Quiz #1 Ancient Civilizations
Neolithic Revolution (Agricultural Revolution)
- Development of agriculture societies. Began in the middle east around 9000 BCE and spread to India, North Africa, and Europe. - The rise of agriculture forms of economic production allowing people to regain more permanently n one spot and increase their levels of specialization. - The domestication of animals also played a crucial role in the development of permanent settlements. -Increased food production an increase in the population. - By 3000 BCE, metal working had become common and was useful to agriculture and herding societies. This created a small number of metal tool makers who specialized in this activity and exchanged their product with farmers for food.
Phoecians
- Devised a simplified alphabet (22 letters) that greatly influenced the Greek and Latin writing systems
Civilization ("city")
- Formal states, writing cities, and monuments all characterize civilizations - Elaborate trading patterns and extensive political territories -The first civilizations were the river-valley civilizations, so-called b/c they all developed alongside major rivers to secure an adequate water supply for agriculture production. The earliest river-valley civilizations began in the Middle East and flourished for many centuries. They created a basic set of tools, intellectual concepts such as writing and math, and political forms that would persist and spreads to other parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Shi Huangdi
- Founder of the Qin dynasty (221-202 BCE) and China's first emperor - He consolidated his power, built the Great wall, conducted a census, standardized weights and measures, and extended the borders of his realm to Hong Kong and northern Vietnam - When he died massive revolts broke out and by 202 BCE the dynasty faultered
Identify 6 characteristics of civilization
- Generates surpluses beyond basic survival needs - Regional and long distance trading networks - Bureaucracy - Growth of cities - Systems of writing - Governing
Why did the development of agriculture occur and why can it be considered revolutionary?
- It was sparked by the end of the ice age and the lack of big animals (lack of food) - The population increased, more elaborate social patterns were created, and their ways to collect and provide food (life changing basically)
Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age)
- Lengthy phase during which both Homo erects and Homo sapiens sapiens appeared. - Homo erects stood upright and learned simple tool use-developed in Africa and spread to Asia and Europe-reaching a population of 1.5 million 100,000 years ago disappeared about 400,000 years ago. -Our immediate ancestors were Homo sapiens sapiens-all current races are descended from this subspecies. These groups developed language, rituals, and more sophisticated tools .
3 kinds of contacts that existed during the early phases of human history
- Local or long distance trade. Ppl in one region could learn about innovations to the regions next door - Migration and invasions bring new technologies and changes in languages - Direct trade, diplomatic realizations, and military activity b/w 2 early civilization centers (Mesopotamia and Egypt)
technological advances in classical China
- New collar for draft animals that allowed them to pull plows without choking -Paper -Mining techniques -agricultural improvements -production methods
3 innovations of the Qin Dyansty
- Ordered national census - Standardized coinage, weights, and measures through the entire realm (ex./ length of axles on carts were regulated to promote coherent road planning) - Created basic language all educated Chinese could communicate with (mandarin)
What was the most important achievement of Paleolithic people? How and why did this occur?
- Spread of human life all over the world - Everyone originated in Eastern African but b/c of scarce food people migrated to different areas
What legacies did river valley civilization impart to later ages?
- The invention of the wheel - Creation of useable alphbets and writing elements
How did the Han dynasty expand trade and why did the dynasty decline?
- They expanded their territory which gave them direct contact to other countries like India - Central control weakened and invasions by the Huns (aka nomads) overturned the dynasty
Why are cities crucial for civilization?
- They have wealth and power - Ideas can be exchanged b/w a large group of ppl rapidly - Promotes manufacturing, trade, and encourages centers of political power
Lydians
- Were responsible for the first coinage of money
Beyond the Classical Civilizations (Africa)
Africa- Kush empire flourishing by 1000- defeated by rivals, Axum in 300 BCE- then taken over by Ethiopia. In West Africa- Ghana was developing by 500 BCE and improvements in agriculture increased their influence by 100 CE.
What transformations were made possible by the development of agriculture?
Agriculture gave humans the capacity to reshape their environments and dominate most other living creatures
Explain what happened 5 minutes before midnight
Human species began 5 min before midnight and in this brief span of time humans have moved to various landmass and taken over other species
Which city was completely destroyed by invasion?
Indus
Beyond the Classical Civilizations (Japan)
Japan- Migrations from Korea led to an agriculture based society by 200 CE; regional governments formed with tribal chiefs. They went from stone tools to iron (skipping bronze and copper). The religion of Shintoism developed with gods and viewed their political leaders as gods. A national culture was developing around 600 CE.
Which king developed the most famous early code of law?
King Hamarbi
Why did the tradition of slavery begin?
Kings, priests, and the noble class had large pieces of land which were worked by slaves. Warfare became vital to ensure supplies of slaves and many slaves were able to earn money and even buy their freedom.
Ziggurats
Massive towers (which formed the first monumental architecture in Sumerians civilization) where professional priests operated and conducted rituals.
How can writing change a society?
Most civilizations developed writing starting with the emergence of cuneiform (writing based on wedge like characters). With writing society can organize more elaborate political structures because of their ability to send messages and keep records. They can also tax more efficiently and make contracts and treaties. Societies with writing also generate a more explicit intellectual climate because of the ability to record data and build on the past. (ex./ one of the early written records from the middle east is a recipe for making beer).
Describe Chinese political framework during the Qin and Han dynasties?
Qin stressed central authority while Han expanded the parts of bureaucracy
How is civilization defined?
Some scholars define civilization as societies that have enough economic surpluses to form divisions of labor and social classes with significant inequalities (this is a very inclusive definition). Others say civilizations must involve political organizations or states rather than tribal ties.
*Beyond the Classical Civilizations (The Americas)
The Americas- olmecs in Central America around 600 CE- developed an accurate calendar and built pyramids- influenced their succesors the Teotihuacan and the Maya. These civilizations developed in isolation and did not have iron technology of the wheel. A similar civilzation developed in the ** region of South America and led to the **
Five Classics
The classical literature of the time preceding Confucius, including poetry, history, and divination
Why was Judaism considered significant at the time?
The religion gave the world its 1st clear view of a monotheistic religion b/c Jews believe in only one God and other religions were mainly polytheistic (believing in more than one God).
Who were Shamans and how did they influence Chinese beliefs?
They were medicine men that acquired sacred helpers who cured illnesses, controlled spirits, and retrieved lost souls and could prophecy the future. The reliance on the Shamans influenced belief.
Why did merchants have low prestige in Chinese society?
Trading was seen as a meaningless skill
Egyptian civilization differed from Mesopotamian civilization by stressing. . .
more centralized and durable empires
A characteristic of the human species before the advent of civilization was. . .
the ability to spread to various geographic settings and climate zones
Mandate of Heaven
the belief that the Chinese king's right to rule came from the gods
#3 What are some drawbacks and achievements of human species?
-Aggressive against their own kind - Babies are dependent for a long period of time - Ailment such as back pain - Awareness of death
Egyptian Civilization
-Egyptian civilization emerged in northern Africa along the Nile River by about 3000 B.C.E. -It benefited from trade and influences from Mesopotamia, but it also produced its own distinct social structures and cultural expressions. Unlike Mesopotamia, Egyptian civilization featured very durable and centralized institutions-less open to invasion and more unified state through the all powerful Pharaoh. -Mathematical achievements and impressive architectural structures also characterized Egyptian civilization. From 2700 B.C.E onward, Egyptian pharaohs built pyramids that would be used as their tombs which was accomplished through slave labor.
Zhou Dynasty (1029-258 B.C.E)
-Expanded the territorial boundaries of China by seizing the Yangtze River valley. -The territory from the Yangtze to the Huang is often called the "Middle Kingdom", blessed with rich cropland. -Mandarin was the standard language. -The Zhou did not establish a strong central government but ruled instead through alliances with regional princes and noble families. This led to vulnerabilities that plagued the Zhou: 1. regional princes solidified their power and disregarded the central government. 2. When the Zhou began to fail, philosophers (like Confucius) sought to explain the political confusion.
Tigris-Euphrates Civilization
-Originated in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in a part of the Middle East called Mesopotamia. It was one of the few cases of civilization that started from scratch- w/ no examples from any place available for imitation. -It progressed mostly due to the accomplishments of the Sumerians the most influential people in the Tigris_Euphrates region. -They also were characterized by the development of astronomical sciences, intense religious beliefs, and tightly organized city states. -The Sumerians improved the regions agricultural prosperity by learning about fertilizers and using silver to conduct commercial exchange. Their ideas about divine forces in natural objects were common among early agricultural peoples. - The Sumerians eventually succumbed to the Akkadians who continued much of the Sumerian culture in the Tigris-Euphrates region, and the Babylonians who developed Hammurabi's code. - The code laid down the procedure for law courts and regulated property rights and duties of family members, setting harsh punishments for crimes. This focus o standardizing a illegal system was one of the features of early river valley civilizations.
Han (202 B.C.E- 220 C.E)
-Rulers lessened the brutality of the Qin but maintained its centralized rule -Early Han leaders, like Tut, expanded Chinese territory and set up formal training, based on Confucian philosophy, for bureaucrats (scholar gentry~ Educated landowner in Confucianism). -During a long decline, the Han faced invasions and eventually fell to outside forces, especially the Huns -Distinctive political and cultural values from the Han Dynasty lasted into the 20th century
3 main social groups in china
-land owning aristocrats and bureaucrats -laboring peasants and urban artisans -mean people, unskilled labor and lacked meaningful skills
The early civilization that's now Turkey is. . .
Catal Huyuk
*Analects (Confucianism)
Collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius
Silk Road
Connected China, India, and the Middle East. Traded goods and helped to spread culture.
What was the first civilization?
Founded in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers part of the middle east; Mesopotamia
The largest city to develop along the Indus River was. . .
Harappa
How do historians determine that trade was highly developed in the Indus valley civilization?
Harappan merchants used many seals to make sure crates and urns weren't opened during transport.
Early civilizations began in china along the. . .
Huang (yellow) RIver
How did nomads contribute to world history?
While remaining hunter and gathering societies became isolated (except in parts of the Americas) nomadic herding economies flourished in many places. They relied on the domestication of animals and key technological improvements (ex./ riding equipment and weaponry). And since they traveled widely they played a vital role in world trade.
Barbarians
a person belonging to a tribe or group that is considered uncivilized
Themes
a. Expansion- responses to expansion included philosophers like Confucius, Buddha, and Socrates b. Integration- how to govern new territories and how to crated cohesion throughout their empire.
