Chapter 1 – The Emergence of Civilization 3,700,000 B.C. – 1,200 B.C

Chapter 1 – The Chapter 1 – The Emergence of CivilizationEmergence of Civilization

3,700,000 B.C. – 1,200 B.C.3,700,000 B.C. – 1,200 B.C.

Prehistoric PeoplesPrehistoric Peoples

•How do scientists study prehistory?How do scientists study prehistory?

•What were some achievements of What were some achievements of Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon peoples?Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon peoples?

•What changes did the Neolithic Agricultural What changes did the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution bring?Revolution bring?

Exploring PrehistoryExploring Prehistory

• Archeologists: Study ancient civilizations through artifacts

• Anthropologists: Study culture via human remains

• Cultural Diffusion: The spread ideas from one area to another

• Hominids: Humans and early human-like creatures

Exploring PrehistoryExploring Prehistory

• Prehistory that deals with people using stone tools is called the Stone Age (2.5 Million Years Ago)

Paleolithic (Pre-history) Mesolithic (Pre-history to 10,000 years ago) Neolithic (10,000 to 4,000 years ago)

Early HumansEarly Humans

• The First People– Had strong jaw bones, receding chins, low

foreheads, and heavy brow ridges– They ate seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants– Became good hunters– Evolved into homo-sapiens between 400K

and 100K years ago

Early Humans ContinuedEarly Humans Continued

• The Ice Age– Earth has had extremely cold periods, each

lasted 20,000 to 140,000 years– We live in a “warm era” which started about

10,000 years ago– Ice bridges were formed, allowing people to

migrate


• Neanderthal People– Lived during the Paleolithic Period – Buried meat and tools with their dead

• This showed a belief in the afterlife

– Eventually they disappeared• Conquered by stronger group?• New Ice Age?


• Cro-Magnons– Appeared in Europe 35,000 years ago– Better tools– Left behind artwork – By 10,000 years ago Cro-Magnons were

extinct

Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution• Mesolithic Age

– Used fish hooks, bow and arrow, fish spears, harpoons made from bone

– People tamed dogs for hunting– Used canoes– Nomadic

• Neolithic Age– Used stone and wood instead of bones for tools– Began to grow crops– Domesticated animals– Built settlements

The Foundations of The Foundations of CivilizationCivilization

•What characteristics and achievements What characteristics and achievements

marked the first river valley civilizations?marked the first river valley civilizations?

Early CivilizationsEarly Civilizations

• Four main regions where civilizations began– Huang (Yellow) River Valley – China– Nile River Valley – Egypt– Tigris and Euphrates River – Middle East (Iraq and

Iran)– Indus River Valley – India

Characteristics of a CivilizationCharacteristics of a Civilization

• Surplus of Food– All four early civilizations had similar problem

• The river would flood during rainy season & dry up during the dry season

• They learned to use irrigation ditches and retention walls

• Government – Governments were formed to create rules and keep

order


• Division of Labor– As farming improved fewer people were needed to work in the

fields– Division of Labor- People learned different skills to make money

• Calendar (lunar)

• Written Language


• The use of metals– Use of bronze marked the end of the Stone Age and began the

Bronze age– The Bronze Age came to an end with the use of iron and the Iron

Age began


• Family and Religion– Women managed the family

• Made food• Made Clothing• Made Pottery• Weaved• Did much of the farming

– There were a variety of gods that most people believed in, most dealt with gods of nature

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Chapter 1 – The Emergence of Civilization 3,700,000 B.C. – 1,200 B.C