Post on 01-Apr-2015
transcript
Understanding our PastThe Dawn of History
Beginnings of Civilization
GeographyThe study of people, their environments and
the resources available to them.
5 Themes of Geography#1 LOCATIONLocation: Pinpoint the location of the place
being studied- uses longitude- the east and west of the Prime Meridian and Latitude the distance north and south of the equator.
“Where in the world are you?”
#2 PlaceWhat are the
physical features of this location and the people who live there?
“Why is that hairy guy jumping into the waterfall?”
#3 Human-Environment InteractionHumans are
shaped by the environment in which they live
Humans shape the environment in which they live
Who needs trees when you can have Amazon Disney?
#4 MovementThe transporting of
people, goods and ideas from one place to another
Pack up the recipe for Crusty Crab Burgers…we’re
moving!
#5 RegionDivisions in the
world that share a common theme:
Geographers can divide the world by physical characteristics, political, economic or cultural features
PrehistoryA time before
writing was invented
No cities, governments or complex inventions
AnthropologyStudies the origins and development of
societies and peopleDifferent specialties within the fieldCultural in this field means life of a society is
handed down between generations
Archaeology A branch of anthropology that studies past
people and cultures Archaeologist examine artifacts from the past
to understand how people livedRely on Technology
TechnologyFrom an archaeological point of view
technology refers to the skills and tools people use to meet their needs
The Old Stone AgePaleolithic Age Dates from about 2 million BC- to the first
stone tools 10,000 BCPeriod ends with the introduction of
farmingBroken into 3 eras
Early (Lower) Paleolithic 2 million -250,000 years ago
Middle Paleolithic 250,00-45,000 years agoLate (Upper) Paleolithic 45,000 – 20,000 years
ago (cave drawings)
Paleolithic PeopleHunters and
gathersNomads- they
moved from place to place- following the herds and vegetation
Stone Tools from the Lower Paleolithic Period—Olduvai Gorge Tanzania
Paleolithic ReligionEvidence of animism has been foundBelief that everything living and inanimate
has a spirit and soulConsidered the oldest religionExample Cave paintings asking spirits for
help with a good hunt
Mother GoddessMother Goddess ensures the continuation of the clan
Agricultural Revolution Leads To Neolithic AgeThe ability to farm transformed Paleolithic
people into the Neolithic ageBegan about 11, 000 years ago in the Middle
EastNomadic lifestyle was abandoned Domestication of animalsIncrease in PopulationSpecialization in work
Farming
Domestication of animals
Increase in Population
Specialization in work force
Increase in new technologies (calendars, woven cloth, stone axes)
Beginnings of CivilizationA civilization is a complex, highly organized
social order. Earliest civilizations began along rivers
Tigris – Euphrates RiversModern Day Iraq
Nile River Valley
Indus Valley Civilization- India- Pakistan Region
Yellow River- China
Civilizations in the AmericasIncas, Aztecs emerged in the highlands of
Peru and MexicoFocus was religious centers
Features of a CivilizationDespite arising in different parts of the globe
all ancient civilizations shared 8 features
#1 CitiesAt the heart of all civilizations was a major
city
Ruins of Harappa- Mohenjo-Daro Region of India
#2 Organized GovernmentAs society become
more complex city governments were needed to organize society
First Priests then warrior kings became political leaders
#3 Complex ReligionsPolytheisticNeolithic People believed in multiple gods
Sumerian Ziggurat – in modern day Iraq
#4 Job SpecializationNo longer needed everyone to hunt and
gatherIncreased population allowed people to
specialize in certain crafts– many became artisans
#5 Social ClassesSpecialization led to classesPeople were ranked by their jobsPriests and nobles usually at the topWealthy merchantsArtisansPeasant Farmers –lived by the city in
outlining villages
Social HierarchyPriestsMerchantsArtisansPeasant Farmers
#6 Arts and ArchitectureExpressed the beliefs and values of the
peopleBuildings were a sign of wealth and
strength
#7 Public WorksBuilding projects that support the cityIrrigation systems, roads, bridges and
defensive walls
#8 WritingPriests were the first to use writingPrimary use for agriculture-record grain
collected, accurate info about seasonsEarliest was pictograms-simple drawings
that looked like the objects they represented
Cultural DiffusionA civilizations grew so did trade and
interaction with other peopleCultural Diffusion is the spread of ideas,
customs and technologies from one people to another.
It occurs through trade, migration and warfare