When you hear the term “Stone Age” what do you think of?

- How do you think people living during this time got their food?

- Where do you think people lived during this time?

- If you lived during this time period, how would you feed yourself and where would you live?

The first people lived more than two million years ago

This time period was known as the Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Age

Paleolithic Age people were nomads, meaning they moved from place to place, hunting and gathering food

They were forced to move from place to place because they followed traveling animal herds

These people also made simple tools like digging sticks and spears for hunting

Paleolithic Age people adapted to their environment by using animal skins for clothing and fire for warmth

People also developed primitive writing and language to organize hunts

Paleolithic people developed their own religion, by burying their dead with care, which suggested they believed in an afterlife.

The earliest people lived in East Africa, and migrated to every part of the world

Migration led to cultural diffusion, or the exchange of ideas, customs,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsIvCdBS_aI

ReviewHow did Paleolithic people acquire food from their natural environment?

Where did Paleolithic people live?

Take a Guess

If something is considered a turning point what does that mean? Can you think of turning point in your life?

Environmental changes brought about new climate patterns, which ended the Paleolithic Age.

Around 10,000 B.C., people made two important discoveries; how to grow food and how to domesticate animals.

These discoveries meant that people no longer had to be nomads, and wander around in search of food.

People could now live in permanent settlements.This changed sparked the beginning of what was

know as the Neolithic Revolution, or the Agricultural Revolution.

After the Neolithic Revolution, more abundant food helped the population increase.

Permanent Settlements- people settled in villages

New Social Classes- when resources became scarce, groups went to war. Some men gained prestige as warriors and leaders.

New Technology- People began to develop new tools, such as calendars and plow. Other tools developed were the wheel and metal weapons.

Mr. Schlotterbeck

- Nomadic lifestyle- Primarily hunted and

gathered to obtain food

- Special tools were created in an attempt to aid hunting strategies

- Development of simple language

- Also known as the Agricultural Revolution

- Emphasis on food production rather than food gathering

- Domestication of animals

- Permanent settlements

Neolithic Revolution

Not a sudden change, but gradual eventClimate shift (longer growing seasons)Population boomNeed for consistent and steady food supply

(agriculture)Security

What is a civilization?

What elements in a society are needed for it to be considered a civilization?Think of our society that we live in today…

Hunting and gathering were replaced by agriculture and domesticating animals as primary means to obtain food

Established permanent settlements which resulted in the formation of the world’s first civilizations

Characteristics of these early civilizations helped set the basis for subsequent civilizations (government, social structure, religion, technology)

The first civilizations developed along river valleys.

The rich, fertile soil of river valleys helped these civilizations thrive.

Civilization can be defined as a community characterized by elements such as a system of writing, development of social classes, and cities.

Cities and GovernmentCities emerged as farmers cultivated along

river valleys and created surplus of food.Surplus of food led to increase in population.More systematic leaders were needed.Governments developed to make sure enough

food was produced and that the city was protected.

Traditional EconomyBased around agricultureBarter- trade one set of goods for another

Organized ReligionAncient peoples were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods.Priests and worshipers tried to gain the favor of the gods through complex rituals.They hoped that the gods would ensure plentiful crops and protect their cities.

Job Specialization and Social ClassesPeople began to specialize in certain jobsPeople became ranked in classes according to their jobs.Priests and nobles were usually at the top of these societies.Next, usually came warriors and merchants, with peasants and farmers at the bottom.

Art and ArchitectureEarly art and architecture consisted of temples and palaces.These temples and palaces were symbols of the power held by the rulers.System of WritingEarly writing was picture writing, or symbols used to represent actions.Writing was first developed in the religious temples.

Specialized WorkersComplex InstitutionsAdvanced CitiesAdvanced TechnologyRecord Keeping

Civilization

China, 3950-1000 B.C. Mesopotamia, 3500-1600 B.C.Ancient Egypt, 3000-2000 B.C.Indus River Valley, 2500-1700 B.C.

Timeline

Admit Slip:What do you think the function of this

building was?

Mesopotamia

-Tigris and Euphrates River provide fertile land for farming (Fertile Crescent)

- The rivers flooded once a year providing Mesopotamians with ideal soil called silt

- Although the rivers provided fertile soil, the flooding was unpredictable and caused much destruction to both crops and villages

Creation of city-states Lesson

Polytheistic (sacrifice to placate gods) Priests and rulers share controlCultural diffusion between city-statesZiggurat ( “city hall” and place of worship)

Cuneiform

Indus River Valley

Framed by the Indus and Ganges Rivers

Worlds tallest mountains to north (Himalayas) and large desert to east (Thar) helped protect this civilization

Monsoons, however would bring cycles of extremely wet or dry weather making agriculture a daunting task

What do you notice about the layout of this particular civilization?

Admit Slip:

What does this tell you about this particular civilization?

Indus River Valley Bath

Sophisticated city planning (grid)Cities built on platforms to combat monsoonsCivilization was based on a theocracyReligion was closely tied to animals and

modern Hindu culture Individuals often prayed for good harvests,

and moderate monsoonsTrade between Afghanistan and Persia

China

Yellow River and Yangtze River framed the early civilizations of China

The Yellow River would overflow, and create yellow silt along its banks (loess) ideal for farming

The flooding of the Yellow River was also unpredictable, causing it to be called “China’s sorrow”

First Dynasties emerge (Xia and Shang Dynasty)

Early cities form (Anyang)Family being central to Chinese societySharp divisions between social classFeudalism, Mandate of Heaven, Dynastic

CycleReligion tied to family- Oracle BonesDevelopment of writing

The Nile stretches

over 4,100 miles,

making it the

world’s longest

river

Every year in July,

rains and melting

snow from the

mountains of east

Africa caused the

Nile to rise over

its banks

When the river

receded, it left

behind a rich

deposit of fertile

black mud (silt)

Egypt Map

Different from Mesopotamia and Indus River Valley, Egyptian kings were considered Gods themselves

Pharaohs as they were called, were thought to be as splendid and powerful as the gods of the heavens

The type of government which rule is based on religious authority is known as a theocracy

The pharaoh stood at the center of Egyptian religion, government, and army

Close Exercise

For the kings of the Old Kingdom, the resting place after death was an immense structure called a pyramid

Since kings expected to reign forever, their tombs were more important than their palaces

Egyptians had a large supply of both granite and limestone to build these pyramids

Each stone in the Great Pyramid of Giza weighed 2 ½ tons, and there were a total of 2 million stones used in the construction which were stacked with precision to a height of 481 feet!

The Egyptians were polytheistic, among the most important gods were Re (sun god) Osiris (god of the dead) and Isis (goddesses of motherhood)

Different from previous civilizations, Egyptians believed in an afterlife, or life after death

Egyptians believed they would be judged for entrance into the afterlife by the god Annubis

Annubis would weigh the heart of an individual, and if the heart weighed less than a feather, that person would win eternal life

Prior to 10,000 B.C. (Paleolithic Age) nomads relied heavily on hunting and gathering techniques in order to survive. A remarkable and important turning point transpired that changed the traditional way of life, which consisted of hunting, gathering, and nomadic lifestyle, into a more permanent settlement lifestyle. This period was known as the Neolithic Revolution, where agriculture and the domestication of animals came to the forefront of new civilizations. This turning point would forever change history and would help set the foundation for subsequent civilizations. The river civilizations that followed were unique, and each provided contributions that are still utilized in today’s society.

Summary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKCKgHVf1jI