History Midterm

A broad definition of 'technology'

Technology is the application of art, skill, craft, method, or system for obtaining, making, or doing something. In ancient contexts, this included tools, techniques, and systems for agriculture, writing, and construction.

Neolithic

The Neolithic, or New Stone Age, marked the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities. It involved the domestication of plants and animals.

Diversity at Origins Principle

The idea that regions with higher genetic diversity, such as Africa, are where early human populations originated and diversified.

Sedentism

The practice of living permanently in one place, which developed as people transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture during the Neolithic era.

Examples of early art

Early art includes cave paintings, carvings, and figurines, such as those found in Dolní Věstonice, which reflect early humans' symbolic thinking and cultural practices.

Benefits of fire

Fire provided warmth, protection, and a means to cook food, which allowed early humans to digest food more efficiently, manage their landscapes, and engage in social practices.

Barbarian

A term used by ancient civilizations to describe people they perceived as outsiders, often nomadic or non-literate, and considered less 'civilized.'

Dolní Věstonice

An archaeological site in the Czech Republic where evidence of early human settlement, art (like Venus figurines), and communal life predates agriculture.

Effects of domestication on animals

Domesticated animals became more docile, dependent on humans, and were selectively bred for traits like increased fertility and utility.

Effects of domestication on humans

Domestication led to more sedentary lifestyles, increased population growth, and changes in social structures, as humans became more reliant on agriculture.

River-Valley Civilizations

Early civilizations that formed along river basins (such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China), where fertile soil and irrigation allowed for agricultural surplus and urbanization.

Bronze Age

A period (~3300-1200 BCE) characterized by the widespread use of bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) for tools and weapons, fostering advances in agriculture, warfare, and state-building.

Hunter gatherers

Societies that rely on hunting, fishing, and foraging for food rather than agriculture. They lived nomadically, with a varied and often healthier diet than early agriculturalists.

Idea of a 'Dark Age'

Refers to periods, like the Mediterranean after the Bronze Age collapse, where written records and urban life significantly declined, often associated with cultural regression.

Themes in Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh explores themes like the fear of death, the search for immortality, the nature of friendship, and the role of kingship and civilization.

Uruk

One of the world’s first major cities, located in Mesopotamia. It was a center of trade, religion, and administration, and played a key role in the development of writing (cuneiform).

Steppe Nomads

Nomadic peoples from the Eurasian steppe, who interacted with settled civilizations through trade, migration, and often conflict. They played a crucial role in spreading technologies and ideas.

Cities and disease

As ancient cities grew in size and density, they became breeding grounds for disease due to poor sanitation and close human-animal contact.

Grain and taxation

Grain was a key agricultural product that was easy to store, divide, and tax, making it central to early state economies and administrative systems.

Scribes and bureaucracy

Scribes were crucial in early civilizations for maintaining records, writing laws, and facilitating administration. Bureaucracy ensured the organization and control of large states.

Ancient deforestation

The overuse of forests for agriculture, construction, and fuel led to widespread deforestation in ancient civilizations, contributing to soil erosion and ecological collapse.

Origins of Alphabet

The alphabet originated with the Phoenicians, who created a system of symbols representing sounds. This innovation spread across the Mediterranean and influenced later writing systems.

Cuneiform

One of the earliest writing systems, developed in Mesopotamia. It used wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets to record economic transactions, laws, and religious texts.

Religion and its relationship to fields/fertility

Many early religious practices were closely tied to agriculture, with rituals and sacrifices aimed at ensuring fertility and successful harvests.

Bronze Age Collapse

Around 1200 BCE, several Mediterranean civilizations collapsed due to a combination of factors including warfare, climate change, and invasions by the Sea Peoples.

Sea Peoples

A confederation of naval raiders who attacked and destabilized ancient Mediterranean civilizations during the late Bronze Age, contributing to the collapse of several states.

Ugarit

A prosperous city-state in the Eastern Mediterranean that was destroyed during the Bronze Age collapse due to a combination of famine, earthquakes, and invasion.

Chariots

A significant military technology used in ancient warfare, particularly by empires like the Egyptians and Hittites. Chariots allowed for fast and mobile combat.

Ritual and religion

Rituals, including sacrifices, were central to ancient religions, serving to maintain the favor of the gods and ensure the well-being of the community.

Examples of climate change in the Ancient Near East

Climate change, such as droughts around 2200 BCE, affected civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia, leading to crop failures, famine, and social unrest.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Intro: What was the Neolithic Revolution?

              Definition:

Transition from hunter-gatherer to settled agricultural communities (around 10,000 BCE)

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Intro: What was the Neolithic Revolution?

              Key Change:

Domestication of crops and livestock = stable, reliable food supply.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Intro: What was the Neolithic Revolution?

              Impact:

Allowed populations to settle in one location, leading to permanent settlements and eventually, complex societies.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Intro: What was the Neolithic Revolution?

              Significance:

Laid the foundation for the development of civilizations.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 1: Why did humans make this change?

              Environmental Shifts & what did it allow:

Post-Ice Age warmer climates, especially in the Fertile Crescent. This allowed for planting of crops like wheat and barley.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 1: Why did humans make this change?

              Class Example: Tell Abu Hureyra:

Evidence from the Tell Abu Hureyra shite shows the transition to farming allowed people to stay in one place and organize communitie

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 1: Why did humans make this change?

Result:

Led to the rise of villages and cities.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 2: Effects of the Neolithic Revolution

              Positive Effects: (population, labor)

Population Growth: Surplus food = more people.

Specialization of Labor: Not everyone needed to farm; people could become artisans, traders, rulers.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 2: Effects of the Neolithic Revolution

              Positive Effects: Class Example: Uruk 

early city where specialization and social hierarchies developed.

ESSAY: Q. 2: The Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution marked the beginning of a great change in the history of homo sapiens. Explain what this revolution was, give some ideas for why humans made this change, and describe some of the effects of this change. Be sure to give clear examples from lectures and course materials.

              Body Paragraph 2: Effects of the Neolithic Revolution

              Negative Effects: (environment, disease, social inequality)

1. Environmental Degradation: Deforestation, soil exhaustion from farming (Week 4).

   • Disease: Dense settlements, close human-animal contact = spread of diseases (Week 5).

   • Social Inequality: Surplus resources led to stratified societies (landowners vs. laborers)

Conclusion: Overall Impact (summary & legacy)

1. Summary: Neolithic Revolution = massive impact on human societies.

2. Legacy: It brought benefits (population, technology) and challenges (environment, inequality), but ultimately laid the foundation for the civilizations that followed.