The document summarizes several key landmarks from early human civilizations, including the development of tools and weapons in the Paleolithic period, early writing systems, metallurgy emerging in Asia Minor after 4000 BCE, the Iron Age beginning around 1000 BCE, and the significant early civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt which advanced organized society, architecture, religion and more. It also discusses animism as one of the first belief systems in Mesopotamia and Hammurabi's law code in ancient Babylon as an early inspiration for legal systems. Finally, it notes the distinct civilizations and philosophies that emerged in ancient China and the Americas.

1. Landmarks of
Humankind’s First
Civilizations
JUSTIN KIRK

2. Paleolithic Tools
and Weapons
Evidence of tools and weapons
during the Paleolithic period
provide insight into the
beginnings of ancient culture.
The period highlighted initial
abilities of humankind to create
artifacts that helped provide
food and protection. Examples
include chisels, spears, axes,
and harpoons (Fiero, 2006, p.
2). These tools and related
abilities provided the
foundation for developments
such as farming and
architecture in the later
Mesolithic and Neolithic
periods, thus proving vital for
any and all subsequent tolls that
we use today.

3. Another clear landmark event during the first civilizations was the invention and development of writing. Like the
development of initial tools and weapons, ancient methods of writing provided a basis for writing systems we use today.
In addition to the use of writing as a method of communication, it also served as a way to record information and history.
Methods of writing evolved from methods of counting, beginning with the use of tokens by merchants as far back as 7500
B.C.E. (Fiero, 2006, p. 6). Eventually, tokens were replaced with pictographs and cuneiforms, the first representations of
letters and type.
Writing

4. Metallurgy
Further advancing humankind’s ability to
innovate and advance was the practice of
metallurgy. Emerging after 4000 B.C.E. in
Asia Minor, the practice fortified early
civilizations’ ability to not only use tools,
but to advance that use through the
exploitation of natural resources such as
copper ore (Fiero, 2006, p. 7). Advancing
from early tools, those practicing
metallurgy developed the methods of
mining, smelting, and bronze casting (p.
8). In addition to tools, these methods
produced instruments, jewelry, toys, and
other items that provided benefits aside
from utility. Such items provided unique
specificity that distinguished various
cultures from each other.

5. The Iron Age
Around 1000 B.C.E., talented
practitioners took information gained
by practicing metallurgy in the
bronze age and applied it to the
manipulation of iron for various
purposes (Sherby & Wadsworth,
2000, p. 1). Ancient blacksmiths also
further developed their methods of
using and understanding natural
resources. They identified ways to
determine the strength, hardness,
and even magnetic qualities of iron in
order to best serve their purposes
(p.4). One can see how populations
continued to increase their
knowledge, understanding, and
sophisticated uses of natural
elements, which continued on and
contributed to methods and
technologies used today.

6. Mesopotamia
Concerning civilizations, the first significant landmark would undoubtedly be Mesopotamia. The “land between the rivers”
cultivated many types of development and other historic landmarks of humankind such as tools, writing, metallurgy, and
agriculture (Fiero, 2006, p. 9). Equally significant was that the civilization consisted of city-states that, while disjointed and
vulnerable to attack, served as the start of a cohesive community developed by its conquerors. Thus, Mesopotamia represented
one of the first organized societies that would eventually inspire large, complex, and sophisticated state systems.

7. Animism
In addition to forming the beginnings of
organized society, Mesopotamia’s people
also began trying to understand and explain
the world around them. They based their
explanations on nature, believing that
natural elements were alive and soul having.
This doctrine of belief, called animism,
constituted one of the first theories and
belief systems in the history of humankind
(Saler, 199, p. 3). Followers created myths
that explained acts of natures and provided
ways that would supposedly prevent them.
Further, animism spread to other cultures
that adapted it to their own needs for
explanation

8. Hammurabi’s
Law
Following the unification of
Mesopotamian territories by
Babylonians and subsequent creation
of the Babylonian Empire, territories
were united further through the
solidification of legal practices by
Hammurabi (Fiero, 2006, p. 12). The
code addressed various issues such as
divorce, assault, and theft, among
others. Babylon’s sixth ruler created
the most comprehensive and
expansive set of written laws during
ancient times, providing inspiration for
future legal systems. Significance of
the laws being in writing relates to
consistency. Rulers could not change
laws or risk not recalling them
correctly. Hammurabi’s code,
therefore, did not just serve as a basis
for future legal systems but for
political systems as well. There was
now a written record of law for both
leaders and citizens to refer to.

9. Ancient Egypt
Apart from ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt represented another civilization that provided multiple benefits
to future societies, making the civilization one of the most significant landmarks of ancient history. Ancient Egypt
persisted for three thousand years, providing examples of organized society, language, literature, architecture,
religion, and economy (Graham, 2011, p. 19-25). Obvious examples included pharaoh leadership, hieroglyphs,
pyramids, numerous gods, and trade. Ancient Egyptians made advancements that future societies could learn from
and adapt to their own civilizations.

10. Chinese Philosophy
The various belief systems and philosophies of
ancient China represent another significant
landmark in the history of humankind, the
application of philosophical thought to
guidelines for how to live one’s life. Unlike
animism, Chinese philosophies did not just
attempt to explain events, but to give meaning
to life and direct behavior accordingly.
Confucianism, Daoism, and legalism essentially
provided rules for individuals to follow in
pursuit of certain goals. Confucianism gave
followers advice on how to live in harmony,
Daoism gave someone’s life meaning, and
legalism provided a model to achieve peace
and extend state power (Graham, 2011, p. 53-
54)

11. The Americas
In contrast to early civilizations that developed in Eurasia, civilization in the Americas made do with resources that
did not come from the fertile crescent. However, they did take advantage of a climate suitable for cultivating maize
and other agriculture (Graham, 2011, p.42). Early Mesoamerica provided similar contributions in the form of
agriculture, metallurgy, and religion. In addition, its archeological feats and integration of political and religious
systems made it distinct from other civilizations (42-43).

12. Works Cited
Fiero, Gloria K. Landmarks in Humanities. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.
Graham, William A. The heritage of world civilizations. Pearson Education, 2011.
Saler, Benson. "EB Tylor and the Anthropology of Religion." Marburg Journal of Religion 2.1
(1997): 1-6.
Sherby, Oleg D., and Jeffrey Wadsworth. "Ancient blacksmiths, the Iron Age, Damascus steels,
and modern metallurgy." Journal of Materials Processing Technology 117.3 (2001): 347-353.