Prehistory Eras

Study Notes

The study of prehistory spans from the emergence of humans to the development of writing systems
Divided into three periods:
1. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age): 2.5 million - 10,000 BCE, characterized by nomadic hunter-gatherers and primitive tools
2. Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age): 10,000 - 5,000 BCE, saw the development of more sophisticated tools and early agriculture
3. Neolithic (New Stone Age): 5,000 - 2,000 BCE, marked by the rise of settled agriculture and the emergence of cities

Ancient civilizations flourished in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome
Key events and empires:
- Mesopotamia: Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians
- Ancient Egypt: Pyramids, Pharaohs, and the Ptolemaic Kingdom
- Ancient Greece: City-states (Athens and Sparta), Golden Age, and the Hellenistic period
- Ancient Rome: Roman Republic, Roman Empire, and the Pax Romana

Period of time from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance (5th - 15th centuries)
Key events and developments:
- The rise of Christianity and the Catholic Church
- The fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of feudalism
- The Crusades and the Black Death
- The growth of trade and cities during the High Middle Ages

Period of time from the Renaissance to the French Revolution (15th - 18th centuries)
Key events and developments:
- The Renaissance and the Enlightenment
- The Age of Exploration and the discovery of the New World
- The Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years' War
- The rise of nation-states and absolute monarchies

Period of time from the French Revolution to the present day (18th - 21st centuries)
Key events and developments:
- The Industrial Revolution and the growth of capitalism
- The World Wars and the Cold War
- The rise of nationalism and independence movements
- Globalization and the digital age

Spans from the emergence of humans to the development of writing systems
Divided into three periods: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic
Paleolithic (2.5 million - 10,000 BCE): characterized by nomadic hunter-gatherers and primitive tools
Mesolithic (10,000 - 5,000 BCE): development of more sophisticated tools and early agriculture
Neolithic (5,000 - 2,000 BCE): rise of settled agriculture and the emergence of cities

Ancient civilizations flourished in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome
Mesopotamia: Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians
Ancient Egypt: construction of pyramids, reign of pharaohs, and the Ptolemaic Kingdom
Ancient Greece: city-states of Athens and Sparta, Golden Age, and the Hellenistic period
Ancient Rome: Roman Republic, Roman Empire, and the Pax Romana

Period of time from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance (5th - 15th centuries)
Rise of Christianity and the Catholic Church
Fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of feudalism
Crusades and the devastating effects of the Black Death
Growth of trade and cities during the High Middle Ages

Period of time from the Renaissance to the French Revolution (15th - 18th centuries)
Renaissance: revival of classical culture and art
Enlightenment: emphasis on reason, individualism, and democracy
Age of Exploration: discovery of the New World and establishment of trade routes
Protestant Reformation: led to the Thirty Years' War and the decline of Catholic Church
Rise of nation-states and absolute monarchies

Period of time from the French Revolution to the present day (18th - 21st centuries)
Industrial Revolution: transition from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing
World Wars: global conflicts that led to significant political and economic changes
Cold War: ideological conflict between the US and USSR
Rise of nationalism and independence movements in colonized countries
Globalization: increased interconnectedness and interdependence of economies
Digital age: rapid advancement in technology and communication