Honors World History: Unit 1

Ancient and Classical World

Paleolithic Era

Old stone age, ended 8000 BCE, made stone tools and discovered fire, worshipped gods and had rituals/respectful funerals, nomadic

Ice Age

A time when most of the world was covered in snow and ice

Nomadic

Constantly relocating instead of staying stationary to find food; wanderers

Neolithic Era

New stone age, began 8000 BCE, caused by rising temperatures and population growth

Slash-Burn Farming

cut grasses or trees and burned them to clear field, ashes fertilized soil (CO2), plants and animals started to become domesticated

Development in Africa

Near the Nile River Valley, grew wheat, barley, and other crops

Development in China

Along Yellow River, grew rice, millet, wheat and other crops

Development in Latin America

Along various rivers, grew beans, corn, squash, and tomatoes

Civilizations in Neolithic Era

Advanced cities, specialized workers, complex institutions, record keeping, and advanced technology, trade, artisans, government/religion, taxes, laws, and development of Bronze tools

Mesopotamian Geography

In the Fertile Crescent (arable land between Tigris and Euphrates rivers), unpredictably flooded, had no natural barriers, limited natural resources

Mesopotamian Government

City States, each with its own government, Priests made major decisions in times of conflict but then military leaders took over (dynastic rule)

Mesopotamian Culture

Ziggurats (place of worship/community), Polytheistic (all gods powerful, must be kept happy), Epic of Gilgamesh, which was about life in Mesopotamia, afterlife has no return

Mesopotamian Social Structures

Kings and Priests (highes) → Slaves (lowest), POWs were sold into slavery after capture. Also, women were eligible to learn how to read and write and become priests

Mesopotamian Achievements

Wheel & Plow, Developed a number system based on 60, Arches & ramps, Cuneiform writing system

Mesopotamian Empires

Sargon of Akkad founded one first, frequently invaded by Assyrians and Persians

Hammurabi’s Code

200+ laws for Mesopotamian citizens to solve conflicts, keep law, order, and justice, and to make them exemplary. Often too harsh for simple misdemeanors and immoral acts

Ancient Egypt Geography

Developed on Nile River (Flooded regularly), Deserts serve as natural barriers, Divided into Upper/Lower Egypt

Egyptian Government

King Menes united Lower/Upper Egypt and began dynastic rule, theocracy (Gods and kings are both seen as gods, ruled in afterlife), Pyramids to honor them

Egyptian Culture

Polytheistic, afterlife existed (judgement and hearts were weighed ), wealthier were mummified; Book of the Dead consisted of hymns, prayers and magic spells

Egyptian Social Structure

Pharaohs →Government officials and priests →Everyone else (including Traders, Artisans, and Scribes) → Slaves. Literacy reflected on their social class. Wealthy women could own property and divorce

Egyptian Advancements

Hieroglyphics and pictographs, papyrus, pyramids and sphinx due to engineering feats, surgeries

Division of Egypt and Invasions

Pharaohs lose power →End of Old Kingdom →Middle Kingdom → Hyksos invaded →New Kingdom, King Tut and Ramses

Ancient Chinese Geography

Mountains and Deserts dominated most of land, Yellow River allowed for fertile soil, 10% suitable for farming

Chinese Government

Shang dynasty led by Kings and supported by warriors, Zhou dynasty used Mandate of Heaven (Gods approved of rule)

Chinese Mandate of Heaven

Dynasty exists→Becomes harsh on people →loses control of this concept →Problems (include corruption, revolutions, invasions, natural disasters) →A brand new dynasty claims this concept (by the consent of gods) →Cycle repeats

Chinese Culture

Respect of elders, ancestors, and family, Polytheism, Oracle bones (writings inscribed on bones to communicate with ancestors).

Chinese Social Structures

Old patriarchs , arrange marriages, strict divisions between nobles and peasants, feudalism (land given to nobles for loyalty), peasants were illiterate

Chinese Advancements

Use of thousands of characters in language, canals, coined money, use of iron to make weapons and tools

Decline of Ancient China

Nomads sacked capital, noble families compete for power

Qin Dynasty

221 BCE, Qin began leading attacks against states to unify China, nobles lived in capitalism and legalism, hated Confucians and their concepts, roads, writing, money, weights. Peasant labor to make wall, they rebelled and ended Qin.

Han Dynasty

Centralized Gov, securing borders, Mandate of Heaven, peasants payed taxes and labored, Civil jobs given based on passing assessments, return of Confucianism

Han Advancements

Paper, Harness, monopolize silk, Ban Zhou (Lessons for Women)

Han Dynasty’s Decline

Natural disasters, economic concerns, peasants rebelled

Chinese Dynasties

Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic of China, Mao Zedong, Xi Jinping

Ancient Indian (Harrapa and Mohenjo Daro) Geography

Indus and Ganges Rivers provide fertile soil, Himalayan Mountains and Deserts serve as barriers, Monsoons bring flooding or dry winds leading to drought

Harrapan Culture

Hundreds of symbols but indecipherable, neat grid-patterned cities, less conflict, theocracy, Early Hindu culture, Trade evidenced by seal on transactions, declined due to national disasters

Harrapan Feats

Developed accurate system of measurement, maritime trade from Central Asia →Middle East, Indus script was indecipherable, sculpture, pottery, jewlery from terra cotta, metal, and stone, Mettallurgy, handicraft using Gemstone and Carnelian

Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta Maurya reunified most of India (North, East/West to middle), Seizing land from Persia, advisors to rule w/ networks emphasizing spies. Asoka expanded and converted to Buddhism (stone pillars, stupas, Buddhist teachings), Longer roads, powerful vacuum after his death

Gupta Empire (Golden Age)

Created 7-day week, concept of 0, solar year calendar close to modern, pi, proved Earth was round. Their fall divided India into smaller Kingdoms again.

Trade in Indian Ocean

Buddhism →Mahayana (Buddha = God), Exchange of spices across Indian Ocean, Baking grew in India, SE Asian architecture was influenced by South Asian architecture

Hinduism

Origins in India (biggest), Polytheism, Karma is the sum of all your actions and their consquences, reincarnation, goal is to reach brahman, caste system (decided by what you did in your previous life), Dharma is your duty given at birth, Vedas and Upanishads

Buddhism

Origins in India, spread to China by the efforts of Ashoka, Non-Theistic, goal is to reach Nirvana, Mahayana (treat Buddha as god) or Theravana, 4 Noble Truths, Eightfold path

Judaism

Abraham, Yahweh who is the one god and savior who wants everyone to live a good life, Torah, Were prisoners in Egypt but freed by Abraham, captive by Babylonians, believe that each follower has a personal relationship with god

Daoism

Find harmony in nature in order to live a peaceful life and to stay out of conflict

Confucianism

Not a religion, focus on personal ethics and morality

Legalism

Laws and rules created to punish or reward people based on their ethics or morals, in a time where order was needed in China because humans were impulsive and made poor decisions based of subjectiveness, so they required strict laws to end such acts