Unit 1-The World Before Modern Times

Unit 1-The World Before Modern Times

To begin, small groups discuss the following:“If stranded on a desert island, what tools would you need to survive?”

How does this help us understand our past? Create sentences using the following words: prehistory, artifact, culture, technology

Prehistory-the period before people developed writing.

3 types of early man: 1. Homo-habilis: man had ability. 2. Homo-erectus: man could walk upright. 3. Homo-sapiens: man could think.

Civilizations-A highly organized society marked by knowledge of a written language, the arts, sciences, and government.

Anthropologists-Scientists who studies past human civilizations; they compare bones, looking for changes in size and structure.

Archaeologists-Scientists who studies the life and culture of ancient peoples by excavating ancient living sites.

Artifacts-An object made by humans, such as a tool, ornament, weapon, or pottery, that has historical or archaeological importance.

Culture-The ideas, customs, skills, and arts of a given people at a given time.

Aspects of culture (ways of life): 1. Language 2. Foods 3. Religion 4. Achievement in art & music 5. Use of tools

Technology-The skills and knowledge available to a people.

Nomads-A person without a permanent home who moves about constantly in search of food. (e.g.-Adam in the Old Testament)

Early man-when population was small, had a nomadic lifestyle-men traveled in small groups (small tribes) usually following and hunting wild herds of animals/game. They had no permanent home; people traveled constantly. There emerged a single leader. (Usually, the ruler of each tribe was the 1. Strongest; 2. Eldest; 3. Wisest; and 4.The highest religious leader.)

Early People: A. Neanderthals -originated in Africa and spread to Europe. -hunters/gatherers. -used fire for warmth/cooking. Use of fire & clothing made migration to cooler climates possible.

-lived in caves. -some built shelters with animal skins. B. Cro-Magnons -originated in Asia; artifacts found in France. -either lived at the same time as Neanderthals or came to be when the Neanderthals disappeared. -developed knife/chisel. -chopped down trees; built canoes. -developed bow and arrow to hunt larger animals and have a better food supply.

-left behind cave paintings.

C.Human Race -Creation of Adam. Story found in Genesis in the Old Testament in the Bible. Genesis 3 shows how the nomadic lifestyle began.

The Neolithic Revolution

***The Development of Agriculture changed the nomadic lifestyle as farming tied people down to the land in one permanent place/spot. Thus, villages started to form and grow into cities, and civilizations formed. Over time they grew into cities.

People shifted from gathering/hunting food to producing food. New innovations allowed this: Agriculture Domestication of animals Villages Plow Fertilizer Loom Wheel Metalworking for weapons

The domestication of plants and animals led to the domestication of humankind, meaning hunters lived in nature, while farmers tried to control nature.

4 Earliest known Civilizations of Man were the first highly organized societies that developed out of river valleys:

1. Mesopotamia (Iraq-on the Tigris/Euphrates Rivers)
2. Ancient Egypt on the NileRiver
3. India on the IndusRiver
4. China on the Huang/Yellow River that empties into the Yellow Sea

“The test of civilization is the power of drawing the most benefits out of cities”-Emerson. What do cities provide for people? Jobs, government

Civilization-A highly, organized society marked by knowledge of a written language, the arts, sciences, & government.

Most civilizations developed out of the 4 RiverValleys.

1. Nile
2. Tigris/Euphrates
3. Indus
4. Huang

Basic Features of civilizations:

1. Food supply (is stable; often, a surplus thanks to an

Irrigation System: rainfall fell to ditches, which ran into canals, & into reservoirs.)

Why must there be a surplus of food before a city can develop and grow? In order to free others to engage in other activities.

1. Specialized labor

Artisan-A skilled craftworker, such as a builder, potter, & textile worker.

-worked one task

-very skilled

-produced large quantities

-improved quality

Metalworking-introduced the Bronze Age; used bronze which was easier to pour into a mold and shape weapons.

Artisans had a major effect on the economy.

Economy-A system of producing, distributing, and consuming wealth to meet people’s needs.

Trading-the exchange of goods and services thanks to the ability to travel. How?

1. Overland by animals or caravans
2. Water by small canoes and later, ships

1. Government

Govt. needed a way to supervise and protect agriculture and trade.

1. Government officials were created to oversee collection, storage, & distribution of the food surplus.
2. Soldiers guarded the city’s territory and trade routes.
3. The king was the head of government.

1. Social levels followed the city’s layout.

1. In the center were the government and religious buildings;
2. Then, houses of the ruling class;
3. Then, groups of artisans;
4. On the outskirts, farmers.

Compare to the city of Glasgow.

1. System of writing; tools of writing were a quill pen and berry ink.

-Writing originated when priests would record a surplus of food and the distribution of food.

-Early people used pictograms.

-Early people also wrote true stories and myths.

6.Organized large-scale projects

To control flooding, dams and earthen dikes were built

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

I.Egypt

-located on the NileRiver: “The Gift of the Nile.” Longest river in the world; flows into Mediterranean Sea.

-the longest of the four civilizations.

-annual flooding fertilized the soil.

1. Uniting Egypt

1. Early on, 2 kingdoms developed.

1. The UpperKingdom in the South
2. The LowerKingdom in the North

1. King Menes united the two in Memphis. Kings were referred to as Pharoahs.

1. The Great Periods-time periods

1. The Old Kingdom
2. The Middle Kingdom
3. The New Kingdom

1. Egyptian Religion

-polytheistic, meaning they worshipped many gods (part human & part animal).

Egyptian Gods:

1. Horus-sky god.
2. Ra-sun god.
3. Osiris-god of life and death

-very dominant in their lifestyle.

-believed in life after death.

-believed in embalming, the preservation of the body. (Brains were embalmed first; this was a very religious ceremony.) (Mummification)

-caused government to be a theocracy, meaning the king acted as both religious and political leader.

-was a bureaucracy, officials to whom the king delegated administrative responsibilities.(Ka-sow)

1. Pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom (3 pyramids at Giza)

-These served as a place of rest/honor for kings.

-They held the king’s clothing, furniture, and weapons.

-There were secret passages.

-They took thousands of workers and hundreds of years to build.

1. Egyptian Contributions

1. Hieroglyphics-ancient Egyptian writing system employing picture symbols.

(e.g.-Rosetta Stone was used to decipher hieroglyphs.)

1. Number System-enabled them to calculate area and volume.
2. Geometry-used to survey flooded land.
3. Calendar-An accurate 365 day calendar.
4. Medicine-Not only embalming, but doctors used splints, bandages, and compresses when treating fractures, wounds, and diseases.

II.India-IndusRiverValley

-surrounded by mountains: Himalayas. The mountains served to block cold weather out of the valley and as protection.

-Due to seasonal floods, soil was rich for seasonal crops.

-They had to deal with monsoons-seasonal winds that would bring heavy rainfall.

1. India’s Religion

1. Hinduism-polytheistic; the people believed in yoga and fasting, worshipping the cow. Major concepts:

1. Dharma-righteous living; duties to fulfill.
2. Karma-all actions have a consequence.
3. re-incarnation: rebirth of the soul after death.

1. Buddhism-founded by Siddharta Gautama, b. 566 B.C. (Buddha-The Enlightened One). Buddha, a prince, wondered, meditated, fasted, denied himself pleasure, searching for a solution to end suffering and misery.

Comprised Four Noble Truths:

1. All know suffering and sorrow.
2. Suffering is caused be desires.
3. People end suffering by eliminating their desire.
4. Eliminate desires by knowing truth, resisting evil, saying nothing to hurt others, controlling thoughts, meditating, etc.

*The goal was to achieve nirvana, meaning one could be one with the universe.

1. Contributions:

1. Seals to make contracts.
2. Straight streets
3. Ditches for irrigation

III.China-HuangRiverValley

-These people lived in isolation because of the Himalayas, near the Yellow Sea. Chinese history is divided into Dynasties. Rulers of China (from the same family) had a mandate from heaven to form a theocracy. Most important dynasties: Shang, Zhou, Quin, & Han

1. Religion

1. Confucianism

Confucious (b. 551 B.C.) was poor and sought to end suffering by fulfilling a role in society. He had many wise proverbs, such as “Do not do unto others as you would not want done unto you.”

1. Taoism

-rejects social structures; belief in the fact that opposites attract and Yin/Yang-life must be kept in balance.

1. Contributions to Society:

1. System of weights and measurements
2. Agriculture system
3. Educated officials
4. Silk trade
5. China (pottery)
6. The Great Wall for protection

IV.Mesopotamia-Greek for “land between the rivers.”

-located between the Tigris and EuphratesRivers in the Fertile Crescent.

-Sumerian farmers first built dams to control flooding, and constructed canals and ditches to bring river water to irrigate their fields. Fertilized land produced food (grain crops) by 4000 B.C.

1. Religion

1. Polytheistic; their gods had specific powers over natural forces and human activity.
2. Their gods were unpredictable and selfish.
3. Humans had little control over their lives.
4. They built ziggurats (temples) where the gods lived. (similar to pyramids)
5. Theocracy-the religious leader was also the political leader; he was the mediator between the gods and the people.

1. Writing

1. Pictographs were used; they also developed a model for the alphabet.
2. Scribes wrote on clay; tablets had to dry.
3. They wrote epics-long poems (e.g.-Gilgamesh,)
4. They wrote proverbs-short bits of advice.

1. One bird in hand is worth two in the nest.
2. A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.
3. A penny saved is a penny earned.
4. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Prov. 15:1)
5. A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. (Prov. 18:6)

1. Hammurabi’s Code

-Hammurabi, the leader of Babylon had a written set of laws that regulated society and trade.

a. He created a tax system.

b. There was a specific punishment for the violation of laws.

(e.g.-“an eye for an eye.”)

c. There were differing punishments for social classes.

Writing Activity

C.Contributions to Society

1. Dams and Canals
2. Wagon wheel
3. Potter’s wheel
4. Sundial-to keep time
5. 12 month calendar based on the cycles of the moon
6. Metal plow

V.The Hebrews

A people that grew out of Mesopotamia, lived in Canaan, and were monotheistic-a belief in one all-powerful God (Yahweh). The Bible records their beliefs and history.

1. Beliefs

1. God determines right and wrong.
2. People should deal justly with each other.
3. People should accept moral responsibility for their actions.

1. History-recorded in the Old Testament.

1.Abraham

1. Moved from Mesopotamia to Canaan at God’s command. (1900 B.C.)
2. God made a covenant (agreement): God would bless Abraham and his descendants if they would remain faithful to God.

2. Jacob(Israel)

1. Abraham’s grandson
2. Jacob had 12 sons, which would grow into tribes (Israelites).
3. Due to a famine, they migrated to Egypt, where pharaohs enslaved them.

3. Moses

1. He led them out of Egypt in an exodus (departure) into the Sinai desert.
2. The covenant was renewed as the Israelites pledged to obey God’s laws, the most important-The Ten Commandments.

1. Joshua

a.He led them across the Jordan River into Canaan

b. After the “judges”, the Israelites wanted a king.

1. Saul

a.Although popular at first, he failed to defeat the Philistines.

b. Battled with David over the throne.

1. David

1. Slayed the giant Philistine, Goliath.
2. He took the throne in 1012 B.C.
3. Organized a central government at Jerusalem.
4. Wrote Psalms.

1. Solomon

1. Constructed a temple in Jerusalem.
2. Wrote Proverbs.

1. Prophets

1. After Solomon, the kingdom divided-Israel & Judah.
2. Invaded by Assyrians (722 B.C.), Chaldeans (586 B.C.)-were exiled to Babylon.
3. Prophets were preachers who interpreted God’s will to the Israelites, who became known as Jews after the Babylonian exile.

ANCIENT GREECE

1. Geography

1. Located in the southern part of Europe’s Balkan Peninsula; very mountainous, and many islands. (Island of Crete; Peloponnesus peninsula; Mt.Olympus).

1. Mountains protected and isolated the Greeks on the mainland.
2. Greek people never united under one government.
3. People depended on the sea-trade for their living. (Aegean, Mediterranean, Ionian, Black)

1. Climate was mild; conducive to outdoor public meetings. (theater, schools, government)

1. Aegean Civilizations

A. Minoans (2500 to 1450 B.C.)

1. concentrated on the island of Crete.
2. Wealthy people with palaces (indoor bathrooms, fireboxes) who decorated with brigthly colored murals and enjoyed dancing and sports.
3. Destroyed by a tidal wave caused by earthquake.

B Mycenaens (2000 to 1100 B.C.)

1. also lived on Crete; combined with Minoans to form ancient Greece.
2. Married with local people (Hellenes) after extending boundary to the Balkan Sea.
3. Built stone walls for protection.
4. Government kept detailed records of taxes, crops, and livestock.
5. Overran by the Dorians, which started the “Dark Age” where written language disappeared with no records kept, trade stopped, and poverty.

1. Many fled to the mainland.
2. They restored both cultures into the Hellenic Civilization, the original inhabitants of Greece. Hellenic Civilization taught love for nature, importance of the husband-wife relationship, and loyalty between friends.

1. Hellenic Poets & Heroes

1. Homer (700 B.C.)-wrote the epics IlliadThe Odyssey

1. Illiad-a Trojan prince falls in love with Helen (wife of Mycenaen prince). Helen is captured and taken to Troy, on which the Mycenaens lay seige for 10 years. The Greeks build a huge horse and hide soldiers inside. The Trojans believe they have won and take the horse into the city. That night, the Greeks sneak out of the horse, capturing and burning Troy to the ground. The “Trojan Horse” destroyed from within.
2. Odyssey-a homeward adventure of a Mycenaean king after the Trojan War taking 10 years to return home. An odyssey is a long journey.

B. Heroes-teachers used the Illiad to teach pride in Greek civilization and heritage.

1. Greek Deities

1. Activities of gods & goddesses explained why people behaved as they did. They believed deities caused physical storms to happen.

1. Athena-wisdom & art;
2. Demeter-goddess of agriculture;
3. Aphrodite-goddess of love & beauty;
4. Zeus-king of the gods; ruled the sky (weather).
5. Dionysus-god of wine & fertility. (play about this one)
6. Apollo-god of light (sun) and phrophecy.
7. Hades-ruled the underworld.

1. Greeks humanized their gods; they were total human forms. They believed gods behaved like humans (married & had children).
2. Deities possessed super human powers (physical & mental).
3. Humans tried to be like deities in every way possible.
4. 12 most important deities lived on MountOlympus; each one controlling a specific part of the natural world.
5. Religious festivals were important part of Greek life; Olympic Games honored Zeus.

1. The Polis (city-state)

1. This was the basic political unit of Hellenic civilization comprised of the city and the surrounding villages and fields (measured about 3 days walking distance). The center of the city stood on a fortified hill (acropolis) with a temple for the local deity. At the foot of the acropolis was the agora-public square.
2. The polis was small enough that all citizens could take part in business with 5,000-10,000 male citizens who voted, owned property, and held office. Women, slaves, and foreigners had no part.
3. The polis was famous for trading of wine and olive oil with a monetary system.

1. Political and Social Change

-Kings lost power to landholding aristocrats (wealthy nobles).

-Farmers had to obtain loans from aristocrats. When they were unable to pay them back, they lost their land, becoming peasants and sharecroppers.

-farmers were foot soldiers in the Greek army, more valuable than a wealthy cavalry.

-Other middle class working people (artisans) joined forces with the farmers wanting a voice in government and citizenship.

-tyrants seized power making promises to the farmers (low & middle classes) and wanting citizenship.

-harshness of a few tyrants caused “tyranny” to mean rule by a cruel and unjust person.

-citizens restructured their government into either an oligarchy (small group of rulers) or democracy (rule by the people).

-there were 2 democracies: 1. Sparta; 2. Athens

1. Sparta

-descendants of Dorian invaders founded in southern Greece. Land was invaded and farming people were taken as slaves (Helots) and assigned to farm the land. Artisans and merchants were hired, but were considered free individuals, called Periocci. Together, they outnumbered the Spartans. To maintain power, they established a military society.

1. Spartan Military

-life revolved around the military. Men were the soldiers. Women breeded more soldiers. Newborns were examined and the sickly left on a hillside. Young boys would go to military school, learning to read, write, use weapons, and steal. (If caught stealing, they were whipped publicly. They would go barefoot and have one garment to wear and having little to eat. After 20 years as a soldier, they would marry at age 30, but continued to live and serve in the military until 60, then they would retire.

1. Women in Sparta

-Involved in gymnastics, wrestling, and boxing. They were to be as healthy and strong as possible. They married at 19. If younger, they were less likely to have a heatlthy child. They had no rights in government.