Neolithic Revolution leads to Growth of Civilizatio
ns
Neolithic: New Stone AgeRevolution: a MAJOR change
Agriculture: deliberate modification of earth’s surface to cultivate plants or raise animals with the purposes of sustenance
and/or economic gain.
The Neolithic Revolution
Agriculture developed in pre-history◦no absolute certainty of its origins◦Archaeological evidence: ~12,000 years
ago
Hunter-gathering people “discovered” agriculture◦observing discarded cuttings or seeds
grew the same plants◦many believe women were the first to
observe/experiment ~ Why?
The Discovery of Farming
Experimented with irrigation and manure◦Saw plants by water, saw plants near where
animals defecated
Development of plant domestication◦Raised in a controlled way that makes them
best suited to human use◦Replant seeds of the ‘best’ plants
First Permanent Villages Developed◦Settled farming allowed Stone Age Early
Humans to stay in one place
The Discovery of Farming
Animals are kept for specific purposes◦Animals dependent on humans for survival◦Breeding is controlled◦Traits develop that differ from the same
animal in the wild◦Uses: companionship, “beasts of burden,”
food, religion, clothing
Developed shortly after seed/vegetative agriculture (~12,000 y.a.)
Animal Domestication
Impacts of Agriculture
All early settlements were near rivers
Began to produce surplus food
Larger food source = larger population
settlements cities job specialization social inequality 1st Civilizations
develop
Settlements Become Cities
What makes a society a “civilization”? How is this term, or the term ‘civilized,’ sometimes misused?
Quickwrites:
CitiesGovernmentsReligionsSocial Classes
Job
Specialization
WritingArt & Architecture
Public Works
Eight Features of Civilization
Weather
agricultural science
calendar
metal work (~4K BCE)
Science & Technology Advances
Higher birth rates◦Death rates high◦Very slow growth
Less migration
Communicable disease
Demographics (Population)
Deforestation
Soil depletion & erosion
Desertification
Water contamination
Environment
The ‘Cradle of Civilization’
Earliest civilization developed in Sumer◦Where: SE Mesopotamia Near Tigris & Euphrates Rivers present-day Iraq
◦When: ~3300 BCE (~5300 y.a.)◦City-states: A central city & the
surrounding areas Elites controlled surrounding regions, collected goods for the city
Government: Ruler maintained defense, enforced laws, collected taxes, kept records, lead religious ceremonies
Religion: Polytheistic ~ gods like humans, control every aspect of life, must be pleased with ceremonies
Social Classes: low (farmers) to middle (merchants, scribes) to elites (priests, leaders)
Job Specialization: farmers, potters, brick makers, boat makers, traders, merchants, priests, leaders
Sumer’s Civilization
Sumer - City of Ur
Writing: cuneiform Art & Architecture: painting, music,
ziggaruts, homes, warehouses Public Works: irrigation, flood control
Sumer’s Civilization
Empires arise in Mesopotamia
◦King Sargon conquers Sumer
◦Soon overtaken by the Bablyonians
◦Other Mesopotamian empires: Assyrians, Hittites, Phoenicians, Persians
Rise of Empires
Ishtar Gate, built by King Nebuchadnezzar