Early Humans and First Civilizations

• Study notes for Early Humans and the First Civilizations

The First Humans

• Paleolithic people were nomadic hunter-gatherers who used simple tools and lived in small groups
• The Neolithic Revolution, also known as the Agricultural Revolution, occurred around 10,000 BCE
• Catal Hüyük, located in modern-day Turkey, is an example of one of the first large farming villages, dating to approximately 7500 BCE

Emergence of Civilization

• Basic characteristics of civilization include cities, government, religion, social structure, writing, and art
• The four traditional river valley civilizations are Mesopotamia (Tigris-Euphrates), Egypt (Nile), India (Indus), and China (Yellow)
• Most river valley civilizations began to emerge around 3000 BCE

Mesopotamia

• The Sumerians were the founders of Mesopotamian society
• Early Mesopotamian society was politically organized into city-states ruled by kings (theocracy)
• Sargon of Akkad established a dynastic empire around 2340 BCE, while Hammurabi ruled around 1792 BCE
• Cuneiform is the world's earliest writing system
• Mesopotamian religion was polytheistic, with gods tied to nature, and temples were built as ziggurats
• The Akkadian Empire, founded by Sargon the Great, was the first empire in the world
• Hammurabi, a Babylonian king, created one of the earliest law codes, consisting of approximately 282 laws

Egypt

• Ancient Egypt is traditionally divided into the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms
• The pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom (approximately 2600-2500 BCE)
• The double crown signifies the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
• Ma'at signifies the concept of cosmic balance and order
• Ancient Egypt was divided into 42 provinces called nomes
• The Hyksos invaded Egypt at the end of the Middle Kingdom around 1650 BCE using chariots
• The Sea Peoples contributed to the collapse of the Bronze Age around 1200 BCE

New Centers of Civilizations

• The Hittites were the first to use iron weapons and were located in Anatolia
• The Phoenicians were known for their trade and creating the alphabet

Rise of Empires

• The Assyrian Empire emerged around 900 BCE and controlled regions from Mesopotamia to Egypt
• The Persian Empire reached its height around 500 BCE, Cyrus the Great was its most compassionate ruler
• Zoroastrianism is the traditional Persian religion, which is monotheistic and emphasizes the conflict between good and evil
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian epic that explores mortality

Ancient India

• Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are the two most notable cities of the Indus River Valley
• The Aryans were Indo-Europeans who migrated to India around 1500 BCE
• The Vedas and Upanishads are sacred Hindu texts
• Aryan society was divided by the caste system, with Brahmins at the top and Untouchables at the bottom
• Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire around 321 BCE
• Ashoka is best known for converting to Buddhism, promoting nonviolence, and inscribing edicts on pillars
• Karma is defined as actions that impact future rebirths
• The ultimate goal of Brahmanism is to achieve moksha, which is liberation from the cycle of rebirth
• Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism in the 5th-4th century BCE
• Brahmanism and Buddhism both believe in karma and reincarnation but Brahmanism supports the caste system and has many gods, while Buddhism rejects the caste system and does not have many gods
• The "Singular Debate: Tripitaka" highlights that Buddhism rejects rigid hierarchies and focuses on personal enlightenment

China in Antiquity

• Three major tenets of Confucianism include: Filial piety (respect for elders and ancestors), merit-based leadership and social harmony
• Three major tenets of Daoism include: Living in harmony with nature, emphasizing spontaneity and simplicity and avoiding excessive government interference
• Three major tenets of Legalism include: Strict laws and harsh punishments, absolute rule by a strong leader and the state's power is the highest authority
• The Qin Dynasty implemented Legalism by centralizing the government, suppressing intellectuals and dissenters and standardizing laws and punishments
• The Han Dynasty implemented Confucianism by establishing civil service exams and encouraging education and moral governance

Comparison of Empires

• Three key factors that contributed to the expansion of the Islamic Empire were military conquests, religious tolerance and trade and economic prosperity
• Islamic rulers treated conquered peoples by collecting a tax (jizya) from non-Muslims, allowing local rulers to keep power and encouraging conversion but not forcing it
• The Islamic Empire was similar to the Persians in that they tolerated diversity, but unlike the Assyrians, they did not rule by fear