Studied by 7 people
Innovation VS Invention
Innovation is an upgrade of an existing object
Invention is an entirely new object
Magnitude
The importance of the event or change
Scope
How wide the effect spread
Duration
How long the effects are experienced by society
Australopthecine
-Appeared 4 million years ago
-Found in SOUTHERN and EAST Africa
-First human-like creature
-Could walk upright (Helped with traveling, carrying food, children)
-Had developed the opposable thumb, making manipulation of small objects and tools easier
Homo Habilis
-2.5 million years ago
-Found in EAST Africa
-Name means “man of skill”
-First to make stone tools from lava rock to cut meat and break bone
Homo Erectus
-1.6 million years ago
-Found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. First hominids to migrate from Africa
-Name means “upright man”
-May have been a more intelligent species than homo habilis (Spoken language)
-Developed technology (Ways of applying knowledge, tools and inventions to meet needs)
-Became skillful hunters creating tools for digging, scraping and cutting
-First to use fire
Archaic Humans (Homo sapiens)
-Homo erectus developed into homo sapiens
-Name means “wise man” and is the name for the branch of hominid which would later develop into modern humans
-Includes homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals (Migrated out of Africa approximately 350,000 years ago and evolved into Neanderthals in Europe)
-Physically similar to homo erectus, but with larger brains
Neanderthals
-200,000 to 30,000 BCE
-Found in Europe and Southwest Asia
-First to have ritual burials and religious beliefs
-Powerfully built (slanted brow, muscles, thick bone)
-Lived in caves or temporary shelters to survive harsh Ice Age conditions
Early Modern Humans (Cro-Magnon)
-Homo heidelbergensis that remained in Africa evolved into anatomically modern humans around 200,000 BP. These new homo sapiens would migrate to Europe and Asia as recently as 60,000-40,000BP
-Skeletal remains show Early Modern Humans are identical to modern humans
-Made specialized tools for planned hunts
-Studied animal habits and stalked prey
-Superior hunting made survival easier
-Continued development of language and cooperation, giving advantages over Neanderthals, who would soon become extinct
-Created cave paintings, musical instruments, jewelry
Tools for survival
-Stone Bone and wood were used to create more than 100 different tools
-Early Modern Humans increased their food supply by developing new, specialized tools to make hunting more efficient (Spears, knives, fish hooks, harpoons, bone needles and chisels)
Neolithic Revolution- Beginnings of Agriculture
In 8000 BCE, humans discovered if they scattered seeds in some locations and returned the next season, new crops would be growing there. The discovery of farming and agriculture meant people could now produce their own food.
Neolithic Revolution- Causes of the First Agricultural Revolution
It is unclear why people in different regions began agriculture around the same time, however a change in climate is thought to be a key factor
-Increasing temperature provided longer growing seasons and made soil more productive
-Supplies of grain resulted in a population boom due to the steady supply of food it offered.
Neolithic Revolution- Early Farming Methods (Slash and burn)
Slash and Burn: was used by some groups to increase farming yields
-Vegetation was cut and burned to clear fields
-Ashes Increased fertility soil
-Crops were planted for 1-2 years then rotated to another piece of land
-After a few years they would return to the initial site and repeat the process
Neolithic Revolution- Early Farming Methods (Domestication)
Domestication: Involves the taming of animals like horses, dogs, goats and pigs
-May have developed from driving herds of animals into natural enclosures
-Man-made enclosures would make taming easier
-Provided steady source of protein, but increased spread of disease
Neolithic Revolution- Agriculture Spreads
Jarmo, located near the Zagros Mountains in Northeast Iraq, is said to be the birthplace of agriculture
-Agricultural settlement from 9,000 years ago
-Wheat, barley, goats, pigs, sheep, horses
Within a few thousand years, people in many other regions, especially in fertile river valleys, turned to farming
-Africa (Nile river) had wheat and barley
-China (Hung He river) had millet and wild rice
-Mexico and Central America had corn, beans and squash
Why is Catal Huyuk the best example of a Neolithic village?
A fully settled agricultural existence was established there
Why and How Agriculture caused a change
People started dwelling in larger, more organized communities, such as farming villages and towns. Some of these settlements gradually emerged a more complex way of life- Civilization.
The change from nomadic hunting-gathering way of life to settled village life took a long time. Likewise, the change from village life to city life was a gradual process that spanned several generations
Social Changes of Agriculture
A more complex and prosperous economy affected the social structure of village life
-Social classes with varying wealth, power and influence began to emerge
-Slavery would develop as some people controlled land and work
Religion becomes more organized
-Farming peoples worshiped the many gods and goddesses who the believed had power over the rain, wind and other forces of nature
Economic Changes of Agriculture
-Ancient people build irrigation systems to increase food production
-Food surpluses free some people to develop new skills and jobs
-Craftspeople make cloth, and other objects; traders profit from exchange of goods
-Invention of wheel and sail enable traders to travel longer distances
How civilization develops- Advanced cities
The Sumerians lived in large population centers(cities). Historians believe these cities had up to 50,000 people and were centers of trade and goods production
These cities were regional hubs, with people from the wider area travelling to and from them to get the goods and services they required
How civilization develops- Specialized workers
As food production from farms became more efficient through irrigation(supplying water to land), fewer people were needed in agriculture. This freed up people to develop skills in other areas that would improve peoples lives
-Clothing become more elaborate and for style rather than just warmth
-Metals were used to create better tools and weapons
-Pottery was produced to hold grain, wine, or other materials
-Merchants developed as people who would exchange one good for another
How civilization develops- Complex institutions
Government: As cities grew larger, it became hard for communities to make decisions with the input of everyone. People in respected positions, or who had influence, would take control and make decisions for the large group
Organized Religion: Those people in the community who specialized in religion and worshipped the gods would take on influential roles as priests and religious leaders. They guided the spiritual lives of cities and led ceremonies, rituals, and other important events from the temple or ziggurat
How civilization develops- Record keeping
Around 3,000BCE, the Sumerians developed the world’s first writing system
Cuneiform was based on wedge-shaped symbols that were cut into clay slabs The slabs were heated to form solid tablets. Scribes were people specially trained to use cuneiform to write down important information
In the beginning, record keeping was used to record trade transactions and keep track of tax collection
Eventually, it became important as a way of writing down major events that affected a city-state, contributing to education systems, and allowing people to write down stories and develop literature
How civilization develops- Improved technology
The city-state of Suer deeloped technology tht was beyond that of Neolithic towns that came before them
-Irrigation systems to improve agriculture
-Using animals like oxen to pull early plows and improve farming
-The potter’s wheel was used to create clay jugs, plates, and bowls
-Bronze was developed and used to create tools and weapons that were sharper and lighter than stone
Innovations- Transportation
After 1100BCE the Phoenicians emerged to dominate trade in and around the eastern Mediterranean
Phoenicia was located in a great spot for trade because it lay along well-traveled routes between Egypt and Asia
The Phoenicians became expert sailors and went looking for opportunities to increase their wealth
Phoenicians developed a reputation for being remarkable shipbuilders and seafarers
They explored and colonized areas in and around the Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, and even Britain
The Phoenicians established a range of colonies or settlements around the Mediterranean, which would serve as ports of trade. Trade would spread products, aspects of culture, and ideas from one place to another
Historians call them the “Carriers of civilization” because they spread Middle East civilization around the Mediterranean
The Phoenicians established a range of colonies or settlements around the Mediterranean, which would serve as ports of trade. Trade would spread products, aspects of culture, and ideas from one place to another
Innovations- Transportation pt2
Phoenicians became known for finely crafted bronze and silver goods, as well as glass. These goods and aspects spread throughout the southwestern Mediterranean as a result of their travel
An amphora was a ceramic vase used to carry such goods as olive oil, grapes, wine, or grain. They were commonly used for marine trade, hence their usefulness to the Phoenicians
The superior design of their ail boats made trade safer and more effective
A few innovations in shipbuilding made the gauloi well-designed for marine trade
-Boats were built to be wide with a round bottom, providing more storage space. They also had strong sails and oars for efficient travel
-Wicker fences along the outer edge of the deck prevented goods from falling overboard
-Cedar logs, a valuable trade item, was towed behind the boat to save cargo space
-The Phoenicians needed a way of recording transactions so they developed a phonetic alphabet
Innovations-Roman Aqueducts (infrastructure)
The Romans could not have build cities as big as they did without aqueducts
With water from aqueducts, the Romans could have baths, fountains, and drinking water.
The cities would not have clean sewers
With a population of 1 million at its peak, local rivers, wells, and springs would have become contaminated very easily. All major cities need a reliable source of water
Innovations- Stirrups (Warfare)
Before stirrups, horses had two functions in battle, pulling chariots or serving as light cavalry to chase down fleeing enemy soldiers.
Originating in central Asia around 1000BCE, the stirrup innovation created the mounted horseman, which would dominate the battlefield for the next 2000 years
The stirrup allowed the horseman to travel faster over greater distances while carrying weapons such as spears, swords, or shields
Between 600 and 700CE, warriors from today’s Russia introduced the stirrup to Europe
A new fighting system formed from mounted horsemen. This system was co-dependent on the economic structure of the society. The result was medieval mounted knights and feudalism.
-The stirrup gave mounted horse warriors greater effectiveness and importance in warfare, which would be reflected in their social position
Innovations- Printing Press (Communications)
Before the printing press, all books had to be made and copied by hand, the labor that went into creating them made each book very expensive.
In 1452 when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, books became less expensive and more people could afford reading material
Changes in people's lives
-Printing made information widely available
-Illiterate people benefit by having books to read to them in their own language
-Published accounts of maps and charts lead to more discoveries
-Published legal proceedings and documents makes rights clearer to people
-Increases literacy led to greater rates of education and the eventual challenging of the established order and existing ideas
-Political structures and religious practices are questioned
Innovations- Smallpox vaccine (Healthcare)
Smallpox is a viral infection and is highly contagious. It forms blisters on the body and lasts about 12 days- at which point the patient would have died or survived. Smallpox had been caused by the domestication of animals, it was one of the many diseases that crossed over to humans
As many as 300-500 million people died from smallpox
Edward Jenner
Edward Jenner was an English country doctor in the late 1700s. In 1788, a smallpox epidemic occurred where Jenner practiced medicine, he had noticed that the cattle farmers were not the ones dying from the disease. He theorized that Cow Pox (a mild version of smallpox) was protecting the farmers
Jenner then extracted cowpox fluid and exposed a local boy who developed cowpox. Jenner then exposed the boy to smallpox, and the boy remained healthy.
This breakthrough led to the advent of modern-day vaccines
Innovations- Steam Engine (Energy)
Before the industrial Revolution, wind, water, tide and muscle- both animal and human- provided sources of energy. Neither caused pollution.
The use of coal, which can be burned to create steam power, dramatically changed the nature of work. It was 2-3 times more effective than burning wood. In the 1700s, in Britain, vast coal deposits were known to exist and new technology was developed to collect this resource. The steam engine was developed to help miners access coal deeper in the ground
James Watt created a more efficient steam engine that burned less coal. This was also first used in mining industries, however others would use steam engines to power factories, boats and trains.
This dramatically increased production in many areas as well as greatly reduced travel times by land and sea
