Global History - Beginning of Civilization

Where did modern humans originate?

Africa.

Why do we know so little about early human history?

Writing existed only for about 5,000 years.

What do archaeologists do?

Dig up places where people lived and study objects they left.

What do anthropologists do?

Study culture, art, and customs using artifacts.

Who was Mary Leakey?

Discovered hominid skull fragments in East Africa in 1959.

Who was Johanson?

Found “Lucy” in Ethiopia in 1974, a 4-foot-tall upright-walking hominid.

What are hominids?

Human-like beings that walked upright.

Who was Homo habilis?

“Handyman,” 3 million years ago, used stone tools.

Who was Homo erectus?

“Upright man,” 2–1.5 million years ago, controlled fire, skillful hunter.

Who were Homo sapiens?

“Wise man,” 200,000 years ago, made tools, learned fire, developed language.

How did hominids spread?

They adapted and moved out of Africa over hundreds of thousands of years

When did the Ice Ages start?

About 1.6 million years ago.

What happened during the Ice Ages?

Freezing periods alternated with warm periods.

How did Asia connect to North America?

The Bering Strait connected them.

Which hominid first migrated from Africa?

Homo erectus.

When did Homo sapiens migrate?

About 100,000 years ago, possibly using boats.

What groups of Homo sapiens existed?

Neanderthals and Cro-Magons.

How do we name historical ages?

By the material used, like Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age.

What is technology?

Anything humans use to make life easier.

How long did early humans live?

About 25 years; later 40 years.

What was the Paleolithic Era?

2.5 million to 10,000 years ago; humans were nomads, hunters, and gatherers.

Where did Paleolithic people live?

In caves or under rock overhangs.

What tools did early humans use?

Crude stone tools, later wood and bone, spears, nets, traps, canoes.

What did Stone Age clothing come from?

Animal skins.

What were their beliefs?

Language, art, religion, animism (belief in life after death).

What is the Neolithic Era?

New Stone Age, with polished stones and specialized tools.

What tools were used in Neolithic times?

Polished stones, chisels, drills, saws, plant fiber nets.

When did agriculture begin?

About 10,000 years ago.

Why did agriculture start?

End of Ice Age, new plants, more food supply

What is domestication?

Taming plants and animals for food and work.

What animals were domesticated first?

Dogs around 10,000 BC.

How did domestication help people?

More stable food: meat, milk, skins, wool.

What crops were grown in Asia?

Rice

What crops were grown in Africa?

Cattle.

What crops were grown in Mexico?

Corn.

What crops were grown in South America?

Potatoes.

What happened to populations after agriculture?

People settled down; population increased.

What is a nomadic pastoralist?

A person who moves with animals for food and resources.

What new technologies came with agriculture?

Animals working in fields, pottery, grindstones, pestles, wool, spinning, weaving, bronze tools.

What was Catal Huyuk?

Neolithic settlement in Turkey, 5000–6000 people, raised crops and animals, had shrines.

What was Otzi the Iceman?

5,300-year-old frozen Neolithic man, found in 1991.

What clothing did Otzi wear?

Stitched animal skins, leather shoes, grass cape, fur hat.

What tools did Otzi carry?

Quiver with arrows, ax with copper blade.

What was Otzi’s diet?

Coarse grains.

Where did Otzi likely live?

Not where he was found.

How did Otzi die?

Might have been murdered.

How did farming advances lead to cities?

Irrigation increased food, creating surplus.

What is a surplus?

Extra food.

What is specialization of labor?

People doing different jobs, like farmers, soldiers, artisans(a worker in a skilled trade).

What is a traditional economy?

Economic decisions based on customs and rituals.

What was the first known city?

Uruk, Iraq; 40,000–50,000 people.

How were cities different from villages?

Larger, more diverse, organized centers (temples, marketplaces).

What is a civilization?

Complex, organized society with cities, social classes, record keeping, art, and religion

Where did first civilizations appear?

Fertile river valleys.

What changes affected civilizations over time?

Environment, trade, cultural diffusion, expansion, warfare.

What is cultural diffusion?

Spread of ideas, language, and customs between civilizations.

Why did civilizations expand?

Conflicts over land and resources.

What were the first tools humans used?

Crude chipped stones.

What later tools were made from wood and bone?

Spears, nets, traps.

How were canoes made?

From logs

How was clothing made in the Stone Age?

From animal skins

How did Neolithic people improve tools?

Polished stones, chisels, drills, saws, specialized tools.

What was pottery used for?

Storing and cooking food.

How was wool used?

For yarn, spinning, and weaving.

What metals started being used?

Copper, bronze, tin.

How did agriculture change settlements?

People could stay in one place, forming villages and towns.

How did agriculture affect trade?

Increased trade due to surplus.

How did society become more complex?

Social status, authority, religion, and megaliths (one or several rough stones of very large size).

What new problems came with agriculture?

Warfare and disease increased.

How did irrigation help farming?

Canals and ditches linked fields to water, increasing crop production.

Why did fewer people need to farm?

Surplus food allowed people to specialize in other jobs.

What were early villages like?

Made of extended families.

How were early cities organized?

Defined centers, boundaries, temples, marketplaces.

What caused civilizations to grow?

Farming, trade, cultural diffusion, expansion, and resource needs.

What resources did early civilizations need?

Metals, stone, timber, water.

How did agriculture affect population?

Populations increased as people settled.

How did settlements form?

People gave up nomadic lifestyles.

How did religion develop?

Early humans believed in animism and later built shrines.

What is animism?

Belief that objects, animals, and nature have spirits.

How did people build shelters?

From wood, bone, and animal skins.

How did art change?

Humans created paintings, carvings, and other cultural works.

How did humans communicate?

Language developed in the Paleolithic Era.

What were megaliths used for?

Religious or ceremonial purposes.

How did trade grow?

Surplus food allowed exchange of goods.

How did warfare appear?

Conflicts over land, food, and resources.

When did Stone Age start?

Around 2.5 million years ago.

When did Bronze Age start?

Around 3000 BC in some areas.

When did Iron Age start?

After Bronze Age, when iron was used for tools.

What marks the start of recorded history?

The rise of the first civilizations and writing.

How did cities support surrounding villages?

Centers for trade and organization.

How did environmental factors affect civilizations?

Depended on farming, resources, and natural forces.

How did people move ideas and culture?

Through migration and cultural diffusion.

Why were rivers important for early civilizations?

Provided water for farming and transport.

What jobs existed in early civilizations?

Farmers, soldiers, artisans, engineers.

How was record keeping done?

Using early writing systems.

How did cities and civilizations continue to change?

Through trade, expansion, innovation, and environmental challenges.