Intro to World HistoryPre-History to 1500

Introduction

• History is necessary to human survival• Must know where we came from • Regardless of beliefs, history begins 2

million BC

Dawn of History

• Old Stone Age or Paleolithic Age• “Lucy” 1959 by Leakey's in Tanzania• First people were hunters and

gatherers• Animism – spirits in everything• Neolithic Agricultural Revolution –

farming and domestication of animals

• Lead to cities and civilizations• Civilizations grew along rivers

Features of Civilization

• Organized Government• Complex Religions• Job Specialization• Social Classes• Arts and Architecture• Public Works• Writing

Egypt

• Along the Nile River with yearly floods

• Pharaohs seen as gods, ruled in dynasties

• Religion – polytheism, gods for nature

• Afterlife – Osiris, mummification, tombs

• Pyramids used as tombs• Hieroglyphics written on papyrus

Sumer and Babylon

• Fertile crescent – Tigris and Euphrates

• City-states ruled by hierarchy• Built ziggurats for religion• Cuneiform – wedge writing• Sargon – 1st empire builder• Hammurabi – code, 1st written laws• Phoenicians create the alphabet

Judaism

• Nomadic people lead by Abraham• 1000 BC King David of Israel• Monotheistic – one true God• Chosen people as covenant with God• Patriarchal society – male lead• Ten commandments given to Moses• Waiting for messiah

India

• Grew around Indus River Valley• Polytheistic with mother goddess• Aryan society: Brahmins, Kshatriyas,

Vaisyas• Vedas – story of early Indian

civilizations

China

• Grew around Huang He (Yellow) River

• Dynasties – Shang, Zhou• Religion – polytheism, ancestor

worship• Mandate of Heaven – divine right to

rule• Feudal state• Silk making, first books

Greece – Early People• Minoan Civilization

– Island of Crete in Aegean Sea– King Minos and Palace at

Knossos– Disappeared, volcano and tidal

wave• Mycenae

– Sea traders, moved ideas and items

– 1250 B.C. Trojan War– Fall of Troy same time as

Mycenaean disappearance

Greece – Rise of City-States• Mountainous peninsula• Polis – city• Acropolis – high city, temples to gods• Monarchy – King or queen rule• Aristocracy – rule by landowning elite• Oligarchy – Small, powerful, business

elite rule

• Military– Iron weapons– Phalanx – formation of armed foot

soldiers

Greece - Sparta

• Government– 2 kings and council of elders, assembly

of citizens• From birth, trained for military• 7 – boys sent to barracks, training,

beaten• 20 – marry, 30 – move out & join

assembly• Women – trained, ran estates &

business• Isolated from trade, looked down on

wealth

Greece - Athens

• Aristocracy became democracy• Democracy – Government by the

people• Set up legislature – lawmaking body• Cared more about art, philosophy than

war• Good navy• Women – secluded in homes, family and

kids• Education was important above all else• Greeks believed all others were

barbarians

Greece - Religion

• Polytheistic• Many gods and goddesses• Zeus – leader, God of Gods and Humans• Many children became others• Used to explain nature• Temples built, prayers & ceremonies to

placate them

Greece and Its Glory

• Philosophers – Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

• Developed rhetoric and logic• Architecture – columns• Sculpture of gods, goddesses,

athletes, politicians• Drama – Tragedy and Comedy• Writers – Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

Alexander the Great• King Philip killed at daughter’s wedding• Conquered lands: Greece to India,

Germany to Egypt• Spread cultures, mixed together =

Hellenistic• Named over 20 cities after himself• Conquering more

than ruling• Traveled 10,000 miles,

men made him turn around

• Died 3 days after return

Rome – The Beginning• Republic – government of the

people• Patricians – Upper class,

landholding, made laws• Consuls – 2 patricians,

ran daily government• Dictator – Time of war,

complete control• Plebeians – farmers,

merchants, bulk of population• Tribunes – Plebeian officials• Veto – can block laws harmful to

plebeians

Roman Society• Women given more power, held jobs,

business• Boys and girls taught to read and write• Religions – similar to Greek but different

names• Citizen-Soldiers were part of legion

(5000)• Provided own weapons with no pay• Conquered lands treated with justice• Built roads, connected empire• People united under Roman rule

Rome – Empire Building• Imperialism – Establishing control over

foreign lands• Corruption common, caused declines• Reformers - Julius Caesar

– Popular Military General– Public works jobs, reorganized government

of providences– Created calendar – Julian Calendar– Killed by best friend, Brutus

• Census – count people• Good and Bad emperors • Pax Romana – Roman Peace• Bread and Circuses

Roman Achievement• Literature – Aeneid, Satirize – make fun

of• History – Livy, kept track of events• Philosophy – Emperor Marcus Aurelius –

stoic• Art – Sculpture, Mosaic – picture made of

tiles• Architecture – Huge temples, arch and

columns• Engineering – built aqueducts• Law – Civil Law and Law of Nations

Christianity• Early Religions tolerated by Romans• Most were polytheistic, like Romans• Jews rejected Roman religion,

persecuted, revolt, fled• Jesus born in 4 B.C.• Apostles and him spread message of

peace, love• Deeply rooted in Judaism• Romans crucified him for rebellion• Seen as religion for all – everyone

welcome

Roman Decline• 26 emperors in 50 years• Several tried to help with reforms• Invasion by several groups of nomads

hurt Rome• Causes

– Military – Mercenaries used, little loyalty– Political – Corruption, divided empire– Economic – Taxes, slaves ran away,

economic downfall– Social – Lack of patriotism and devotion

• Long, slow decline• Lead to Byzantine Empire (Western

Rome)

The Americas - Maya• Olmecs – oldest civilization, not on a

river

• Mayas– Yucatan peninsula– Tikal – huge temples and city– Each city had ruling chief– Priests had highest power– Most people were farmers – corn, cotton,

squash– Writing system, accurate time, 365 day

calendar, zero– 900 A.D. began to abandon cities, don’t

know why

Aztec Civilization• Late 1200s – Eagle on cactus with

snake in beak• Tenochtitlan – city in middle of lake• Chinampas – floating gardens• Conquered other tribes and demanded

tribute• Single ruler – royalty, blood letting • Nobles, warriors, commoners• Massive human sacrifice, used

conquered people• Calendar, surgery, schools• Hernan Cortes destroyed in 1519

Early People of Peru• Chavin

– Worshipped jaguar/man– Lived high in the Andes

• Mochica– Built roads, irrigation

systems– Beautiful pottery

• Nazca– Glyphs – etched lines in the

ground– Lines, shapes – part of

calendar?

The Inca• Pachacuti – founder and first Sapa Inca

1438• In Cuzco, Sapa lived like god, Queen –

Coya• Quipu – knotted string collection for

records• 12,000 miles of road, runners for

messages• Only runners and army could use

roads• Farmed on terraces• Best metal workers • Had anesthesia and brain surgery• Polytheistic, temples to gods• Destroyed by Pizarro in 1533

North American Natives• Crossed Bering Land Bridge, moved

south• Diverse cultures based on

environment• Arctic, Coastal, Plains, Woodlands,

Southwest• Iroquois League – 5 nations banded

together• Hitting peak when Europeans arrived

The Middle Ages• Europe carved up by Germanic Tribes,

Franks• Charlemagne united Europe• Wanted “Second Rome”, extended

Christianity• Feudalism – system of rule among lords

and vassals• Lord gave vassal a fief thru feudal

contract• Vassal got land and protection, Lord

got food• Knights – began at 7, protect castles• Castles were self-sufficient• Peasants poor, hard life, 35

The Medieval Church• Church was the center of towns and

lives• Cannon Law – churches laws• Monastery – school, copied

manuscripts, hospital• Papal Supremacy – Pope had more

power than kings• Persecuted Jews – Anti-Semitism

Medieval Economy• Iron plows, horse harnesses –

agriculture• 3 Field system – corn, wheat, fallow =

more food• New trade routes – India and China• Barter rather than money• Guilds – group of same kind of artisans

– Set prices, recipes, hours– Apprentice, Journeyman, Master

High Middle Ages• Royal families ruled England and France• Kings conflicted with church over power• Magna Carta – nobles forced King John

to sign• King is not exempt from laws• Parliament established

The Crusades

• “God wills it”• 200 years• Take back Jerusalem from Muslims• Rape, pillage, kill along way – got

rich• Economic expansion and grew

churches power

Into the Darkness• The Black Death

– Rats, fleas spread Bubonic Plague– Spread thru Europe via trade– 25 million people died– No workers, blamed Jews & witches,

inflation – 100 years• Church Upheaval

– Popes lived rich lives– Church accused of corruption

• Hundred Years’ War– England vs. France in 1337 to 1453– Joan of Arc and Longbow

Muslim Civilization

• Prophet Muhammad had vision = Islam

• Muslim Civilization was very advanced

• Art, architecture and literature was distinct

Mongols

• Genghiz Khan crossed Persia• Burned and looted• Converted to Islam• Nomadic people• Golden Horde attacked Russia in

1236• Ruled Russia for 240 years• Fierce conquerors but tolerant

rulers

Silk Road

• International trade network• Roads built by Chinese emperor Wu

Di• 4000 miles from China to Middle

East• Towns along the road provided

markets and lodging