Honors World History Lap 1 Study Guide

Latest hominids of the OSA

Homo sapiens and Neanderthals

Two biological adaptations made in the OSA

• using the opposable thumb

• walking upright

Two technological achievements to adapt to their environment in the OSA

• control of fire: provided warmth, cooked food, and frightened away wild animals

• stone tools: used for digging, scrapping, and cutting

Four benefits of controlling fire

• warmth

• light

• cooking

• defense

Cultural achievements of the OSA

• art (drawings + cave art)

• rituals (religion + burial w/ grave goods)

Why do we believe Neanderthals were the first hominids to have religion?

They performed rituals and a burial with grave goods because they believed in an afterlife.

Type of hominids modern people are today

homo sapiens sapiens

What historical period began with the Agricultural Revolution and when?

Neolithic Revolution around 8000 BC.

How did increased food production lead to the beginning of civilizations?

Food production led to more variety of foods and protein, which increased the population and their lifespan. People built more settlements and began specialized labor.

Where did the earliest civilizations begin?

The earliest civilizations began in Mesopotamia, in the fertile crescent area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. (around 3500 BC)

What were the 1st four civilizations?

• Mesopotamia (3500 BC)

• Egypt (3000 BC)

• India (2500 BC)

• China (2500 BC)

List four benefits for civilizations in river valleys

Easy access to water for drinking, fertile soil, irrigation, and trade.

Three early city states of ancient Sumer

• Ur

• Umma

• Uruk

What ways did Sumerians fit the characteristics of civilization?

P- city-states

E- agriculture and trade

R- polytheism

S- clear social division

I- calendars, number systems

A- cuneiform, Epic of Gilgames

How did Sumerians solve the problems of few resources, flooding, and no barriers?

• floodwater: dig irrigation ditches for their fields

• no barriers: defense, they built city walls

• few resources: traded their few resources in exchange for raw materials

What is the oldest example of literature we’ve found, so far?

Epic of Gilgamesh

List four scientific/technological inventions of the Sumerians

• wheel

• calendars

• math 60

• arches

Who established the first empire and how?

By taking control of both northern and southern Mesopotamia, Sargon created the world’s first empire. (Akkadian Empire)

What is the purpose of Hammurabi’s Law code and why is it important to us today?

Hammurabi’s Law code was a tool used to unify his empire and allowed everyone to know the rules. Today, the laws tell us a lot about the Mesopotamian’s beliefs and what they valued.

What is the phrase that is most associated with Hammurabi’s Law code?

“An eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth.”

Name two founders of Judaism and their roles

Abraham: migrated from Ur to Canaan

Moses: lead Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land

List four religious contributions of the Hebrews to us today

P- tribes + kingdoms

R- Yahweh (10 commandments)

I- temple

A- Torah

What is the greatest contribution of the Phoenicians to us today and why is it important?

The Phoenicians developed the alphabet which was an enormous contribution to the world because learning was now accessible to more people.

What are the capitals/locations of the Assyrians and the Persians?

Assyria’s capital: Nineveh along the Tigris River

Persia’s capital: Persepolis in modern day Iran

List strategies and technologies used by the Assyrians to gain their empire

• ironworking technology for armory + weapons

• well-organized administration

• floating structure

• military organization

What is the Assyrians main cultural contribution to us today?

The Assyrians held one of the ancient world’s largest libraries, which included the Epic of Gilgamesh and provided historians with information about the earliest civilizations in Southwest Asia.

Which early empire was the largest in Mesopotamia and how big?

The Persian empire expanded from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf.

What ways did the Persians unite their empire/develop trade?

• Royal Road was an excellent system of roads that helped with communication and trade.

• Manufacturing metal coins made it easier for Persians to pay for their goods.

Paleolithic

earlier and longer prehistoric period (2.5 million to 800 BC) OSA

Neolithic

the NSA lasting from about 8000 BC to 3000 BC

Hominids

walking upright human creatures

Agricultural Revolution

the shift from food gathering to food production

Nomads

people who moved from place to place in search of food

artisans

skilled workers who make handmade goods

animal domestication

the taming of animals

Cro-Magnons

prehistoric hunter-gatherers

Fertile Crescent

a curved shape region in Southwest Asia; provided best farming

Polytheism

the belief in more than one god

city-state

a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit

cuneiform

a writing system meaning “wedge-shaped”

ziggurat

pyramid-shaped monument meaning '“mountain of gold”

cultural diffusion

the process in which a new idea or product spreads from one culture to another

satraps

a governor that ruled a province

Contrast characteristics of hunter-gatherer sites with agricultural sites

Hunter gatherers- gathered food, small groups, nomads, temporary settlements

Agricultural- food production, population growth, farming methods, permanent settlements

Cause and Effect: relate climate change and the Agricultural Revolution

After the Ice Age, the Earth got warmer and large animals died, so people needed to supplement their diets.

Cause and Effect: 3 immediate results of the Agricultural Revolution

• more variety of food + protein

• permanent settlements

• specialized labor

Contrast characteristics of the Stone Ages and civilization (P-E-R-S-I-A)

People that lived during the Stone Ages were hunter-gatherers that used stone tools and lived in temporary settlement. On the other hand, civilizations developed agriculture, built permanent settlements, and began specialized labor.

Relate the Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, and Sumer

Sumer was the earliest civilization to establish themselves in Mesopotamia which is part of the Fertile Crescent.

Contrast Hammurabi’s code with modern laws

Hammurabi’s Code of Law is different from our laws today because punishments varied by class. Today, everyone gets the same punishment if a crime is committed.

Contrast the ways the Hebrews were governed with the Phoenicians

Phoenicians founded a number of wealthy city-states around the Mediterranean. Hebrews followed the Ten Commandments, a code of law.

Relate the Phoenician economy (how/what) and colonization

Phoenicians traded good they got from other lands, such as wine, metal, glass, and ivory. Phoenicians built colonies along the northern coast of Africa to expand their trade and grow their economy.

Contrast Assyrian government/control of its empire with the Persians

The Assyrians relied on their advanced military, deportations, and harsh rules, while the Persians governed with tolerance, stability, and a well-organized empire.