Student __________________________
Global 9A
October 2013
Miss Canone
Study Guide #1
Period 1: Technological and Environmental Transformations,
to c. 600 B.C.E.
Key Concept 1.1: Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth
I.
Archeological evidence indicates that during the Paleolithic era, huntingforaging bands of humans gradually migrated from their origin in East Africa
to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas, adapting their technology and
cultures to new climate regions
Use the SPICE acronym to analyze the major developments for key concept 1.1.
SOCIAL
POLITICAL
INTERACTION
CULTURAL
ECONOMIC

Men hunted and women gathered

No social classes

Low birth rates

Egalitarian

Small clans

No governments/states/wars

Major migration around the world (nomadic)

Little control over environment

Stone tools
--Polytheistic

Fire
--Cave Paintings

Language

Small clans (survival)

Some exchange of ideas and goods

Hunter gatherers

No surplus
1. What is the evidence that explains the earliest history of humans and the planet?
What are the theories that interpret this evidence?

The term “Big Geography” is used to give an overview of early history.

Throughout the Paleolithic time period, humans migrated from Africa
to Eurasia, Australia and the Americas.

Early humans adapted to different geographic settings (savannas,
deserts, tundra).
2. Where did humans first appear on Earth, and what were their societal structures,
technology, and culture?

Humans originated in Africa (East African Rift Valley) and migrated
to Eurasia, Australia and Americas.

They adapted technology and culture to new climate regions.

Society was comprised of small clans and people were relatively
equal.
3. Describe earliest humans’ technology and tools.

Use of fire (cook food, protect against predators, adapt to cold)

More sophisticated tools over time (stone)
4. What were the earliest humans’ religious beliefs and practices?

Polytheistic (worship of many gods and goddesses)

Animistic (spirits in all living things)

Rituals to cope with death
5. How did the earliest humans’ society help them procure enough supplies to
survive?

Small clans hunted and gathered whatever they needed for survival

Some exchange of people, ideas and goods
Key Concept 1.2: The Neolithic Revolution and Early Agricultural Societies
I.
Beginning about 10,000 years ago, the Neolithic Revolution led to the
development of new and more complex economic and social systems.
II.
Agriculture and pastoralism began to transform human societies.
Use the SPICE acronym to analyze the major developments for key concept 1.2.
SOCIAL
POLITICAL
INTERACTION
CULTURAL
ECONOMIC
1.

Social classes

Shift from nomadic to sedentary

Gender inequalities (patriarchy)

Villages form

Formation of governments (cities, laws, states)

More warfare

Public Works (irrigations, roads, walls)

Population increase

Permanent settlements

More diseases

More control over environment

Overcultivation/overgrazing

New tools (plow, wheel)

Metallurgy

Organized religion

Writing

Woven textiles, pottery

Traditional economy

Subsistence farming

Specialized jobs

Expansion of trade

Forced labor (slavery)
How did human societies change during the Neolithic Revolution? What were
the long-term demographic, social, political, and economic effects of the
Neolithic Revolution?

In response to warming climates about 10,000 years ago, some
groups adapted to the environment in new ways (farmers,
pastoralists) while others remained hunter-gatherers.

Agriculture led to permanent settlements and created a more
reliable, but not necessarily diversified food supply.
2. How did pastoral societies resemble or differ from early agricultural societies?
Where did pastoralism persist even after the Neolithic Revolution?

Like farmers, pastoralists…
o Domesticated animals and allowed their herds to graze the
land.
o Were more socially stratified than hunter-gatherers

Unlike farmers, pastoralists…
o Could not plant crops (too dry)
o Were still pretty mobile (did not acquire a lot of material
possessions)
3. How did the Neolithic Revolution affect human societies economically and
socially?

It led to new and more complex economic and social systems
4. Why did the Neolithic Revolution start (at all)? Where did the Neolithic
Revolution first transform human populations?

Response to climate change/create new food sources

Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers), Egypt (Nile River), India
(Indus River), China (Yellow River or Huang He), Papua New Guinea,
Mesoamerica and Andes
5. Where did pastoralism persist even after the Neolithic Revolution?

Central Asia, Southwest Asia, Northern Africa
6. What various crops and animals were developed or domesticated during the
Neolithic Revolution?

Southwest Asia: wheat, barley

China: rice

Africa: millet, sorghum, yams

Mesoamerica: corn, squash, beans
7. What labor adjustments did humans make in order to facilitate the Neolithic
Revolution?

Agricultural communities had to work cooperatively to clear land and
to create water control systems needed for crop production
8. What were the environmental effects of the Neolithic Revolution?

Overcultivation and overgrazing led to soil erosion and deforestation
9. What effects did pastoralism and agriculture have on the food supply?

Led to more reliable and abundant food supply which increased
population
10. What were the social effects of the increased food supply caused by the increase
of agriculture?

Development of new social classes (artisan, warriors, merchants) and
social divide between wealthy elites and poor
11. What technological innovations are associated with the growth of agriculture?

Plows, metallurgy, wheels and wheeled vehicles
Key Concept 1.3: The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and
Urban Societies
I.
Core and foundational civilizations developed in a variety of geographical and
environmental settings where agriculture flourished.
II.
The first states emerged within core civilizations.
III.
Culture played a significant role in unifying states through laws, language,
literature, religion, myths, and monumental art.
Use the SPICE acronym to analyze the major developments for key concept 1.3.
SOCIAL

Patriarchies intensify

Social classes intensify

Catal Huyuk and Jericho (early Neolithic towns)
POLITICAL
INTERACTION
CULTURAL
ECONOMIC

Beginning of civilizations (advanced societies)

Hammurabi’s Code in Babylonia

City-states (Mesopotamia)

Empires (Mesopotamia and Egypt)

Divine kings

Mandate of Heaven (China)

City planning (grid system and sewage in Indus River
Valley)

Walls (Mesopotamia, Citadel of Indus River Valley)

Animals increasingly made “beasts of burden”

Mesopotamian farming ruins land

Isolation in China (ethnocentrism)

Monumental architecture: pyramids, ziggurats,
temples, defense walls

Monotheism begins (Hebrews and Zoroastrians)

Writing systems

Works of writing: Epic of Gilgamesh, Book of the
Dead

New technologies: chariot, iron weapons, compound
bows

Egypt and Nubia share ideas

Regional Trade Networks (Egypt to Mesopotamia to
India)

Local Trade Networks (Egypt and Nubia)

Lydians develop coined system of money
1. What is a “civilization,” and what are the defining characteristics of a civilization?

Advanced societies that came to be because of agricultural surpluses
o Cities, governments, writing, job specialization, social classes,
organized religion, public works, art and architecture
2. How did civilizations develop and grow more complex before 600 B.C.E.? What
were the effects of this increasing complexity?

As populations grew, competition for surplus resources (food) led to
greater social stratification, specialization of labor, increased trade,
more complex government, religion and record keeping.

Civilizations had to balance their need for more resources with
environmental constraints

Accumulation of wealth spurred warfare between communities
and/or with pastoralists which drove the development of new warfare
technologies
3. Where did the earliest civilizations develop, and why did they develop in those
locations?

Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates)
o Open plains led to good farmland, but also open to invasion
(many empires)

Egypt (Nile)
o Protected by desert, mountains, cataracts which led to long
lasting empire

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa (Indus)
o Monsoons led to devastating floods

Shang (Yellow or Huang He)

Olmecs

Chavin
4. What is a “state?” Who ruled the early states, and which segments of society
usually supported the ruler?

States were powerful new systems of rule that mobilized surplus
labor and resources over large areas

Led by rulers whose source of power was believed to be divine and
was supported by priests and warriors
5. Why were some early states able to expand and conquer neighboring states?

As states grew and competed for land and resources, the more
favorable geography led to greater access to resources (e.g. Hittites
had iron). These states were able to conquer surrounding states.
6. List four examples of early empires in the Nile and Tigris/Euphrates River
Valleys.

Tigris/Euphrates: Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians

Nile: Egypt and Nubia
7. What role did pastoral civilizations play vis a vis empires?

Pastoralists were often the developers of new weapons and modes of
transportation that transformed warfare (e.g. Hittites, Hyksos)
o Compound bows
o Iron weapons
o Chariots
o Horseback Riding
8. What methods did rulers use to unify their populations?

Laws, language, literature, religion, monumental art
9. What architectural forms did early civilizations produce?

Ziggurats

Pyramids

Temples

Obelisks

Defensive Walls

Streets and roads

Sewage and water systems
10. Which social strata encouraged the development of art in ancient civilizations?

Elites promoted art (sculpture, painting, weaving, wall decorations)
11. What forms of writing developed in ancient civilizations?

Cuneiform

Hieroglyphics

Alphabets (Phoenicians)

Pictograph/Ideogram (China)
12. What was the relationship between literature and culture?

Literature reflected culture (Epic of Gilgamesh, Book of the Dead)
13. What pre-600 B.C.E. religions strongly influenced later eras?

Hebrew monotheisim

Zoroastrianism

Vedic religion
14. How “big” were the pre-600 B.C.E. trading regions?

Trade expanded from local to regional to transregional
o Egypt/Nubia to Mesopotamia to Indus Valley
15. How did social and gender identities develop pre-600 B.C.E.?

They intensified as states expanded
Overarching Questions
Period 1: Technological and Environmental Transformations,
to c. 600 B.C.E.
1.
Why this periodization?

This period represents the origin of humans up until the earliest
civilizations. The next time period is signaled by the beginning of
classical civilizations (higher degree of education, religion)
2. List four major changes for this time period. Why did these changes occur?








Higher birth rates (bigger families and increase in population)
Reduced migration (permanent settlements)
Job specialization (food surplus)
Formation of cities and governments
Social classes and gender inequality
Monumental buildings (pyramids, ziggurats, walls)
Writing
Development of monotheism
3. List two major continuities for this time period. Why did these things stay the
same?




Changes took place slowly
o Inventing new devices took time
o People remained attached to old ways
Agriculture spread slowly because people were used to nomadic lives
and men valued hunting (seemed masculine)
Once agriculture adopted, traditional techniques were used for a long
time (industrialization eventually changes agriculture because it
incorporates more machinery)
o “beasts of burden”
o Crop rotation
o Slash and burn
Polytheism persists