Ancient PeriodThe Birth of Civilization

~Technological & Environmental Transformation~

Periodization…up to interpretation

________________ 800 BCE

____________ _____________ 1000 BCE

____________ _____________ 1200 BCE

1350 BCE ____________ ____________

____________ _____________ 1500 BCE

____________ _____________

1800 BCE _______________

________________ 3000 BCE

3200 BCE _______________ ________________ 3500 BCE

4000 BCE _______________

____________ _____________ 5500 BCE

____________

8000 BCE ____________ ____________

____________

________________ 10000 BCE

Questions to Consider

Analyze the changes and continuities from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age.

Analyze the changes and continuities in the Middle East from 8000 BCE to 600 BCE.

Analyze the similarities and differences in Egypt and Mesopotamia between 3500 BCE and 1000 BCE.

Themes to Consider

Demographics & MovementTradeGender RolesBelief SystemsPolitical organization

Analyze the changes and continuities from the Paleolithic

Age to the Neolithic Age.???

~perhaps there are no continuities, which speaks to Agricultural Revolution~

Paleolithic Life (45000 BCE to 10000 BCE)

Modern humans migrated to all regions of the world

Cultural advances made humans more productive

Paleolithic Life (45000 BCE to 10000 BCE)

Life was brutal: life shortened by warfare & childbirth

Populations were low due to large amount of land necessary to support food needs

Paleolithic Life (45000 BCE to 10000 BCE)

Equalized by comfortable tone of life?◦Labor did not dominate time◦Purposefully migrated◦Men & women had different roles, but women

were not subordinate

Paleolithic Life (45000 BCE to 10000 BCE)

Cultural advances = population growth1. Migrate to colder climates 2. Fewer pathogens3. Yielded still higher populations

As Ice Age ended, warming temperatures created a crisis that forced humans to adapt, thus:◦Agriculture

Neolithic Life(10000 BCE to 4000 BCE)

Slow transition to agriculture, but revolutionary◦Independent invention in at least 5 locations

Middle East (wheat, barley, cattle, goats) = first

Neolithic Life(10000 BCE to 4000 BCE)

Impacts:◦Number of diseases increased◦Humans settled & populations became denser◦Birthrates rose◦Malnutrition increased◦Life expectancy fell◦Trade b/t settled peoples & pastoralists

developed

Analyze the changes and continuities in Middle East from 8000 BCE to 600 BCE.

???

Demographic & Migration Trends

early Ancient Era, farmers depended on rain4000 BCE = innovation period

◦Bronze Shift to river valleys Fostered the formation of states River Valley Civs

Belief Systems

Paleolithic beliefs centered on fertilityNeolithic beliefs centered on

polytheistic natural spirits & afterlife◦Reliance on nature to create fertile

environment reflected shift to farming◦Gods were male and female, to be appeased, &

specific to a culture◦Ancestors were common targets of veneration

Belief Systems

Late Ancient Period, Judaism & Hinduism presented beliefs that were more abstract & capable of uniting

Gender Roles

Farming brought lower status to women◦Why? Women foraged & thus first farmers

1. Plow agriculture & use of domesticated animals put men in charge of the vital task of farming

2. Settlement meant class divisions & hereditary aristocracyWomen’s reproduction needed to be managed

Gender Roles

River Valley Civs brought governments that codified subordinance in laws◦Yet, upper class women sometimes benefitted

Later religions, like Judaism, institutionalize new concepts of women

Trade

Initially, trade was largely a diplomatic venture◦95% of population were farmers

Bronze = need for resources◦Fostered trade

Trade

Late Ancient Period = blossoming of trade◦Phoenicians

Demographic & Migration Trends

Late in Ancient Period, several developments cause the movement of human populations:◦Interaction sparks migration◦Iron technology

Demographic & Migration Trends

◦Interaction sparks migration1. Converging farming zones – Asia & Africa

Demographic & Migration Trends

◦Interaction sparks migration2. Pastoralist-Agriculturalist exchange: Aryans

Indo-Europeans

Demographic & Migration Trends

◦Iron technology allows farming to be established away from river valleys again

So, analyze the changes and continuities from 8000 BCE to 600 BCE.

Changes? Continuities?

Analyze the similarities and differences in Egypt and

Mesopotamia between 3500 BCE and 1000 BCE.

???

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Geographic location has many results◦More urbanized

Government◦Kings were powerful, but not divine◦Non-farmers (5%) – priests & aristocrats held

most government offices

Mesopotamia

Government◦Often lacked political unity: city-states w/

common culture◦Sumer w/ cuneiform◦Babylonia & Hammurabi’s Code

Mesopotamia

Pessimistic belief system of many godsHarsh patriarchy

◦Only widows could own land◦Veiled to maintain honor◦Adultery earned death penalty

Mesopotamia

Economy◦Traded w/ Anatolia, South Asia, Egypt (tin &

textiles for silver)◦Slavery existed but discouraged

POWs difficult to control; enslaving own meant less taxes

◦Peasants Free but subject to corvee labor Trend toward loss of freedom as debts mounted

Egypt

Egypt

Geographic location has many results◦Less urbanized

Government◦Politically unified kingdom

Ruled by god-king: pharaoh

Egypt

Optimistic view of gods & goddesses & afterlife

Pictorial writing system, but no epic literature developed

Patriarchal but women had greater freedoms◦Queens could govern (divine inheritance),

daughter could perform religious rites

Egypt

Economy◦Traded w/ Upper Nile, Mediterranean,

Mesopotamia (pottery, wine, honey for raw materials, exotic African goods)

◦Slavery uncommon at first, but as Egypt expanded so too did enslavement of foreigners

◦Peasants Free but subject to corvee labor Trend toward greater freedom as slaves filled

construction needs◦Merchants were less important in Egypt

India & China?

◦Less is known due to gaps in scholarshipIndia

◦Harappa, cities◦Traded with Mesopotamia & Central Asia

China◦Xia & others before Shang?◦Most isolated but still traded◦Rigidly patriarchal

Only sons capable of venerating ancestors Lacking a male heir was regarded as a crime

against the ancestors

Analyze the similarities and differences in Egypt and Mesopotamia between 3500 BCE and 1000 BCE.

Similarities? Differences?

Periodization is analysis of Changes & ContinuitiesSo, transitional period of 1500 BCE to 600 BCE:

late Ancient or early Classical?

________________ 800 BCE

____________ _____________ 1000 BCE

____________ _____________ 1200 BCE

1350 BCE ____________ ____________

____________ _____________ 1500 BCE

____________ _____________

1800 BCE _______________

________________ 3000 BCE

3200 BCE _______________ ________________ 3500 BCE

4000 BCE _______________

____________ _____________ 5500 BCE

____________

8000 BCE ____________ ____________

____________

________________ 10000 BCE