Sociocultural Evolution & Democratization

Bio-Cultural Evolution

• Encompasses the physical transformation of modern humans from hominids into thinking modern humans, also know as Homo sapiens

Social Evolution

• Refers to the changes or development in cultures from simpler to more complex societal forms

Sociocultural Evolution

• Occurs due to human adaptation to factors such as climate changes, environmental shifts, and increased population

Charles Darwin

• A naturalist and biologist
• Known for his theory of evolution and the process of natural selection
• He was the first to publish a coherent theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

Hominid

• A general term scientists use to group or categorize early humans

Stages of Human Evolution

• Ramapithecus
  • Ability to stand upright and use stones/sticks to ward off enemies
  • Considered an early ancestor of modern humans
• Australopithecus
  • Called "southern ape"
  • Could walk upright and use simple tools
• Lucy
  • Considered one of modern human's earliest ancestors
  • The most famous hominid fossil discovered
• Homo habilis (“Handy Man”)
  • Approximately 3-4 feet in height
  • Brain size was about half that of modern humans which equals 700 cubic meters
  • Used tools for hunting and gathering
• Homo erectus (Upright Man)
  • Could walk upright and had a similar brain size to modern humans
  • Used refined tools for hunting and weapons for protection
  • Pithecanthropus Erectus (Java Man)
    • Referred to as the “erect ape-man”
    • Had a thick skull, receding forehead, broad eyebrows, and the power of speech
  • Sinanthropus Pekinensis (Peking Man)
    • About 5'2" tall
    • Could walk upright
    • Had a brain almost as large as modern man; similar to Java Man
• Homo sapiens (Wise Man)
  • A direct descendent of modern man
  • Lived approximately 250,000 years ago
  • Similar physical descriptions to modern humans
  • Largely depended on hunting, fishing, and agriculture
  • Had religion, ritualistic burials for their dead, and used hand tools

Cultural & Socio-Political Evolution

Palaeolithic Period (Old Stone Age: 3 million years to 8,000 B.C.)

• Rough stone tools served as main weapons and tools
• Survival relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering forest fruits
• Used fire for cooking and protection from the cold
• Lived in caves and later learned to build primitive shelters

Neolithic Period (New Stone Age 8,000-4,000 BC)

• Built their own houses
• Domesticated animals
• Used woven clothes for protection
• Used cut trees as boats for transportation and fishing

Age of Metals (4,000-1500 B.C.)

• The use of metals like bronze, copper, and iron led to new historical developments from the cradles of civilization like Egypt
• Mesopotamia; the first cradle of civilization
• Sumerians were among the first groups to settle in Mesopotamia
• Cuneiform was the earliest known system of writing, used for record keeping of trade and history
• The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes in history
  • “Eye for an Eye” Principle: punishment matched the severity of the crime (lex talionis)

Industrial Revolution (mid 1700s)

• Industrialization began in the mid-1700s in Great Britain, marked by the use of advanced energy sources to power large machinery, like the steam engine
• Innovations in transportation, such as trains and steamships, enabled people and goods to travel longer distances

Post-Industrial Revolution

• Developed over the past few decades
• Features include an economy based on services and technology
• Not focused on production
• Three characteristics: Focus on ideas, the need for higher education, and a shift in workplace from cities to home.

Early Civilization & the Rise of the State

• Democratization
  • Involves the transition to a more democratic political regime
  • Shifts occur from authoritarianism to full democracy, semi-democracy, or a more democratic system
  • Factors that influence Democratization include economic development, historical context, and civil society
  • Democratization ensures people the right to vote and participate in their political system

Explore the impact of transportation, characteristics of post-industrial society, and factors influencing democratization. Investigate social evolution, Darwin's contribution, and the definition of 'hominid'. Analyze sociocultural evolution, using examples and scenarios.