AP World History [WHAP] Summer Assignment 2017 Mr. Bering

CONGRATULATIONS. You have decided to take on one of the greatest challenges of your academic career up to this point. AP World History is a college level course covering "everything that has ever happened ever."

Your summer work is complete each of the following 4 tasks. Tasks 3 and 4 will be collected and graded on the FIRST class period. The objectives of the summer work is as follows

To gain an understanding of key vocabulary and locations important to understanding world history.

To understand key factors to the rise of early civilizations.

LASTLY Students who have not completed summer work in the past have generally struggled for three reasons:

1. Lack of knowledge of basic vocabulary and locations.

2. Not earning points that are not very difficult to earn!

3. Not setting up a pattern of reading material and applying what they have read in class.

TASK 1: There will be a vocabulary quiz your 1st day of class the week of August 14, 2017. Define, study, and memorize all of the following words and definitions as they will all be essential terms in our studies.

AP World History General Vocabulary

Please keep this vocabulary list in your folder/binder for WHAP.

word

definition

1

Absolutism

Rule by one person. Synonymous with totalitarian.

2

Agrarian

Society that is focused around farming activities.

3

Agriculture

Anything related to farming.

4

Aristocracy

Rule by those that our rich, educated, and privileged.

5

Bias

To look at a subject in favor of something that benefits that individual. Often seen as being prejudiced. Synonymous with point of view.

6

Bureaucracy

A large group of people who work for the government, but are not elected.

7

City-State

A group of cities or villages that join together for trade and protection. Seen in Ancient Greece.

8

Civilization

A society that has: advanced cities, advanced technology, specialized workers, complex institutions, and record keeping.

9

Constitution

A system of beliefs and laws by which a country, state, or organization is governed.

10

Commerce

Anything involving trade.

11

Demographics

Any statistics or information related to population.

12

Dynasty

A family of leaders who rule an area or country for a long period of time.

13

Economic

Anything related to money, goods, and services.

14

Empire

A large group of states or countries under the leadership of a single leader [an emperor or empress].

15

Epidemic

A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in an area.

16

Forager

One who wanders or searches for food.

17

Globalization

The process where views, products, ideas, and culture is spread over the entire world.

18

Ideology

A system of ideas that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

19

Indentured Servant

A person who worked under contract for a period of time, usually seven years, especially during the 17th to 19th centuries. Usually was used to pay for travel expenses from Europe to America.

20

Interregional

Anything connecting two or more regions.

21

Institution

An organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose.

22

Kingdom

A large group of state or countries under the leadership of a single leader [a king or queen].

23

Merchant

A person or group that buys and sells or owns a business to make a profit.

24

Monotheism

The belief in one god.

25

Nation

A large group of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.

26

Neolithic

The last period of the Stone Age when agricultural methods were developed for the first time.

27

Nobility

The group of people who are members of the highest social class in some countries, especially in Europe.

28

Nomad

A person or member of a society that moves from place to place.

29

Pandemic

An outbreak or a disease that affects a large number of people.

30

Papacy

The office of the Pope [the head of the Catholic church].

31

Patriarchy

A society that is ruled by men or fathers.

32

Political

Anything that is related to the government, the leaders, and the laws.

33

Polytheism

The belief in many gods.

34

Primary Source

A document from someone who actually was at an event.

35

Principle

A basic idea that serves as the foundation for a system of beliefs or behaviors for a group.

36

Republic

A state in which supreme power is held by the people [democracy] and their elected representatives, and which has an elected a president rather than a monarch.

37

Revolution

A sudden, radical, or extreme change in something.

38

Rural

A country setting or anything relating to an area that is not in cities.

39

Scribe

A member of ancient times who was a copier, clerk, or secretary.

40

Secondary Source

A document from someone who is reporting about an event they actually did not attend or about a person they did not actually interact with.

41

Serf

A person who works in agriculture and is under the power of the owner of that land.

42

Social

The interactions of individuals and the groups they live within.

43

Sovereignty

The idea that a state should be able to govern itself.

44

State

A nation or territory organized as a political community under one government.

45

Tariffs

a tax to be paid on a particular type of imports or exports.

46

Urban

A city setting or anything relating to a city.

***NOTE This quiz is as easy as it gets in AP World History ----memorize these terms. You will use them often.

TASK 2: World Map There will be a map quiz your 1st day of class the week of August 14, 2017.

Label and memorize the following locations on a world map. NOTE: There are many online resources for blank maps feel free to use these to practice as long as you are doing the labeling!!!!!

Continents

1. North America

2. South America

3. Australia

4. Europe

5. Antarctica

6. Asia

7. Africa

Regions

1. North Africa

1. West Africa

1. East Africa

1. Central Africa

1. Southern Africa

1. The Middle East

1. North America

1. Latin America

1. The Caribbean

1. Europe

1. East Asia

1. Southeast Asia

1. South Asia

1. Central Asia

1. Oceania

Oceans and Seas

1. North Atlantic Ocean

1. South Atlantic Ocean

1. North Pacific Ocean

1. South Pacific Ocean

1. Indian Ocean

1. Arctic Ocean

1. North Sea

1. Baltic Sea

1. English Channel

1. Mediterranean Sea

1. Black Sea

1. Red Sea

1. South China Sea

1. East China Sea

1. Yellow Sea

1. Sea of Japan

Rivers

1. Nile River

1. Indus River

1. Ganges River

1. Yangtze River

1. Tigres River

1. Euphrates River

Countries

1. Germany

1. China

1. Greece

1. Italy

1. Russia

1. Saudi Arabia

1. Brazil

1. Iraq

1. Iran

1. Poland

1. Cuba

1. France

1. Japan

1. India

1. Vietnam

1. Pakistan

1. North and South Korea

1. Egypt

1. South Africa

1. Ethiopia

1. England

1. United States

1. Canada

1. Mexico

1. Haiti

***NOTE This quiz is as easy as it gets in AP World History ----memorize these locations. You will use them often.

TASK 3 UNIT 1 8000BCE 600BCE Read the reading "Introduction to AP World History" and complete the following:

Create notes of the "SPICE" information asked for in the reading! Create these notes in your own words! This is actually VERY IMPORTANT! Develop this skill now!

Answer the Short Answer Questions at the end of the reading on a separate piece of paper. Make sure your responses include the following.

The question.

Complete answers using sentences.

Please put answers in your own words! This is actually VERY IMPORTANT! Develop this skill now!

***NOTE - The material in this reading makes up 5% of the course. Make sure to read and understand this material before the first day of class. Annotate the reading with any questions you may have.

(WATCH THESE VIDEOS AND COMPLETE THE QUESTIONS AFTER YOU HAVE READ THE INTRODUCTION TO AP WORLD HISTORY READING [TASK 3] --- THESE VIDEOS WILL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE THAT WAY!)TASK 4 - AN EVENING WITH JOHN GREEN. You are to view the following 5 videos from Crash Course World History and answer the questions on a separate piece of paper. Videos can be viewed at the following site: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9

Your answers must include the following:

The question.

Complete answers using sentences.

Please put answers in your own words!

(How do we have evidence of Hunter-Gatherers [H-G] and lives?What advantages did H-G have over early agriculturalists?Where did agriculture emerge? What food crops are associated with which areas?What are the advantages and disadvantages of agriculture?What impact does agriculture have on the environment?What advantages did Eurasia have with its set of zoological set of animals compared to the Americas?If H-G had a better and healthier lifestyle, why did people become agriculturalists?What do historians say are the drawbacks to complex civilizations and agriculture?)

(How is the concept of civilization useful? When is it not useful?How does John Green define what constitutes a civilization? How does this compare to the definition given in the Unit 1 reading?Where did the earliest civilizations emerge? Why there?Why was the Indus Valley a prime location? How did the environment affect the people who lived there?What evidence exists of long-distance trade and with whom?What appears to be unique about the Indus Valley as compared to other civilizations?)

(John Green begins by discussing one of the most obvious consequences of agriculture what is it and what are the most immediate consequences for those societies?How does Mesopotamia compare with the Indus River Valley? Identify both similarities and differences. Think of why a specific similarity and specific difference might exist. [this is analysis one of the skills you will need to develop in this class]Cuneiform: What three points does John Green make about the beginning of writing?What was Hammurabis most significant contribution?What are the challenges of empires/what is the usual result? Put it in math terms.)

(What point is John Green making about the different lenses we use when we study history?How did the Nile River shape the worldview of the Egyptians? How did this compare to the worldview of the Mesopotamia?How was Egyptian civilization different from most other River Valley civilizations? Why do think this was?What does the construction of the pyramids represent? [not what was the purpose of the pyramids?]What was the motivation for building the pyramids? [not what was the purpose of the pyramids?]What protected Egypt from outside peoples? )

(What do textbooks normally do to the River Valley civilizations?What do Egypt, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, etc. have in common?TRADE: What did underwater archaeologists find on the shipwreck?WAR: What was one of the main drivers of economic growth?FAMILY: How did these civilizations share family relationships?What are we really talking about when we use the word civilization? What happened around 1200BCE to Mycenaeans, Minoans, Hittites, and [partially] Egypt?What caused this?How does interdependence in the Bronze Age help lead to its downfall?)

(Utilize this margin to write any questions you have or any key vocabulary you see.Note - some of the history vocabulary in this reading can be found on the "General Vocabulary" list on the summer work.)Introduction to AP World History [WHAP]

Advanced Placement World History [WHAP] is divided into six periods. It is important that ou familiarize yourself with these periods; the ability to compare and contrast societies, events, and trends with and between periods will be a necessary skill in this course and on the AP Examination in May. The six AP World History periods are:

Period 1: 8000 BCE-600 BCE - Technological and Environmental Transformations. Chapters 1-3 of our textbook and 5% of the course.

Period 2: 600 BCE-600 CE - Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies. Chapters 4-8 of our textbook and 15% of the course.

Period 3: 600 CE-1450 - Regional and Transregional Interactions. Chapters 9-10 of our textbook and 20% of the course.

Period 4: 1450-1750 - Global Interactions. Chapters 11-14 of our textbook and 20% of the course.

Period 5: 1750-1900 - Industrialization and Global Integration. Chapters 15-18 of our textbook and 20% of the course.

Period 6: 1900-Present - Accelerating Global Change and Realignments. Chapters 19-21 + Epilog of our textbook and 20% of the course.

Note that dates in AP World History use BCE [Before the Common Era] and CE [Common Era]. These designations correspond to BC and AD, respectively. Think of this system mathematically with BCE equivalent to negative numbers and CE the positive number.

4000BCE3000BCE2000BCE 1000BCE 1CE 1000CE 2000CE

Civilization Versus Society

Historians commonly define a civilization as a cultural group that displays five characteristics:

Advanced cities

Advanced technology

Skilled workers

Complex institutions [examples: government, religion]

A system of writing or record keeping

Not all peoples on earth live in cultural groups that meet these five criteria. Yet, inhabitants of societies [cultural groups that do not satisfy all five characteristics of a civilization] also have made significant contributions to the course of world history. Two examples include:

the highland people of Papua New Guinea, many of whom lack a written language, even today, yet who count among the earliest farmers in the world.

the Hmong, who only recently developed a written language, yet have made significant cultural contributions in South East Asia and the United States.

Independent Invention Versus Diffusion

Another question in AP World History is whether cultural diffusion or independent invention is the more significant method of exchange. For example, the spread of agricultural throughout the globe. In this case, it is the job of you, the historian, to investigate where agriculture rose independently, as opposed to it being diffused, or spread, through the migration of agricultural peoples. Also, contact of migratory peoples with one another was responsible for the exchange of ideas and technological inventions in addition to the knowledge of agriculture. Patterns of independent invention compared to those of cultural diffusion will remain a thread throughout the AP World History course.

UNIT ONE 8000 BCE-600 BCE

Development of Agriculture and Technology

One of the most significant developments in world history was the independent emergence of agriculture, a process that had already taken place in some locations throughout the Eastern Hemisphere by 8000 BCE. The so-called Agricultural Revolution, or Neolithic Revolution, was in reality more of a slow process resulting from the warming of global temperatures. The accompanying historical period, known as the Neolithic Age [or New Stone Age], was named for its characteristic tools made from stone.

The Transition from Foraging to Agriculture

At the close of the Paleolithic Age [or Stone Age], the transition from foraging [hunting and gathering] arose as nomadic groups returned to favorite grazing areas year after year. Perhaps some nomadic peoples made an effort to cultivate those crops that they found most appealing; later they may have transplanted seeds from these same favored crops to other areas through which they traveled. Because hunting required greater physical strength, the early cultivation of plants was probably a task left to women, granting them increase importance among agricultural peoples. Women farmers studied the growth patterns of plants as well as the effect of climate and soil on them. Agricultural development included the domestication of animals as well as the cultivation of crops.

Independent Origins of Agriculture: A Timeline

The Neolithic Revolution, or Agricultural Revolution, is what the initial rise of agriculture throughout the world is usually referred to as. Key developments in the history of agriculture show the following events in the process:

Agriculture began sometime after 9000 BCE with cultivation of grain crops such as wheat and barley in Southwest Asia. Animals such as pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats also were domesticated.

By 7000 BCE Sudanese Africa and West Africa cultivated root crops such as sorghum and yams.

Inhabitants of the Yangtze River valley cultivated rice about 6500 BCE.

About 5500 BCE, people of the Huang He or Yellow River valley in East Asia began the cultivation of soybeans and millet. They also domesticated chickens and pigs and, later, water buffalo.

Around 4000 BCE, the peoples of central Mexico cultivated maize, or corn, later adding beans, squash, tomatoes, and peppers.

In Southeast Asia, perhaps around 3500 BCE, inhabitants grew root crops such as yams and taro as well as a variety of citrus and other fruits.

The principal crop of the Andean region of South America was potatoes, first cultivated around 3000 BCE. Maize and beans were added later. The only domesticate animals in the Americas were the llama, alpaca, and guinea pig.

The Spread of Agriculture

After agriculture was established independently in various locations across the globe, the knowledge of crop cultivation spread rapidly. In fact, it was the nature of early agricultural methods that aided the extension of agricultural knowledge. An often-used agricultural method called slash-and-burn cultivation involved slashing the bark on trees and later burning the dead ones. The resulting ashes enriched the soil for a number of years. When the soil eventually lost its fertility, however, farmers were forced to move to new territory. By 6000 BCE, agriculture had spread to the eastern Mediterranean basin and the Balkans, reaching northern Europe about 4000 BCE. These frequent migrations exposed early farmers to new peoples, diffusing both agricultural knowledge and cultural values.

Characteristics of Early Agricultural Societies

Although agriculture required more work than foraging, it had the advantage of producing a more constant and substantial food supply. Consequently, the spread of agriculture not only increased cultural contacts but also produced significant population growth. As populations multiplied, Neolithic peoples began to settle in villages. Members of agricultural communities had to cooperate, especially in constructing and maintaining irrigation systems. As villages grew and agriculture continued to supply an abundance of food, not all villagers were needed as farmers. Some inhabitants began to develop other talents and skills such as the manufacture of pottery, metal tools, textiles, wood products, and jewelry. The early noteworthy agricultural settlements were:

Jericho [established around 8000 BCE] in present-day Israel. Here farmers produced wheat and barley, while also trading with neighboring peoples in obsidian and salt. Characteristic of Jericho was a thich wall designed to protect the wealthy settlement against raiders.

Catal Huyuk [established around 7000 BCE] in Anatolia [present day Turkey]. Residents of this village left artifacts representing a variety of craft products indicating an extensive specialization of labor. They also traded obsidian with neighboring peoples.

Pastoralism

As agricultural communities arouse, pastoralism developed in the grasslands of Africa and Eurasia. Pastoralists, or herders, contributed meat and other animal products to the overall food supply, further enlarging Neolithic human populations. At times their overgrazing of livestock led to soil erosion. Both agricultural and pastoral peoples exchanged food products and technology.

Early Metallurgy

In addition to the development and spread of agriculture, the Neolithic Age witnessed the origins of metallurgy. The first metal that humans learned to use was copper, with which they cast items such as jewelry, weapons, and tools. Later, Neolithic humans learned the use of other metals such as gold and bronze [an alloy of copper and tin], giving rise to the term Bronze Age for the later Neolithic period. Still later, the knowledge of ironworking was developed independently in Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Culture of Neolithic Societies

As human populations concentrated in permanent or sedentary settlements, the specialization of labor as well as trade activity resulted in differing degrees of accumulation of wealth. As time progressed, differences in family wealth manifested themselves in the emergence of social classes.

The inhabitants of early agricultural societies observed their environment in order to further their knowledge of the factors necessary to produce a bountiful harvest. Their knowledge of the seasons in relation to the positions of heavenly bodies led eventually to the development of calendars. Interest in the natural world led Neolithic humans to celebrate fertility and the cycles of life. Many agricultural and pastoral societies practice animism, or the belief that divine spirits inhabited natural objects such as rocks and trees. In addition, archaeologists have unearthed numerous figures representing pregnant goddesses in the ruins of Neolithic villages.

Beginnings of Cities

As the population growth resulted in larger settlements, the agricultural world experienced the rise of cities. Urban areas offered further specialization of labor and more sophisticated technology. New roles emerged as cities required administrators, collectors of taxes and tribute, and religious leaders. Cities also acquired influence over larger territories than villages did.

Structure of Early Civilizations

As agricultural villages evolved into cities, some urban areas began to display the characteristics of civilizations described earlier. The earliest civilizations in the Eastern Hemisphere arose in Mesopotamia, the Nile, the Indus, and Yellow River valleys; civilizations arose later among the Olmecs in Mesoamerica [Middle America] and the Chavin in the Andes Mountains of South America.

(Create these notes for the civilizations that say "SPICE THIS" next to the heading.)TASK - For each of the following societies, organize information[take notes] for each in the following way:

(It is your choice how to take these notes [chart, regular "notes"], but be aware that you will be using these in class, so be complete!!)Social

Political

Interaction

Cultural

Economic

Use the following questions to help [you will not use all the questions, but answer as many as you can!]:

1. Social

0. AP World History Theme: Development & Transformation of Social Structures

0. Guiding Questions:

1. How does the group relate to one another?

1. How do people communicate?

1. What do people do together?

1. How is the group organized?

1. What are the family and gender relations?

1. Are there social classes?

1. How do they live?

1. Are there inequalities within the society?

1. Political

1. AP World History Theme: State Building, Expansion & Conflict

1. Guiding Questions:

1. Who is in charge and who gives that person or group power?

1. What is power based on?

1. Is there a contract?

1. What is the government structure?

1. Are there any significant wars, treaties, courts or laws?

1. Interaction (humans & environment)

2. AP World History Theme: Interaction Between Humans and the Environment

2. Guiding Questions

1. In what geographic region is the society/civilization located?

1. What makes up the geographic landscape of this region?

1. How are people/events affected by the geography?

1. How do the people interact with the environment?

1. How does the environment define the society/civilization?

1. Culture

3. AP World History Theme: Development and Interaction of Cultures

3. Guiding Questions:

1. What is the meaning of life for people in the society/civilization?

1. How do they live their daily lives?

1. What are the basic religious beliefs?

1. Are their leaders or documents that define religion?

1. What groups are given the chance to learn and how do they learn?

1. Do they have forms of philosophy, math and/or science?

1. How do they express themselves?

1. Are there any significant achievements in the arts or technology?

1. Economic

4. AP World History Theme: Creation, Expansion & Interaction of Economic Systems

4. Guiding Questions:

1. Is there a currency present in this society?

1. How do the people earn their money (or food)?

1. What commodities are valued and traded?

1. Is the economy based on agriculture or commerce (small trades & professions)?

1. Is the economy based on industry (manufacturing & technology)?

Mesopotamia SPICE THIS

The world's earliest civilization arose in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in an area the Greeks called Mesopotamia ["Land Between the Rivers"]. The cultural achievements of Mesopotamia represented independent innovation, achievements that it passed on to other river valley civilizations in Egypt and, especially, the Indus Valley. Around 4000 BCE, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia used bronze and copper. By this time they had already invented the wheel and developed irrigation canals to farm the arid lands of their environment.

Around 3500 BCE, a group of invaders called the Sumerians settled the southernmost portion of Mesopotamia. The Sumerians developed the first example of writing. Called cuneiform, it involved pictures pressed into clay using a wedge-shaped stylus. The pictographs initially stood for objects, but later were refined to represent sounds. The Sumerians also developed a number system based on 60 and studied the movement of heavenly bodies. In architecture, the Sumerians expressed the glories of their civilization and of the many gods of nature that they worshipped by building towers called ziggurats. They are also credited with relating the first epic in world history, The Epic of Gilgamesh, which includes a great flood similar to that of the biblical account in Genesis.

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers were noted for their unpredictable and often violent flooding. Irrigation systems to control flooding and channel water for agricultural use required the cooperation of Mesopotamia's settlements. This need promoted the beginnings of government. Early Mesopotamian government was in the form of city-states, with a city government also controlling surrounding territories.

A social structure headed by rulers and elite classes controlled the land, which was farmed by slaves. Slaves could sometimes purchase their freedom. Sumerian families were patriarchal, with men dominating family and public life. Men had the authority to sell their wives and children into slavery to pay their debts. By the sixteenth century BCE, Mesopotamian women had begun to wear the veil in public. In spite of these restrictions, Mesopotamian women could sometimes gain influence in the courts, serve as priestesses, or act as scribes for the government. some worked in small businesses.

A lack of natural protective barriers made Mesopotamia vulnerable to invasion by outsiders; most cities in the region constructed defensive walls. Frequent conflicts among local Sumerian kings over water and property rights weakened the city-states. The Sumerian culture later fell to conquest by the Akkadians and the Babylonians, both of whom spread Sumerian culture. The Babylonian king Hammurabi devised a code of laws that regulated daily life and also provided harsh "an eye for an eye" punishments for criminal offenses. The Code of Hammurabi drew distinctions between social classes and genders, administering less severe punishments to elite classes over commoners and men over women for the same offense. After 900 BCE, Assyrians and Persians dominated Mesopotamia.

Egypt SPICE THIS

About 3000 BCE, a second civilization grew up along another river valley, this time the valley of the Nile River in present-day Egypt. In contrast to the unpredictable waters of the Tigris-Euphrates, those of the Nile overflowed once annually, discharging an amount of water that usually varied little from one year to the next. As in Mesopotamia, irrigation projects to channel floodwaters led to the organization of the community and ultimately to the development of political structures. Although several major cities emerged along the Nile, most Egyptian communities were agricultural villages engaged in local trade along the Nile.

The king of Egypt, or pharaoh, wielded considerable power. About 2700 BCE, the pharaohs began the construction of huge pyramids that served as tombs for themselves and their families. These tombs were decorated with colorful paintings. Like the Sumerians, the Egyptians were polytheists, or worshippers of many gods. Their belief in an afterlife led to the practice of mummification to preserve the bodies of pharaohs and, later, those of members of lower classes.

Egyptian society was composed of a number of defined social classes. Within this social structure, however, commoners could enter government service and rise in social status. Egyptian families were patriarchal, with men dominating households and community life. Among the royalty, however, women sometimes acted as regents for young rulers or as priestesses. Other educated women worked as scribes for the Egyptian government.

The Egyptians did not acquire the use of bronze tools and weapons until long after they had reached Mesopotamia. From the Nubian kingdom of Kush, a site of the independent innovation of ironworking, the Egyptians acquired iron implements.

The Egyptians engaged in some trade with the people of Mesopotamia and later with the kingdom of Kush to the south. Some historians believe that Egyptian picture writing, or hieroglyphics, was developed from Sumerian cuneiform as a result of trade contacts with Mesopotamia. Cultural diffusion from Egypt produced a Nubian civilization that incorporated Egyptian pyramids, writing, and religion into its own culture. In addition, the Nubian kingdom of Kush invaded Egypt in the eighth century BCE and ruled the Egyptian people for about a century. Throughout most of its early history, however, surrounding deserts protected Egypt from contact with invading peoples, permitting its civilization to develop its own unique characteristics.

Indus Valley Civilization + Backgounds of Classical IndiaSPICE THIS

By 2500 BCE. another advanced civilization had emerged along the Indus River in present-day Pakistan. Like the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Indus River was noted for its unpredictable and often violent pattern of flooding. Among the urban centers that arose along the Indus were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Streets in both cities were laid out along a precise grid, and houses boasted running water and sewage systems.

Much of what historians know about the Indus valley civilization must come from archeological discoveries, because Harappan writing has yet to be deciphered. Archeological finding of Harappan artifacts in Mesopotamia indicate active trade between the peoples of the Indus valley and Sumer by way of the Persian Gulf. Around 1500 BCE, the Harappan civilization was overtaken by a group of Indo-European peoples called Aryans. The Harappan civilization which the Aryans conquered had already declined markedly, perhaps a result of rivers changing their course or a natural disaster such as an earthquake. The blend of the traditional culture of the Indus valley people and that of the Aryans had a profound effect on the future course of Indian history.

The roots of classical India began during the invasions of the Aryans around 1500 BCE. From their original home in Central Asia, the Aryans brought a tradition of hunting and cattle herding: after their arrival in South Asia, however, they adapted the agricultural methods of the native peoples. Aryan iron tools facilitated their success in agriculture.

Although the people of the Harappan civilization of the Indus valley possessed a written language, the Aryans did not. Much of our knowledge of the Aryans comes from their oral epics, called the Vedas. The Vedas were later written down in the Sanskrit language which remains a prominent language in India today. The influence of the Vedas is evident in the term applied to the early classical period of Indian culture, the Vedic Age [1500 to 500 BCE]. The first Aryan epic, the Rig-Veda, is a collection of hymns in honor of the

Aryan gods.

Aryan society was based on a village organization composed of families with patriarchal control. Their society was further organized along a class system or hierarchy. When the invaded the Indus valley, the Aryans, who were fair-complexioned compared to the native people they conquered, perceived the people of the Indus valley as inferior. Therefore, they modified the class system with which they were already familiar in their society to define the new relationship between conqueror and conquered. Society was divided into four distinct classes, or varna, based on skin color:

Kshatriyas, or warriors and rulers

Brahmins, or priests

Vaisyas, or merchants and farmers

Sudras, or common workers

The first three classes were composed of Aryans, the fourth of Dravidians, or the native people of India whom the Aryans encountered at the time of their invasion. From 1000-600 BCE, the first two classes reversed in order of importance. At the very bottom of the social structure or hierarchy was a classless group of untouchables. Members of this groups were involved in occupations perceived as distasteful, such as handling waste products, carrying out the dead, or butchering animals. As the classes became hereditary they became castes, or rigid social classes that seldom permitted social mobility. Within each caste were numerous subcastes, or jati, that further defined Indian society. The Aryans also introduced to Indian culture their own array of gods and goddesses. Part of their belief system was the veneration or worship of some animals, particularly cattle.

The Shang SPICE THIS

The most isolated of the four river valley civilizations was that of the Huang He or Yellow River valley in present-day China. Although the people of the Yellow River valley dwelled in a region isolated by deserts, mountains [the Himalayas] and seas, they did engage in some trade with Southwest Asia and South Asia.

The earliest Chinese dynasty that left written records was the Shang dynasty [1766-1122 BCE]. A key element of the Shang dynasty was the knowledge of bronze metallurgy. This knowledge, which came from China from Southwest Asia by means of Indo-European migrations, strengthened the Shang war machine. Around 1000 BCE, the Shang also became familiar with ironworking. Shang rule was further empowered by the need for central rule to oversee irrigation and flood-control projects along the Yellow River.

During the Shang dynasty, a number of walled cities arose. These urban areas served as cultural, military, and economic centers. Elaborate palaces and tombs were built for Shang rulers.

Examples of early Chinese writing are apparent from a custom of "divination" using oracle bones. When a person sought the advice of the gods on an issue, he or she would visit an oracle, who would scratch that person's question on an animal bone or shell, then heat it. When the bone cracked from the heat, the oracle read the cracks to determine the message from the gods.

Shang society was stratified with classes of ruling cities, artisans, peasants, and slaves. Families were patriarchal, and the veneration or worship of ancestors was common. The matrilineal or female ruled society that characterized China before the Shang gradually eroded until women held positions subordinate to those of men.

The Shang dynasty eventually fell to the Zhou about 1122 BCE. The Zhou claimed that they overthrew the Shang by the will of the gods, which they termed the "mandate of heaven". Under the rule of the Zhou, the tradition of central authority that first took root under the Shang continued.

Mesoamerica and Andean South America SPICE THIS

Civilizations in the Americas rose later than the river valley civilizations. The civilizations of Mesoamerica and the early societies of the Andes Mountains of South America did not develop in the valleys of major rivers, but rather in a region of smaller rivers and streams near ocean coastlines. Furthermore, the people of the Americas did not know the use of the wheel, nor did they possess large animals to serve as beast of burden or work animals; the llama of the Andes Mountains was the largest work animal in the Americas from the time of the earliest civilizations until the arrival of the Europeans in the fifteenth century. Human muscle accomplished physical labor in the Americas.

Early Mesoamerican people such as the Olmecs, and later the Maya, constructed lavish pyramids and temples. Like the inhabitants of the river valley civilizations, the people of the Americas were polytheistic, worshiping many gods of nature. Society was stratified, with distinctions among the elite classes of rulers and priests and those of commoners and slaves.

Early Mesoamerican societies provided numerous examples of cultural diffusion. In addition to the transmission of the cultivation of maize, terraced pyramids were commonplace. Regional inhabitants fashioned calendars, the most elaborate being that of the Mayan civilization. The Mayans also had a ball game played on a court.

In South America, geography and the lack of large pack animals largely prevented communication between the Andean societies and those of Mesoamerica. The cultivation of maize did spread to the Andes, however, while copper metallurgy traveled northward to Mesoamerica. About 900 BCE, the Chavin civilization arose in the Andean highlands of present-day Peru. Characterized by a religion that worshipped gods representing crocodiles, snakes, and jaguars, the Chavin built complex temples to honor their gods. Their civilization was located along trade routes that connected western coastal regions to the Amazon rainforest. For a few centuries, the Chavin religious unity and trade connections provided a degree of cultural identity to Andean peoples. The rugged terrain of the Andes, however, prevented a central government from unifying the Andean states.

The Hebrews

Along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea lived the Hebrews, another people who profoundly influenced the course of world history.

The concept of monotheism, or the worship of one god, is credited to the Hebrews, or Jews. The Hebrews traced their origins back to Abraham, who is said to have migrated from Mesopotamia to the land of Canaan on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean about 2000 BCE. In the account recorded in the Bible, the descendants of Abraham migrated to Egypt. They later left Egypt, embarking on a journey called the Exodus under a leader named Moses. In the biblical account, the Exodus was marked by the giving of the Ten Commandments, or moral law of the Hebrews. Returning to the land of Canaan, or Palestine, the established a theocracy, or a government ruled directly by God.

The heart of Judaism [or the Jewish faith] was a covenant, or agreement, with God and Abraham in which the Jews would be the people of God. The history of this covenant relationship became the basis of the Torah, or the Hebrew holy book.

After years of observing the governments of neighboring kingdoms, the Hebrews established the kingdom of Israel about 1000 BCE with its capital at Jerusalem. The kingdom eventually divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians in 722 BCE. Its inhabitants were scattered throughout the far reaches of the Assyrian empire, constituting the first Jewish diaspora, or scattering. The southern kingdom, called Judah, endured until 586 BCE. Conquered by the Babylonians, the people of Judah were carried off into captivity into Babylon.

Rapid Review

The Neolithic Age saw independent origins of agriculture worldwide. As the knowledge of agriculture spread, cultural diffusion marked the ancient world. When crop cultivation produced increasingly larger yields, some farmers specialized in other tasks or crafts. As population concentrations grew increasingly dense, settlements grew into villages and, later, cities. Cities developed a more complex social structure to administer wealth, provide order, and study the meaning of life itself.

Beginning with Sumer in Mesopotamia about 3500 BCE, civilization grew along the river valleys of the Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, Indus, and Yellow. These civilizations were characterized by community cooperation necessary to manage irrigation and flood control systems. Later their cooperative efforts were further organized to for the beginnings of political institutions. The knowledge of metallurgy led to the refinement of tools, weapons, and objects of art. Writing systems were developed, and social stratification became apparent. In the Americas, civilizations and societies made notable strides in mathematics, astronomy, and architecture.

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AFTER YOUR "SPICE" NOTES!

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS - Answer each of the following questions in 3-4 sentences MAXIMUM. Here is how to properly answer a short answer:

1. Why did hunter-gatherers and foragers decline in this time period?

Example: Hunter-gatherers and foragers declined from 8000 BCE to 600 BCE because ...

2. As the world expanded, how did cultures begin to exchange people and ideas?

3. What was the Neolithic Revolution and where and when did it occur?

4. What were the common characteristics of the early societies before 600 BCE? [On this question, you can certainly take more than 3-4 sentences! If it helps to do it in outline or bullet points, do it. In other words, look for as many similarities as possible!]

5. How did early cultures interact?

6. What changes occurred in belief systems [religions] from 8000 - 600 BCE?

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