Early Man to First Civilizations

1. EARLY MAN to
First Civilizations
Paleolithic Period and Neolithic Period

2. The Paleolithic Period
2.5 Million BCE to 12000 BCE ish
(Before the Common Era)
• Humans migrated from Africa to Eurasia,
Australia, & the Americas
• Used fire in new ways
• Used wider range of tools
• Humans were hunter – gatherers
– (1 square mile needed to support two people
• Economic structures focused on kinship
groups (family and clan)

3. Archeologists
INTERPRET remains to
describe early man.

4. The
“Ice Man”

5. The Ice Man?

7. Mesoamerica
Andes Amazonia
Eastern North America
New Guinea
China
Ethiopia
West
Africa
Fertile Crescent
In response to warming climates, from about
10,000 years ago, SETTLED AGRICULTURE
appeared in a number of places..
Nile valley

8. Settled Agriculture led to what is called
the Neolithic Revolution
• Neolithic Revolution is the period known
for changes in human societies caused by
agriculture and pastoralism (herding of
animals)

9. How did people “learn” to farm and
domesticate animals?
• LONG periods of natural selection, trial
& error, & cultural diffusion.

10. WHAT POSITIVE and
NEGATIVE CHANGES to
human societies were
caused by SETTLED
AGRICULTURE?

11. The Neolithic Revolution
transformed societies
Changes to the environment
Increased population
More complex economies and social
systems
• Patriarchy & forced labor systems
• Specialization of labor (including artisans &
warriors)
• More hierarchical social structures (elites and
commoners)

12. - Improvements in agricultural production,
trade, & transportation
Wheeled vehicles
Pottery
Plows
Woven textilesMetallurgy

13. Domestication of Plants and Animals
Farming
Surplus Food Specialization
Population
Intensification
Complex Society,
also known as
CIVILIZATION

15. 15
Elements of civilization include:
Mohenjo Daro
Hammurabi’s
Law Code
It’s the
law
Pharaohs
1) Cities
2) Central governments
And Law codes

16. 16
1) Cities
2) Central governments
and law codes
Elements of Civilization include:
Can you identify
the society
represented
by each of these two
writing samples?
3) Writing and
record keeping
4) Highly organized religions

17. 17
3) Writing and
record keeping
4) Highly organized
religion
5) Specialized Jobs
Full-time monk
Assyrian slaves
In Egypt
6) Social Classes
1) Cities
2) Central Governments
and law codes
Elements of Civilization include:

18. 18
7) Complex
Technologies
Chariot
5) Specialized jobs
6) Social classes
Bronze Sword
3) Writing and
record keeping
4) Highly organized
religion
1) Cities
2) Central governments
and law codes
Elements of Civilization include:

19. Early River Valley Civilizations

20. Is civilization more “civilized”?
Agricultural settlements led to
achievements, but also. . .
• Population increases
• Stronger Patriarchy & Slavery
• Rigid social classes
• War
• Increased dependence on agriculture

21. So . . .
• If a society is not a “civilization,” with
cities, complex institutions and record
keeping, what is that society?
– Barbarian?
– Uncivilized?
– Outsiders?
– Backward or Unimportant?
• How that society is described depends
on the INTERPRETATION of the
archeologist and/or historian!