) arose in Mesopotamia
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in
modern-day Iraq, Persia in modern-day Iran,
the Nile valley of Egypt. The inhabitants of
these areas built cities, created writing
systems, learned to make pottery and use
metals, domesticated animals, and created
complex social structures with class systems.
Asia Minor
• This is the area were
most civilization began in
prehistory and history.
• With many water ways
and food source the
fertile crescent became
the center of the universe
to its people.
• It is believed that this
area was an abundant
food source to the
hunters and gathers.
• With farming a big
population of people
emerged out of the land
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
• Oldest known
civilization
• Cradle of Human
Civilization
• Hammurabipowerful ruler
Political:Mesopotamian Law
• Code of Hammurabi =
282 laws
• Retaliation “eye for an
eye tooth for a tooth”
fundamental to the code
• Punishment different
between classes of
society
Patriarchal Society
• Dominated by men
• Woman’s duties were in
the home
• Children must be
obedient
Egyptian civilization
• Egyptian
civilization arose a
bit after
Mesopotamia.
• Geography: It was
centered around
the Nile River.
Egyptian Social Hierarchy
Political:Egyptian Pharaohs
• Egyptians were led by
Pharaohs.
• They were priestkings
• King Tut is the most
famous
• Using computers, this
image was
reconstructed using
his remains
Solomon’s
Kingdom
Split into two
kingdoms after
Solomon’s death:
Israel and Judah
Judaism a
monotheistic (one
god) religion arose
from the region.
They believed they
had a covenant
with God and
prophets spoke for
God.
Indus Valley Civilization
3000 B.C.
Indus Economy
• Just like the other
river valley
civilizations, the Indus
river valley people
were mostly farmers.
• Traditional economy
• They did trade with
Chinese and with
Sumerians
(Mesopotamians).
Indus River Valley
• First people were
displaced by the
Aryans.
• Developed a caste
system based on
occupation and
extended family
networks.
The Caste System
Two major religions of Hinduism and
Buddhism emerged from the Indus
civilization
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)
 Born in NE India





(Nepal).
Raised in great luxury
to be a king.
At 29 he rejected
his luxurious life to
seek enlightenment
and the source of
suffering.
Lived a strict,
ascetic life for 6 yrs.
Rejecting this extreme, sat in
meditation, and found nirvana.
Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.
ANCIENT CHINA
Began 2000 B.C.
As in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and along the Indus River,
Chinese civilization began within a major river valley.
Modern China itself is a huge geographical expanse.
Around 4000 BC, this huge area contained an almost
infinite number of ethnic groups and languages. This
history, in which a vast area populated by diverse ethnic
groups became, over time, a more or less single culture,
began in the Yellow River Valley.
China
Confucius: sixth
century teacher and
philosopher
• Confucianism: humanity,
learning, family, peace and
justice - Confucious
• People were naturally good
• Obedience to leaders was
important
The Legacy of the Western World
Chapter 1
Section 2: The Civilization of the
Greeks
Polis = City-State
Greece was divided into
city-states, each known
as a polis. The two main
city-states were Sparta
and Athens. The greatest
of these was Athens
which was a center of
intellectual and cultural
development - “the
nursery of western
civilization.”
Geography In History
The ancient Greek
city-states never
united because the
land was very
mountainous and hilly
making travel difficult.
This is one case
where geography
influenced history.
Structure of the Polis
Each polis was built around an acropolis, a
fortified hill with the temple of the local god at the
top.
Structure of the Polis
At the foot of the acropolis was the agora, an open area
used as a marketplace. By 700 B.C. this inner part of
the polis had become a city. With the villages and
farmland around it, it made up a city-state.
TYRANT
Rulers who seized power by force and were not
subject to the law.
A PERSON WHO
RULES A NATION
WITH ABSOLUTE
POWER
Political: Athens was the first
democracy.
• Democracy: type of
government where
people vote.
• Athens was a direct
democracy where
people vote on
everything.
• The U.S. today is a
representative
democracy, where we
vote for people to make
decisions for us.
Political terms
• All of Greece wasn’t a
democracy.
• Most of Greece was a
monarchy type of
government ruled by a
king or queen.
Sparta
• Sparta was an isolated
city-state that was
culturally and politically
different from Athens.
• Sparta was an oligarchy,
government ruled by a
few. They had 2 kings.
• During the
Peloponnesian Sparta
sacked Athens.
Political: Sparta was an
oligarchy.
• oligarchy : rule by a few.
• Sparta had two kings who led the army.
• Five citizens were elected yearly as
ephors to supervise education and
conduct of the polis .
• Council of Elders: Two kings and 28
citizens over age 60 who decided what
issues the assembly of all citizens could
vote on with no debate allowed.
Spartan Goal
Sparta tried to become the
strongest state in Greece.
They also disliked change.
This would later prove to be a
weakness for them. Spartans
preferred actions to words. A
“Spartan lifestyle” both then
and today is one that is simple
and highly disciplined with few
luxuries.
Now that’s tough!
There is a story about a Spartan boy
who, in order to conceal a fox which he
had stolen, hid it beneath his cloak and
allowed the fox to gnaw him rather than
let the theft be revealed. He died of the
wounds. If he had been discovered, the
disgrace would not have been in the
stealing, but in allowing it to be detected.
The boy's action illustrates the main
purpose of the Spartan educational
system, which was to produce men
capable of showing such bravery as
soldiers. Military strength was felt to be
necessary to Sparta for their very
survival.
Sparta
Sparta was known for its
great army and was a
rival of Athens. Their
army was known for
holding off the Persian
army of 250,000 at
Thermopylae for three
days with only 7000
soldiers. This gave the
people of Athens time to
escape before the
Persians invaded there.
Sparta
• Spartan society was
obsessed with war.
• Boys were sent to
military school at a
young age.
• Boys who are born
deformed are left to
die on mountainsides
Direct participation was the
key to Athenian democracy.
In the Assembly, every male
citizen was not only entitled
to attend as often as he
pleased but also had the right
to debate, offer amendments,
and vote on proposals. Every
man had a say in whether to
declare war or stay in peace.
Basically any thing that
required a government
decision, all male citizens
were allowed to participate in.
Athens
Government & Education
Athenian democracy
was for free, male
Athenians only.
Education for men
was highly valued.
Only boys of wealthy
families attended
schools. The term
academy comes from
Athens.
Direct Democracy
All male citizens debate
and vote on issues in an
open assembly
Pericles
• Reformed Athenian
democracy by
introducing pay for
elected officials.
• Helped to make Athens
the “school of Greece.”
Classical Greek
Philosophy
Socrates
470-399 BC
• Simple man
– Stonemason
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
• Believed in a single, all powerful
God
• Used dialectics (Socratic Method)
to find ultimate truth
Socrates
• Socratic Method
– Posed questions and then questioned
the answers
– Searched for the ultimate nature of
qualities
• What is Duty?
• What is Truth?
• What is Evil?
Socrates
• Accused and convicted
of “corrupting the
youth” by encouraging
critical thinking.
• He did not put on a
defense
• Sentenced to death
• Drank hemlock
(Poison)
Plato
427-347 BC
• Student of Socrates
• Born an aristocrat
• Founded the Academy
– First university
– Purpose-thinking about deeper
meanings
• Wrote dialogues of Socrates, his own
political theory and works of ethics
Plato
•
The Republic
– Ideal society of three
groups
1. Rule by the philosopherkings
2. Warriors to protect society
3. Masses
– Believed women should be
educated and have access
to all positions in society.
Aristotle
384-322 BC
• Son of a physician
• Born in Macedonia
• Attended the Academy
• Became Plato’s foremost student
• Left the Academy when Plato died
• Founded the Lyceum in Athens
– More focused in natural science
Aristotle
• Aristotelian Scientific Method
– Used for 2000 years
– Basic assumptions based on reasoning
• Deductive method
– Observations used to confirm the
assumptions
• Example: Elements of earth (4) and heavens
• Example: Qualities of things
– Did not employ experimentation
• Disturbs nature
Aristotle
• Wrote on politics
– Assembled 158 constitutions to compare
– Three type of governments existed
• Rule by one man—monarchy/tyranny
• Rule by a few men—aristocracy/oligarchy
• Rule by many—polity/democracy
– Individual considered greater than the
state
Classical Greek
Philosophy
Alexander
Xenophon
Eschines
Socrates
Alcibiades
Plato Aristotle
Zeno
Epicurus
Averroes
Parmenides
Hypatia
Anaxagoras
Anaximander
Pythagoras
Raphael
Zoroaster
Diogenes
Ptolemy
Heraclitus
Euclid
Greek Decline
The Greeks began to lose their sense of
community and fought with one another.
In 338 B.C. Philip II of Macedonia north of
Greece (Alexander the Great’s father)
conquered Greece.
The Legacy of the Western World
Chapter 1
Section 3: Rome and the Rise of
Christianity
Two Groups
Patricians: wealthy landowners became
a ruling class
Plebeians: less wealthy farmers,
merchants and craftsman
Roman Republic
A republic is a government were the
leader is not a monarch and certain
citizens have a right to vote. In Rome
both patricians and plebeians could
vote but only patricians could hold
office.
Republican Government
2 Consuls
(Rulers of Rome)
Senate
(Representative body for patricians about
300 members)
Tribal Assemblies
(Representative body for plebeians)
Republican Government
• Ruled by a senate and the people
– SPQR= Senate and the People of Rome
– Senate (patricians) appointed consuls (1 year)
• Foreign affairs and the military
• Direct access by the people to the consul
– People (plebs) organized by tribes and
they elected 10 tribunes
• Governed local affairs
• Had veto power (individually)
Constitution
(balanced power)
• Senate
– Never made laws but advice was accepted
– Had power to appoint a person to solve a specific problem
(He was a "speaker" or "dictator")
– Appointed censors (moral guardian/rank judge)
– Appointed governors
• Concilium plebis
– Made all the laws (called plebecites)
– Elected magistrates (administrators) and judges
• Comitia Curiata/Centuriata – plebs and patricians
– Committed the emporium (military power)
• All met in the forum (looked over each other)
• Pontifex Maximus
– Religious leader
The Twelve Tables, 450 BCE
Providing political and
social rights for the
plebeians. Applied only
to Roman citizens.
Law of Nations
Succeeded the 12 Tables to
include non-Romans as the
republic became an empire. It
is the basis of modern legal
systems today.
Rule of Law
• It means nobody is
above the law, not
the king, not the
senate, not the
people, not the
police.
• Laws are written
down and must be
respected
Roman Expansion (outside Italy)
• Conquest of the East
and West
– Master of the
Mediterranean Sea
– Toleration
– Extended citizenship to
conquered people
– Latin language spread
– Romans influenced
laws, architecture and
engineering
Building an Empire
• Structure of the "empire"
– Still a republican form of government
– Checks and balances
– Two parties emerged
• Optimares (conservatives, Cato and Cicero)
• Populares (power to people)
• Family considered important
• Values (according to the Romans)
–
–
–
–
–
–
Piety
Discipline
Frugality
Not greedy
Righteous wars
Never quit
The Roman Empire
Caesar Augustus
• 63 BC-14 AD
• Octavian was winner of 18 years
civil war
• Designated heir of Julius Caesar
• Was of the family of Caesar
(adopted) so he took the name
Caesar
• Given the name Augustus by the
Senate
Caesar Augustus
• Beginning the Empire
– Augustinian Code
• Roman Law was rewritten and
solidified
• Basis of western laws today
• Equity
– Honest government
– Added to the road system
• 53,000 miles of paved roads
– Postal system and other city
infrastructure
– Standard currency system
– Improved harbors
Roman Christianity
The origins and early spread of
Christianity took place in the Roman
Empire. It was based on the teachings of
Jesus Christ. Spread during the Pax
Romana. Despite persecution of the early
Christians, Christianity became the official
religion of the Roman Empire.
The Greatest Extent of the
Roman Empire – 14 CE
The Rise of Christianity
The Spread of Christianity
Constantine
• 306-337 AD
• Succeeded his father as
Caesar after fighting 7 other
claimants
• Made Christianity official
religion of the empire
Catholic Church
• Became the official
Christian church of Rome
• Served as an
intermediary between
people and God
The Legacy of the Western World
Chapter 1
Section 4: New
Patterns of
Civilization
(500-1600)
The World of Islam
• RELIGIOUS CAPITAL IS
MECCA
• ISLAM: ”SURRENDER”,
RELATED TO ‘SALAAM’,
OR PEACE.
• ISLAM IS ALSO A CODE
FOR SOCIAL CONDUCT
• SPREAD FROM
ARABIAN PENNISULA
WEST TO SPAIN AND
EAST TO INDIA
THE
RELIGION
OF ISLAM
IS LEAD
BY
M
U
H
A
M
M
A
D
BUT ALL ARE EQUAL SO NO PRIESTS ARE IN CHARGE
Islam, 610-632
• 571
Muhammad born in Mecca.
• 610
First revelation in the Harraa cave (27 Ramadan).
• 622
“Hijra”or Escape. Muhammad and followers escape prosecution
and go to Almadinah (Yathrib).
 Year 1 in the Islamic calendar
 ‘Missionaries’ sent all over Arabia
– building peaceful coalition
• 629
Muhammad conquers Mecca peacefully (NO REVENGE)
 destroys idols in Alqaaba.
 single-handedly, brings peace to war-torn Arabia
• 632
Muhammad dies in Almadinah. Unmarked grave (his will)
The Quran:
• Islam’s holy book, an inspired scripture. God’s word inspired to his messenger,
• 114 Chapters (chapter = Surah), 4 to >200 verses/chapter (verse = Aiyah)
• Confirms most narratives and prophets of the Jewish and Christian faiths
• Allah is the word for God used by Christian and Muslim Arabs
 God = Allah (Arabic) = Eluhim (Hebrew) = El (Aramaic)
• One and only one God, no trinity
• Arabic as the language of the Quran
Charlemagne: 742 to 814
King of the
Franks
based in
modern
Germany,
France and
Northern
Italy. Made
Holy Roman
Emperor by
the Pope.
Charlemagne’s Empire
The late Middle Ages
Land = power
Now Money = power
Feudalism (political system)
• The kings had lots of land;
he gave land to lords in
exchange for protection and
$.
• Lords gave their land to
knights in exchange for
protection, $.
• Knights let serfs work the
land and he would protect
them.
• Serfs got food and shelter.
• Thus, each person had rights
and responsibilities
Feudalism
A political, economic, and social system
based on loyalty and military service.
William I helped make England what it is
today and codified feudalism (gave it the
force of law).
Magna Carta
• Signed in 1215
• Example of Rule of Law
• English King John was a bad
king so his nobles forced him
to sign it.
• Limited powers of the English
kings.
• Great Charter”
• monarchs were not
above the law.
• Kings had to
consult a council of
advisors.
• Kings could not tax
arbitrarily.
The Beginnings of the British Parliament
 Great Council:
 middle class merchants, townspeople
[burgesses in Eng., bourgeoisie in Fr.,
burghers in Ger.] were added at the
end of the 13c.
 eventually called Parliament.
 by 1400, two chambers evolved:
o House of Lords  nobles & clergy.
o House of Commons  knights and
burgesses.
RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION
• REBIRTH OF CULTURE & LEARNING
• STARTED IN ITALY BUT SPREAD
THROUGH EUROPE
• EARLY 1300’S – 1600
• ART, POETRY, PAINTING, INVENTIONS
• GROWTH OF CITIES, TRADE AND
LEARNING
THE RENAISSANCE MAN
Mona Lisa
painting
• Leonardo da Vinci
a painter, sculptor,
architect, inventor,
and
mathematician.
• Idealized as the
example of what a
man of the period
should be.
Drawing of a
helicopter
Leonardo da
Vinci
Role of Church in Middle Ages
• Never was there a
time when the
Church was so
powerful in
Western
Civilization.
• The Church was
led by popes.
Priests and nuns
converted, gave
care to people
Role of Church
• Monks were
spiritual leaders
(obviously)
• They lived in
monasteries that
acted like trade
schools and
YMCAs
Role of Church
• They spent years
transcribing the
Bible since the
printing press
wasn’t used in
Europe yet.
Role of Church
• Since there were
no strong empires
or kingdoms the
Church was one
organization that
had respect and
power.
• Popes were more
powerful than
kings!
Churches and Cathedrals
during the Middle Ages
VS
MARTIN LUTHER HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE THEY SOLD
INDULGENCES TO THE RICH FOR THEIR SINS
WRITES “95 THESES” & PINS TO CHURCH DOOR
PROTESTANT REFORMATION
PEOPLE BEGAN TO SPEAK OUT
AGAINST THE POWERFUL CATHOLIC
CHURCH AND NEW CHRISTIAN
RELIGIONS EMERGED
MARTIN LUTHER AND JOHN CALVIN
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