Unit I: Beginning to the Early Modern World

Class Notes

World History

Lesson 1 Objectives:

Students will be able to:
Explain the goals of the course;
Describe the expectations established by the instructor;
Explain the course methodology that will be used throughout the semester;
Describe how scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, and scholars study the prehistoric past;
Explain the differences between early human groups;
Describe life for early humans during the Paleolithic Age;
Describe human changes that took place during the Neolithic Revolution;
Explain where and why civilizations developed as a result of the Neolithic Revolution; and
Describe the six characteristics of civilizations.

Evidence of the Past

How do we learn about prehistoric early humans?
Prehistory- time before writing.
Archaeology- study of past societies through analysis of artifacts, or objects that people left behind.
Artifacts include tools, weapons, art, and even buildings.
Anthropology- study of human life and culture.
Culture includes what people wear, how they organize their society, and what they value.
Anthropologists also study artifacts and human fossils (rocklike remains of biological organisms).
Scientific method- used by archaeologists & anthropologists to carry out their work. They excavate, methodically dig up, and examine fossils and artifacts in order to learn about ancient peoples and how they lived.
Dating artifacts and fossils:
0 to 50,000 years old- radiocarbon dating (carbon C-14 levels are measured, which gradually dissipate over time).
0 to 200,000 years old- thermoluminescence (which measures the light given off by electrons trapped in the soil surrounding fossils and artifacts).
0 to millions of years old- DNA analysis if DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is present.

Early Humans

Hominids: humanlike creatures that walked upright. Earliest hominids- Africa 4 million years ago.
Australopithecus “southern apes,” common ancestor of several types of early humans lived about 3.5 million years ago. In 1974, “Lucy” discovered in Ethiopia- no tools, small brain, but walked on two feet.
Homo habilis “handy human,” lived 2.5 million to 1.6 million years ago, had a larger brain, and used tools.
Homo erectus“upright human,” lived 1.8 million to 100,000 years ago, walked on two legs, arms and legs in modern human proportions. Found in Asia, indicating that Homo erectus was first hominid to leave Africa.
Homo sapiens“wise human,” about 200,000 years ago. More developed brains and mastered fire. Two types of early humans came from Homo sapiens:
Neanderthals: 100,000 B.C. to 30,000 B.C. in Europe and Turkey, used stone tools, made animal skin clothes, and buried their dead.
Homo sapiens sapiens: first in Africa 200,000 years ago and began migrating out of Africa 100,000 years ago, replacing earlier hominids (“out-of-Africa” theory). By 30,000 B.C. replaced Neanderthals (probably out of conflicts).
Homo sapiens sapiens spread all over the globe. Though it took thousands of years, today all humans belong to this subgroup.

Paleolithic Age

Paleolithic Age (“Stone Age”)- early period of human history (2,500,000 B.C. to 10,000 B.C.) in which humans used basic tools.
Characteristics of the Paleolithic Age:
Nomadic hunting & gathering (hunting animals, fishing, and gathering nuts, berries, wild grains, & plants);
Stone tools (axes, spear heads, bows and arrows, fish hooks, harpoons, scraping and cutting tools, & needles);
Men hunted and women gathered edibles and stayed near the camp with children;
Caves or simple structures with wooden poles and animal hides; and
500,000 years ago- used fire (friction fires and later wood drills) for heat, light, safety, and cooking.
Early humans survived the Ice Age (100,000 B.C. to 8000 B.C.) using fires and protective shelters.
Early Human Cave Art:
Art was a communication tool.
Discoveries: 1879 Altamira, Spain; 1940 Lascaux, France; and 1994 Chauvet, France.
Most cave paintings relate to animals- religious rituals to bring good luck in hunting.

Quick Check

Groups A & C: Make a list of the physical & anatomical changes early humans experienced over time.
Groups B & D: Make a list of the key characteristics and behaviors of early humans in the Paleolithic Age that distinguished them from humans in other ages.

Neolithic Age

Neolithic Age- end of the last Ice Age around 8000 B.C. to 4000 B.C. in which humans underwent a revolution (the Neolithic Revolution)- shifting from hunting and gathering to systematic agriculture.
Systematic agriculture- keeping of animals and growing of food- regular basis.
Domestication of animals- adapting animals for human use (meat, milk, & wool).
Sedentary lifestyle- because of a consistent source of food humans settled down instead of remaining nomadic.
Agricultural societies developed around the world in the Neolithic Age.
8000 B.C. to 5000 B.C.- Southwest Asia
6000 B.C.- Nile Valley of Egypt;
6000 B.C.- Central Africa;
7000 B.C. to 5000 B.C.- India;
5000 B.C.- Southeast Asia and Southern China;
6000 B.C.- Northern China; and
7000 B.C. to 5000 B.C.- Mesoamerica (present-day Mexico and Central America) people grew beans, squash, and maize (corn) (the “three sisters”).
Neolithic Farming Villages with specialization of labor. Not everyone needed to produce food. Artisans (skilled workers who made goods to trade) bartered or exchanged goods with neighboring villages.

Effects of the Neolithic Revolution

Settlements:
Villages and towns with protective walls and storehouses for food and goods.
Surplus goods encouraged trade and artisans developed specialized tools.
Gender roles:
Men were dominant and worked outside of the home, farming, herding, and protecting the community.
Women cared for children and wove cloth near the home.
Metal: discovered around 4000 B.C.- some rocks contain metal and when heated to high temperatures it turns to liquid and can be molded.
Bronze Age & Iron Age:
Bronze Age3000 B.C. to 1200 B.C.- bronze into tools;
Iron Age after 1000 B.C.- iron into tools.
Increased wealth led to the development of great cities in the river valleys of Egypt, China, India, and Mesopotamia.
Civilization Emerges:
Cultures (ways of life) became more complex and civilizations developed.
Civilizations are complex cultures with the 6 basic characteristics: (1) Cities; (2) Government; (3) Religion; (4) Social Structure; (5) Writing and; (6) Art.

Quick Check

Groups 1 & 3: Make a list of the ways that human behavior changed in the Neolithic Age that distinguished them from earlier ages.
Groups 2 & 4: Make a list of the areas where civilizations developed during the Neolithic Revolution. Explain why.

Problem 1. Civilization

“Civilization,” National Geographic (January 21, 2011).

What are the key characteristics of civilizations?
What conditions allowed for civilizations to develop?
What are some of the reasons why civilizations have failed? Give one example to illustrate your point.

Lesson 2 Objectives

Students will be able to:
Explain the geography of Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt and why the civilizations existed where they did;
Describe life in Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt;
Describe the three kingdoms of Ancient Egypt;
Explain what happened to Egypt after the fall of the “new kingdom”;
Describe the rise to power of the “new” civilizations of the Indo-Europeans, the Phoenicians, Israelites, Assyrians, and Persians;
Describe the social life and the achievements of the “new” civilizations;
Explain the rise to power of the Indus Civilization and its achievements;
Explain how the Aryans influenced the Indus Civilization;
Explain the basic beliefs of the Hindu religion and the teachings of Buddhism;
Describe life and the major achievements of the Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties in China; and
Explain the basic principles of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia- birthplace of civilization, located between the Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys at the eastern end of the Fertile Crescent (the fertile arc from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf). Little rain but soil was fertile due to silt from the periodic flooding the rivers.
Sumerian Civilization:
Religion- polytheistic- over 300 gods.
Sumerian City-States- walled cities like Eridu, Ur, and Uruk.
Political Rulers- theocracy (government ruled by religious) priests and priestesses; in Sumer also Kings.
Economy- farmingbut trade and industry existed in Sumer but trade and industry also developed. The invention of wheels in 3,000 B.C. made transportation easier.
Social Structure- nobles, commoners (90% farmers), and slaves. It was a patriarchal (male-dominated) society.
Writing- around 3000 B.C.- developed a cuneiform system of writing (reed stylus made wedge-shaped impressions on clay tablets). Select young boys were trained to be scribes (became leaders).
Technology- wagon wheel, potter’s wheel, sundial, metal works, and advances in math, astronomy, & geometry.
Other Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia: Akkad & Babylon (Hammurabi’s Code: “an eye for an eye.”)

Egypt

Egyptian Civilization- along the Nile River (world’s longest river); annual flooding (“miracle”) left silt that fertilized the river valley.
Religion- polytheistic with a number of gods associated with heavenly bodies and natural forces. The sun god “Re” was the most important. Osiris became a symbol of the afterlife.
Mummificationpreserved the physical body.
Political- absolute king was called a pharaoh and was divine.
Egypt’s three periods:
(1) Old Kingdom- King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom (2700 B.C. to 2200 B.C.) of prosperity and splendor. This is when they built the pyramids (largestat Giza). They also created the Great Sphinx(body of a lion with a human head) at Giza.
(2) Middle Kingdom- period of expansion and strength with fortresses to protect the frontier (2055B.C. to 1650 B.C.) In 1650 B.C. the Hyksos from western Asia conquered Egypt.
(3) New Kingdom- massive wealth came to Egypt and pharaohs built many temples. (1550 B.C. to 1070 B.C.)
Pharaoh Akhenaten- worship of the sun disk god “Aten.” After his death, the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamen, restored the old gods.
Pharaoh Ramses II- conquered new lands.
After 1070 B.C. Egypt was ruled by various other groups for a thousand years: Libyans, Nubians, Persians, & Macedonians (led by Alexander the Great).
First century B.C.- Egypt ended up a province of Rome.

Life in Ancient Egypt

Life in Ancient Egypt was highly structured.
Social structure- small upper class (pharaoh and nobles), large lower class of peasants and a small middle class.
Egyptian goods- well-built and beautiful stone dishes, wooden furniture, painted boxes, gold, silver, and copper tools and containers, paper and rope made of papyrus, and linen clothing.
Arranged monogamous marriages (girls around 12 and boys at 14). A man could take another wife if his first was childless.
Gender roles- husband was the master but wives were respected (in charge of the household and education but restricted from many public offices).
Writing- hieroglyphics (“priest-carvings” or “sacred writings”), often found on temple walls and in tombs. Hieratic script- used for business, record keeping, and the general needs of daily life. Early writing- in stone but later writing on rolls of papyrus.
Discipline- the Egyptians were strict with their children and discipline included beatings.
Art- artists and sculptors were expected to follow particular formulas in style.
Science- advances in mathematics, anatomy, medicine, embalming the dead, and 365-day calendar.

Quick Check

Groups A & C: Make a list of the similarities between the Mesopotamian civilization and the Ancient Egyptian civilization.
Groups B & D: Make a list of the differences between the Mesopotamian civilization and the Ancient Egyptian civilization.

New Civilizations

Indo-Europeans: nomadic group from the steppe region in Southwest Asia- in 2000 B.C. spread into Europe, India, Asia.
Phoenicians:
Area near Palestine that developed a trade empire: purple dye, glass, lumber, and ships and were expert sailors. Created a 22 letter alphabet that was adopted by the Greeks, Romans, and us.
Israelites:
Minor group- religion influencedChristianity and Islam. History found in the Torah. Descendants of patriarch Abrahamand their ancestors migrated from Mesopotamia to Canaan and life based on grazing of animals.
Led out of slavery by Moses, Israelites moved to Canaan and King David came to power, making Jerusalem the capital. His son, King Solomon, known for his wisdom, expanded trade and built a temple in Jerusalem.
Judaism- monotheistic religion (one God) and based on the Ten Commandments and God’s covenant to protect the Jews. Jews would not accept the gods of neighbors, creating early feelings of hostility towards them.
Assyrians:
Empire in Mesopotamia, Iran, Asia Minor, Syria, Israel, and Egypt by 700 B.C. known for its communication system (series of posts with horse riders).
Persians:
In 539 B.C. the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar fell to the Persian Empire. The Persians were a nomadic Indo-European group that eventually settled in Iran and stretched from Asia Minor to India. Monotheistic Persian religion was called Zoroastrianism, considered the “true religion” & based on Prophet Zoroaster.

Indus Civilization

Indus Civilization- 3000 B.C. to 1500 B.C. civilization in Indus River Valley with people called Dravidians.
Two important cities- Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, each with 35,000 people and buildings of mud bricks, courtyards, & sewage systems.
Political rulers- rajas (princes) were considered divine and wielded absolute power
Economy- farming with irrigation systems on the Ganges River, but trade was also important.
Aryans (Indo-European warrior nomadic group) changed the Indus people and introduced Sanskrit writing.
Socially- extended families (dominated by eldest male) lived together. Arranged marriages and girls’ parents paid dowries to husbands. Men took second wives if the first was childless. Upon the death of their husbands, women were expected to throw themselves onto a large fire and burn alive along with his corpse in the ritual of suttee.
Social class structure- four Varnas (social groups) from highest to lowest: (1) Brahmins (priests), (2) Kshatriyas (warriors), (3) Vaisyas (merchant or farmer commoners), and (4) Sundras (peasants or servants).
Religions of India-
Hinduism- originating with the Aryans, Hindus believed in a single force of reality in the universe, called Brahman. People would try to know this ultimate reality and merge with it upon death. Yoga and meditation were used so people could try to unite with Brahman. Hinduism came to have a number of human-like gods: Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer). Believed in reincarnation(rebirth in a different form) and karma(force generated based on a person’s actions in life determined how they would be reborn).
Buddhism- founded by Siddhartha Gautama (known as “Buddha” or “Enlightened One”), who came from the Himalayan foothills (Nepal). Buddhism- people struggle to lead a simple lives and find wisdom in order to achieve nirvana (ultimate reality) based on deeds in life. Many consider Buddhism a philosophy- Buddha was not to be worshipped.

Quick Check

Groups 1 & 3: List the most notable achievement for each of the following civilizations.
1. Phoenician
2. Israelite
3. Assyrian
4. Persian
5. Indus
Groups 2 & 4: List the similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism. Explain whether or not the two are compatible.

Ancient China

Ancient Chinese Civilization- along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers under the Xia Dynasty from 2000 B.C. to 1750 B.C. and later the Shang Dynasty from 1750 B.C. to 1045 B.C.
Shang Dynasty- 1750 B.C. farming civilization, obsessed with war, and known for mastery of bronze casting.
Powerful kings, aristocracy, huge city walls for protection, royal palaces, and elaborate tombs. Majority were farming peasants.
Priests interpreted “oracle bone” cracks. They believed in an afterlife and engaged in “ancestor worship.”
Zhou Dynasty- conquered the Shang Dynasty in 1045 B.C. and ruled until 256 B.C. but continued many of the practices of the Shang Dynasty.
The Zhou Dynasty claimed it had the “Mandate of Heaven,” that nature was kept in order through the king. The king, in turn, had to be kind to his people and rule according to the “proper way” called the Dao. A famine or earthquake, for example, gave the people the “right of revolution.”
After 800-years- Zhou Dynasty ended after a bloody civil war and period of “warring states” (iron weapons & crossbows).
System similar to European feudalism in land ownership, use, and protection. The family (led by elder male) was sacred.
Achievements: irrigation, steel plows, silk trade, and written Chinese language (pictograph where symbols represented words).
Confucianism- Confucius, known as the first teacher, was a political and ethical philosopher (not spiritual) who recorded his sayings in the Analects. Confucius said there was order in the universe when humans acted in harmony with the universe and one another. People were expected to work hard, improve life, practice the “way,” and subordinate their own desires for the good of the family and community.
Daoism- system of ideas based on the teachings of Laozi (the “Old Master”). The basic ideas were straightforward but the best way to follow the will of Heaven is through inaction, not interfering with the natural order.
Legalism- philosophy that humans were evil by nature and needed a strong ruler, harsh laws, and punishments.

Rise & Fall of Chinese Empires

Qin Dynasty- under Qin Shihuangdi China was united until his death in 210 B.C., and civil war resumed.
Qin set a single monetary system, legalism, a system of roads, a series of canals, and a great army that expanded China.
His burial tomb included a vast terra-cotta army of more than 6,000 soldiers.
Great Wall of China- concerned with raiding nomads, Qin Dynasty built the original segments of Great Wall of China for defense.
Anyone who opposed the regime was executed and it censored speech, had harsh taxes, and forced labor.
Politically- was divided into three parts: civil, military, & censorate (inspectors who oversaw government).
Han Dynasty- in 202 B.C. Liu Pang (peasant origins) took control of China.
Han emperor abolished the Qin Dynasty’s harsh policies and legalism and instead adopted Confucian principles.
Population increased to 60-million and government jobs were given based on merit. Han emperors expanded China.
Life was not easy for peasant farmers, who had little land and completed one month per year of forced labor.
Technology- improvements in textile manufacturing, water and windmills for grinding grain, and iron casting. Iron casting led to the development of steel. Paper was developed and ships with rudders led to increased trade.
Eventually peasants rebelled against wealthy nobles who demanded peasant labor. By 220 A.D. the empire was destroyed and the next dynasty would not rise for more than 400-years.

Quick Check