unit 1

paleolithic era (4)

• stone tools

• hunters and gatherers

• egalitarian

• small communities

neolithic era (4)

• domestication, farming + agriculture

• settled big tg near rivers

• consistent food

• ez disease

what led to specialization of labor and how

agricultural surplus allowed people to do stuff other than farming

how did women’s status change from paleo to neo

less egalitarian; men worked hard outside, women had domestic childrearing duties

pastoral vs agricultural

1. nomadic herding of animals grazing on land, egalitarian

2. domestication of crops, less egalitarian

Mesopotamia location

between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and on the Iranian plate in modern day Iraq

Egypt location

Nile River, surrounded by desert and borders Mediterranean, Red Sea

Indus Valley location

modern day Pakistan

Early China location

Yellow River Valley → Yangtze → Korean Peninsula

Norte Chico location

central coast of Peru near Caral-Supe River valley

Oxus

Central Asia, Amu Darya River Valley, north Afghanistan/South Turkmenistan

overall order of ancient civilizations

1) Mesopotamia/Egypt 2) The Americas 3) China / Indus Valley

compare the defense of mesopotamia and egypt (2)

1. prone to invasion, rural to urban migration, no natural defense low flatland

2. desert + Mediterranean and Red Sea natural barrier, plenty of rural villages

compare the rivers of and their effects on mesopotamia and egypt (3)

1. tigris and euphrates unstable → flooding and drought, pessimistic, insecure food → unsustainable, intrusive practices causing soil salinization

2. nile very stable → good harvests regularly → optimistic → sustainable agriculture

compare governments of Mesopotamia and Egypt (3)

1. priest/king to merchants/scribers to slaves; Hammurabi’s Code of laws showed favoring towards social classes, hated stealing; multiple city states with king for each

2. pharaohs to nobles to reg jobs to slaves; fundamental rules i.e. property rights; unified territorial state, longevity

compare economics of Mesopotamia and Egypt (2)

1. trade w Anatolia Egypt Indus; “free-enterprise” esque

2. wind patterns facilitated effective communication and trade; centralized govt → “command" esque

compare cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt (3)

1. women had fewer rights; complex language (1st written = cuneiform); Ziggurat temples, unpredictable Gods led to pessimism

2. women more rights (property); complex language (hieroglyphics); huge emphasis on afterlife and religion

describe Ziggurats (3)

• stores food + near religious complexes

• stepped tower of mud bricks

• Sumerian

describe Nubia (4)

• south of Egypt

• took shape as a unified territorial state

• cities were less prominent

• one central government

describe Indus River Valley (5)

• elaborately planned cities

• Common patterns: standardized weights, measure, architectural style

• No political hierarchy (palaces, temples)

• Repeated irrigation → environmental degradation

• Invented indoor plumbing

describe Early China (3)

• Xia Dynasty - Wu, organized public works projects, = strong government. Shang Shou dynasty expands it

• Zhou implemented Mandate of Heaven

• Writing & Oracle bone readings helped Chinese rulers govern

describe Norte Chico (4)

• Little rainfall

• many urban centers (caral) in the Supe River Valley

• Smaller cities

• economy based on fishing industry, no grain, pottery or writing

describe Oxus (2)

• important focal point for trade in Eurasia

• distinctive art style; chariots, hierarchy proven by types of clothes

compare the political structures of Persia and Greece (3)

1. imperial system w/ divine king, absolute monarchy; Cyrus (military), Darius (administrative); good administration placed satraps = governors in each province

2. several conflicting independent city-states i.e. Athens and Sparta; expanded via colonies; democracies and autocracies

direct democracy (Athenian democracy)

radical form of democracy w/ free males that could vote in Assembly, officeholders chosen

autocracy

govt giving absolute power to one person specifically

compare Sparta to Athens (5)

1. warlike; slavery of Helot foundation; scared surrounding states; council of Elders w/ 2 kings; men = soldiers, women = raise kids

2. direct democracy; trade/navy; egalitarian; lead coalition of greek states; embraced philosophy

compare economics of Persia and Greece (3-2)

1. Standard coins, road connected Empire (weight + purity); Royal road facilitated trade n commerce; many resources

2. focused on maritime trade; few resources

describe the culture of Persia (3)

Religion: Zoroastrianism → first monotheistic religions; ez adopt foreign customs to gain more followers; very tolerant

Hellenistic Era

period after Alexander the Goat died; Greek culture diffused to Middle East and some of Indian cities/kingdoms ruled by Alexander’s political successors

Alexander the Great

Macedonian ruler unified Greek city-states thru 10 year expedition and conquered

why did Alexander start his whole expedition

unified Greeks (Philip II) were pissed off at Persians for attacking and wanted vengeance -> unify “fractious” Greeks against a common enemy; defeated Persia ez

how did Greek culture spread in Hellenistic Era (2)

learning, architecture, language, style, assemblies, markets diffused through the establishment of “Alexander” cities throughout the empire; Greek arrogance

Greek rationalism

secularizing system of science and philosophy developed in classical Greece; human reason to understand surroundings

Socrates

first great Greek philosopher; constant questioning of conventional thinking led to his death sentence from an Athenian jury

Plato

Greek philosopher who famously sketched out a design for a good society in The Republic

Aristotle

A Greek philosopher; student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great; several contributions to many fields (written)

characteristics of cave paintings (6 7)

• oxidized iron

• left hand on wall (right to put pigment) → either Paleolithics r small or children

• ideomorphic

• mobiliary - move in packs

• hands and (domesticated?) animals

• breath, bacteria, light deteriorated work

Sumerian statuettes of worshippers (4)

• rigid big eyes of shell/limestone

• gypsum

• represents ppl eternally watching gods → unlike Egyptian statues that depict pharaohs

• holding something (offering?)

Stele with the Law Code of Hammurabi (4)

• Babylonian Stele

• Bas relief

• Depiction of Shamash giving the laws to hammurabi (laws come from god not man)

• Shamash is tall because they are at the same height even tho he’s seated

stele

stone column

Bas relief

carving/sculpting technique where designs slightly project

Ziggurat at Ur (6)

• 4 sides going up the Gods

• engineering/technological marvel 

• Not smooth (tierea), had drainage system (b/c of erosion)

• Oriented towards the North 

• Blue glazed bricks @ top tier (dedicated to moon goddess)

• 3 stairs to 2nd tier; 1 stair to 3rd tier

King Ashurbanipal Hunting Leon (5)

• bas relief

• Plaque not stele

• Palaces covered w ts

• depicted the king strength and military service 

• Hunting lions → only king does it (royalty)

Great Pyramids of Giza (3)

• millions bricks, smooth and encased in limestone

• Top = blackstone

• big leap in math n tech 3rd/4th dynasty → built(?) 4th dynasty → advancement declines 5th

Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer (3)

• from the book of dead: what happens to Egyptians in the afterlife

• Hu-Nefer = scribe (super prestigious job), hieroglyph

• story of Hu Nefer dying and getting his heart weighed against a feather -> if heavier, ur cooked

Venus de Milo (Aphrodite of Melos) (5)

• < aesthetic beauty

• realistic (heavy) proportions of human form

• one arm rested on Aries, war god

• spiral composition -> left leg right, shoulder front

• “wet fabric”

3 types of columns

• Doric capital = basic and boring column

• Ionic capital = spiral column

• Corinthian capital = super fancy vegetative(?) column

Kritios and Spear Bearer

• Kritios = rigid, left foot forward, stiff posture, solemn expression

• transition from Archaic to classical

• short -> tall

• hips uneven = contrapposto of Spear Bearer

contrapposto

• S-shape raising hip and shoulder, natural posture

Parthenon and Greek Architecture (4)

• Focus on geometry and simplicity: ex: pediment, frieze

• Traditionally, columns went all the way around

• Parthenon on top of Acropolis -> honored Athena w/ gold ivory 

• Athena temple -> Greek Orthodox church -> mosque -> ammunition -> exploded

pediment

triangular shape on top of buildings

frieze

rectangular flat cap on top of columns

Archaic Greek Sculpture characteristics

• large, rigid sculptures

• similar to Egyptian Art, learned where to find stone to carve

• “Archaic smile” = stiff uncanny upturned smile

Winged Victory of Samothrace

• Nike = Goddess of victory

• lost head and arms

• “ocean spray hitting her on a ship” 

• spiral composition -> realistic!