Ice Age, hunters & gatherers, nomadic lifestyle

Out of Africa Theory

• Origin of the human species: Africa

Melting of the Ice Age

The discovery of agriculture

Sedentary lifestyle -> Civilizations

• Gender Roles

  • Paleotithic: Matriarchal

  • Neolithic: Patriarchal

Increases

• Human population

• Permanent settlements

• Number of domesticated animals 

• Average human lifespans

• Disease

Decreases

• Free time for children & elderly

• Social equality

Mesopotamia (Iraq)

• Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• Job specialization

• Hammurabi’s Code: World’s 1st set of written laws

Egypt

• Nile River

• Hieroglyphics, pyramids, Sphinx, mummification

Indus (Pakistan/India)

• Monsoons: Seasonal winds

• Mohenjo Daro: Grid-like cities

• Indoor plumbing

• Toys (free time for kids)

• No palaces (no social pyramid)