The document provides an overview of early human societies from hominids to the emergence of early civilizations. It discusses that hominids evolved dexterity and brainpower starting 2 million years ago. Agricultural innovations began around 10,000 BCE in various regions, leading to permanent settlements and population growth. The first complex civilization emerged in Mesopotamia, with Sumer being the earliest, developing writing, urban centers, and other hallmarks of civilization between 3500-3000 BCE. Sumer established the first city-states and had a theocratic form of government before being conquered by the Akkadian Empire, and then returning to Sumerian rule until being sacked by the Elamites around 2000 BCE.

1. World Civilization I Introduction

2. Difficulty Studying History July 2001 discovery of Hominid Early Hominid Society: Prehistoric Oral Culture Nomadic Tools/ language and communication Knowledge of Early Ancestors A. Prior to 5000, archeological and anthropologic (records, fossils, cultural, genetic)

3. Difficulty Studying History Knowledge of early Ancestors Humans descended from Hominids Beginning about 2 million years ago Hominids grew in dexterity, brainpower, tools Cultural Behavior begins with the onset of the of Old Stone Age or Paleolithic period (2 million-10,000 BCE) Achievements of Hominids/cultural behavior Social /communication skills Hunting, Foraging, Family, Gender Migration

4. Social/Cultural Skills What set Hominids apart from other Animals Better ways at adapting to environment Learned which plants were digestible. Power of memory and speech Cultural development unique to humans- languages, arts, rituals, institutions, technologies, - distinguished form others

5. Hunting, Foraging, Family, and Gender Early Hominids scavengers/ nomads Foraging parties were connected by Kinship, small easy to relocate Members of Kinship group – extended family Children of hominids require nurturing longer. Family concerns may explain division of labor between men and women Gender division does not mean women valued less. Adults collaborated in making decisions for all in extended group

6. Migration/Ice Age Paleolithic period corresponds roughly with what geologists called the Pleistocene Epoch aka the Great Ice age – (2,000,000 BCE to roughly 8,000 BCE. Ice age alternates in climate Induced by growing populations or environmental changes, mammals created new habits 1.8 million years ago hominids left Africa and traveled to Asia.

7. Migration/Ice Age 200,000 to 150,000 BCE; Homo Sapiens emerged (modern man) Developed greater linguistic skills, ability to reason, developed sharing of information Innovators: fashioned ropes from fibers, developed spears and harpoons for hunting, warmer clothing, food preservation leading to longer life span By about 50,000 BCE - human societies migrated to Australia via boat 12,000 BCE when huge glaciers absorbed much of the water, sea levels dropped hundreds of feet, exposing a broad land bridge.

8. Migration/Ice Age By the End, Paleolithic period, almost every region of globe was inhabited by human societies. Cultural Diversity Each group adjusted to their climates and conditions differently Paleolithic Cultural/Spiritual perspectives 1. New forms of expression , paintings, writing, burial practices

9. Inter-connections/ Conflict Distinct separate societies/ not in isolation Contact made with neighbors. Divide territory, familial links, Conflict occurs when hunting became depleted

10. Emergence of Agriculture 10,000 BCE, Nomadic life changes West Africa – new techniques for gathering food Neolithic (New Stone Age, 9000-3000 BCE) New tools developed, domesticated plants & animals, established permanent settlements. Farming began in West Africa (archeological evidence) Spread to Fertile Crescent between 9000-8000 BCE, crescent shaped region, Israel, Syria, Iraq It is believed that animal domestication began here

11. Emergence of Agriculture Agricultural Innovation and Expansion West Africa first place, Sudan, Sahara, 8000 BCE China, valleys of the great rivers settlers started to grow crops and cultivated sorghum as early as 8000 BCE By 7000 BCE Ag began in the Indus Valley of India By 6000 BCE AG it started in Europe and Egypt’s Nile Valley In Western Hemisphere: Ag developed differently, w/o contact with Eurasia, 7000 BCE the crop was corn, beans, and squash In all areas the farming was accompanied by population growth and need for more land, land was cleared.

12. Pastoral Nomads Foraging persisted, not all took up ag readily, harder work than hunting Combination of hunting/ag in Northern areas (North America) Americas, some took up farming but not herding, were there were fewer large domesticated animals Central Asia, embraced herding but not farming where arid climate were unsuitable for grazing animals bunt not crops. Mobile herders such as these know as Pastoral Nomads

13. Pastoral Nomads Contact with Ag societies and trade took place also conflict. In long run Ag could support far more people Settled societies developed

14. Agricultural Societies (Village, Land, Family) Ag societies would develop into settled societies, with many advantages; population, weapons, possessions, and power, enabling them to defeat or displace all nomadic peoples Key Difference 1: permanence of place, the Farming Village, small settlements of homes in a compact cluster, surrounded by lands on which the villagers raised food. Key Difference 2: Ag society communities grew larger than nomadic groups, who were limited by the need for mobility,

15. Agricultural Societies (Village, Land, Family) Possession of land became a key concern in Ag societies. Where livelihoods depended largely on the land they sought to maintain/expand access to various lands Families were also more structured. Key Difference 3: Gender roles Nomadic societies: women’s role crucial to survival, women supplied the plant food for whole groups survival while men are out hunting AG: women worked in the home and village, men in the fields

16. Agricultural Societies (Village, Land, Family) Key Difference 4: Family size: Nomadic families smaller, women needed to be able to share child rearing Ag societies: many hands were needed in the fields, larger families were desirable Long run: Ag societies had a crucial advantage: the ability to produce a food surplus, in good years, and store for bad years, ensuring survival

17. Complex Societies Emerge End of Neolithic Period. (West Africa, North Africa) Mesopotamia: The First Civilization Civilization is a culture that has attained a degree of complexity, characterized by urban life and the interdependence of its urban residents. Civilization is a culture capable of sustaining a greater number of specialists to furnish the economic, social, political and religious needs of a greater unit Other concerns: writing (need to keep records) architecture that is permanent, combined with a religious background

18. Sumer (Bronze Age) In the area of Mesopotamia. Emerged around 3500-3100 BCE. First complex society, 3500 wheels, and transportation of wood and stone down rivers to urban centers. 3200 BCE Sumer obtains majority of characteristics of civilization. Contact with other civilizations: Egypt By 2800 BCE syllabic writing reduced from 2000 characters to 600, evolved from a pictorial form of writing.

19. Sumer (2800 BCE) Full complex civilization Age of constant warfare, (Old Sumerian Period), each city attempted to protect and enlarge its land and guarantee its access to water and irrigation Each city-state Theocracy, chief local god was believed to be the actual ruler, in Sumer it was Ensi. Gilgamesh the famous Ensi of Urk about 2700 BCE, was strong ruler, Epic poem shows Sumerian rules could be questioned.

20. Sumer (2800 BCE) Full complex civilization Like many religions to follow, priests, administrators, Ensi’s began to confiscate land and assert their authority over other people Slavery: like their other Mesopotamian neighbors/ancestors used Slavery. However had rights, and not based on race. Sumerian women could attain a high prominence on the rank of their own or their husbands. Men had the greatest authority over their wives in economic and legal matters, children were under control of parents until 20 or 21 years of age.

21. Akkadian Period (2300-2150) North of Sumer was Akkad, inhabited by Semites who adopted Sumerian Culture Sargon I was the first Akkadian ruler from 2370-2315 BCE to conquer Sumer and establish Empire from Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. Sargon I proud of his low status Successors were not as tireless as Sargon and Dynasty collapsed around 2150 BCE

22. Lugals Return (2150-2000) Lugal: those of the political elite in Sumer, often lugal would refer to KING. By 2150 Lugals of Sumer city of UR returned the rule of Sumer to Mesopotamia. New Neo-Sumerian period- introduced centralized administration to Akkad and Sumer The formerly temple dominated cities became provinces administered by closely regulated governments.

23. Lugals Return (2150-2000) Religion became an arm of the state, High priests became state appointees Head of bureaucratic state was a Lugal located in Ur Lugal of Ur called themselves “Vigilant Sheppard” of their people and were celebrated as living Gods. Disaster struck Ur around 2000 BCE when the Elamites from what is now Iran destroyed the city. The Sumerians were never again a dominant political force, but their cultural influence would be powerful throughout all subsequent civilizations in the Tirgis Euphrates valley. Sumerian language continued as a language of scholarship and ritual

24. Summary Agricultural Revolution gave way to the birth of complex civilizations Sumer/Akkad were first great complex civilizations