Human Societies PDF

Chapter Five: Human Societies About the Chapter Our human society is important for our well-being. The previous generations have built it up throughout history. You are born into a society that already has been built for you to enjoy living in. The previous generations have accumulated knowledge a...

Chapter Five: Human Societies About the Chapter Our human society is important for our well-being. The previous generations have built it up throughout history. You are born into a society that already has been built for you to enjoy living in. The previous generations have accumulated knowledge about this world and this knowledge is available for you. It is your responsibility to develop it and to pass it to the next generation. This Chapter covers the history of human society in terms of group behavior, the processes of social change, and the family as a social organization. Big Idea: It is of fundamental importance for human beings to belong to a society. Chapter 5 Human Societies Lesson 1: The Earliest Human Societies Lesson 2: The Industrial Societies Lesson 3: The Family as a Social Institution Lesson 4: The Family in Constitutions of the World Lesson 5: Challenges Facing Families Lesson 11 Lesson Chapter Chapter5: 5:Human HumanSocieties Societies The TheEarliest EarliestHuman HumanSocieties Societies A-Introduction A-Introduction Discussion Discussion Questions: Questions: Discuss Discuss the the following following questions questions with with your yourpartner. partner. 1-Is 1-Is itit possible possible for for aa man man to to lead lead aa life life without without the the presence presence of of fellow fellowbeings beingsininhis hissurroundings? surroundings? 2-What 2-Whatcomes comesto toyour yourmind mindwhen whenyou youhear hearthe theword word‘society’? ‘society’? There There areare various various different different uses uses of of the the term term "society". "society". The The casual casual meaning meaning of of society society simplysimply refers refers toto aa group group of of people people living living together together inin an an ordered ordered community. community. The The term term "society" "society" isis derived derivedfrom fromthe theLatin Latinword wordsocius sociuswhich whichmeans meanscompanionship companionship or orfriendship. friendship.Man Manisisaasocialsocialcreature creatureandandthis thiscould couldbebethe themain main reason reason behind behind man man to to live live inin aa sociable sociable environment. environment. Humans Humans always always seek seek to to live live inin the the company company of of other other people people for for living, living, working workingand andenjoying enjoyinglife. life. Society Society isis an an essential essential condition condition for for human human life life to to continue. continue. Humans Humans mustmust satisfy satisfy certain certain natural natural basic basic needs needs inin order order to to survive. survive.They Theymust musteat, eat,drink, drink,and andmaintain maintainadequate adequatehealth. health.Man Man can cannot notsatisfy satisfyhis hisneeds needsalone. alone.He Hemust mustenter enterinto intoaarelationship relationship with withpeople peopleififhe heisisto tosurvive. survive. All Allhuman humanactivities activitiesthroughout throughouthistory historyhave havefocused focusedon on establishing establishingstrong strongcommunities communitiesand andorganizing organizingthemselves themselves into intovarious variouskinds kindsofofsocial socialgroupings groupingssuch suchas; as;nomadic nomadicbands, bands, villages, villages,cities, cities,and andcountries, countries,ininwhich whichthey theywork, work,trade, trade,play, play, reproduce, reproduce,and andinteract interactininmany manyother otherways. ways.InInthis thislesson lessonyou you will willlearn learnabout aboutmankinds mankindsearliest earliestsocieties. societies. 115 115 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies B-Hunter-Gatherer Societies Environment plays an important role in the lives of humans. Before 10,000 years ago human societies completely depended upon their immediate environment. Early humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers who had to follow their food source. Their main means of subsistence was through hunting animals, fishing, and gathering plants. The Characteristics of Hunter-Gatherer Society 1-Hunting-gathering society lived in small bands of about 30 people. The band included several families. 2-Hunting-gathering societies were nomadic, moving constantly in search of food and water. When the animals left the area, the plants died, or the rivers dried up, the society had to move to an area where resources were plentiful. 3- Life was dedicated to food gathering and everybody participated. 4-Hunting was mainly conducted by men. Males traveled long distances to hunt and capture larger animals. 5-Females hunted smaller animals, gathered plants (nuts, berries), made clothing, protected and raised children, and helped the males protect the community from rival groups. 6-Kinship was the most important means of organizing social groups in a hunting-gathering society. There was no central authority but during times of need, elders of the various lineages get together to decide the appropriate actions to be taken. 7-Since there was no private property or anything to fight over, hunting and gathering societies were relatively peaceful and harmonious. 116 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies The Development of Tools Early societies made and controlled fire around 500,000 years ago. Think: How did early humans use fire? The Development of Technology Stone tools for cutting were made at least two million years ago. Later complex tools such as bows, flint spearheads, and metal tools were invented. Critical Thinking: How did technology help humans control the environment? How did early humans interact with the environment? The Development of Art The most impressive early works of art were cave paintings that may have had religious significance. It is also possible that these early works of art were primitive calendars or counting systems. Activity: Understanding Primary Sources Artifacts and art are considered primary sources, since the most telling pieces were created during ancient history. Historians might interpret a painting to learn more about ancient history. 117 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies Act as a Historian 1-What animals are shown in the paintings? 2-Are there any man-made tools shown in the paintings? What are they? 3-What are the men doing in the painting? 4-What do you learn from this painting? 5-How important is this primary source to historians? Figure 5.1: Lascaux Cave painting, circa 15,000 B.C. C-Horticultural Societies Horticulture was first developed in the Middle East beginning about 9,500 years ago. Horticultural societies are differentiated from hunting-gathering societies by the use of domesticated plants as the major basis for subsistence. They relied on cultivating fruits, vegetables, and plants. The first plants domesticated were the wild grains, barley and wheat, that were common in many regions of the Middle East. 118 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies Critical Thinking: Horticultural Society's lifestyle is generally healthy. Explain The Characteristics of Horticultural Societies 1-Like hunting and gathering societies, horticultural societies had to be mobile. The society had to move to an area where the land's resources or water supplies were plentiful. 2-People tend to have to work hard to plant, weed, harvest, and process food in horticultural systems. There is no assistance from animal or mechanical powered tools. 3-Kinship remained the most important means of social organization. 4-Better hunting and gathering technology provided a more stable food supply. D-The Agricultural Societies An agricultural society is a society relying for its subsistence from the cultivation of crops through the use of plows and draft animals. The first agricultural societies emerged 6000 years back in Mesopotamia and Egypt and slightly later in China and India. Certain conditions caused the shift from earlier societies to sedentary agriculture. Some of these conditions are: 1- Growing population that needed more food than the hunting and gathering lifestyle could supply 2-The invention of the wheel and its application both to wagons and to the manufacture of pottery 3- The invention of the plow to cultivate the land. The invention of the plow, about 6,000 years ago, was an event so significant that many historians refer to as the "agricultural revolution". 119 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies 4-The use of domesticated animals to pull wagons and plows to cultivate the land. The use of animal power to pull the plow made the agricultural societies far more productive than the horticulturists. 5- The use of wind power for sailboats 6- The invention of writing and numerical notation and invention of the calendar The Characteristics of Agricultural Societies 1-Agricultural societies used technological advances to cultivate crops; especially grains like wheat, rice, corn, and barley. Combining irrigation techniques with the use of the plough increased the productivity and crop yield. In China, agricultural societies developed a separate system of crops based on millet. Somewhat later, farmers of southeast Asia began to cultivate rice. The Aztec agricultural systems featured maize, manioc, and sweet potatoes. 2-As food resources grew faster, so did human populations. Increases in food supplies led to larger populations than in earlier societies. 3-Villages and cultivated fields became the dominant features of human society. As the average size of settlements grew, the first cities arose. During the third millennium, most of the population was urban. 4-Human relations became more intense and complex. As villages and towns expanded into neighboring areas, conflicts with other communities occurred. Farmers provided warriors with food in exchange for protection against invasion by enemies. 120 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies 5-The production of food surpluses allowed social differentiation and economic specialization. In agricultural societies the majority of the economy and jobs directly involved agriculture. Land was the major source of wealth. This led to the evolution of distinct social classes - those who owned the land and those who worked on someone else's land. 6-In the earlier societies women had higher social status because they shared labor more equally with men. Farming required less cooperation and sharing than hunting and gathering did. Before, all members of a tribe had to hunt together and share the food. As food stores improved and women in agricultural societies took on lesser roles in providing food for the family, they became more subordinate to men. For example, in Mesopotamia, women’s inferiority to men was taken for granted, but they shared the social standing of their fathers and husbands. Think: How has technology changed societies? Explain: Settled agricultural life had dramatic effects on human society. Activity: Ancient Egypt Agricultural Society With your partner study the paintings. Then write your findings. Read your findings to your class. Figure 5.2: Ancient Egyptian plough, circa 1200 B.C 121 Lesson 1 Chapter 5: Human Societies Figure 5.3: Ancient Egyptian Agriculture, circa 1200 B.C. 122