HUMANITIES 1.pptx

HUMANITIES 1 WEEK 1  THE DAWN OF CIVILIZATION The origin of human species –central Africa/central or south central Asia (LEAKEY’S) Climatic conditions was very favourable to the evolution of variety of mankind from primitive ancestors Wandering primitive bands for over hundreds...

HUMANITIES 1 WEEK 1  THE DAWN OF CIVILIZATION The origin of human species –central Africa/central or south central Asia (LEAKEY’S) Climatic conditions was very favourable to the evolution of variety of mankind from primitive ancestors Wandering primitive bands for over hundreds of centuries 5000 BC few of them enjoying special advantages of location and climate developed superior cultures (knowledge of writing and considerable advancement in arts and sciences) Developed in the part of the known world –Near Orient (western boarder of India to the Mediterranean sea then further bank of the Nile) Mighty empires such as Egyptian, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Chaldeans and the Persians. Smaller states also emerged- Cretans, the Sumerians, the Phoenicians and the Hebrews THE STONE AGE OR PRELITERATE CULTURE(S) ‘Our debt to prehistoric man is an impressive one. Practically all the basic discoveries of techniques that mark present-day modes of life, and that are now commonplace-excepting only metal working, power machinery and electricity were made during the time man’s economy was characterized by the use of stone tools’ Melville Herskovits, Man and His Works  PERIODS OF MAN’S HISTORY Stone Age (preliterate) age and the age of metals (written records) Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age and Neolithic-new stone age. Emanates from the type of stone tools manufactured during that period Old stone age –implements made by chipping pieces off a large stone or flint, knives and spearheads Neolithic age witnessed implements made by grinding and polishing stone SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES OF THE PERIODS Invented at a time when the study of early cultures was in its infancy (sharp dividing lines cannot be drawn between stages of culture) on the basis of their methods of making stone tools Type of tools and weapons being the most significant traits distinguishing one culture from another EARLIEST STONE AGE MAN Paleolithic period –dated from 1,750,000-10,000 BC (lower and upper paleolithic) Four species of men inhabited the earth Zinjanthropus boisei, skeletal remains were found in the Great Rift valley in Central Africa True human being, walk erect and used crude method of tools. The tools does not represent any high degree of manufacturing skill/ inventive talent Mainly consisted of objects taken from nature (bones of large animals, limbs from trees etc.)  JAVA MAN/PERKING MAN Origin-500,000 BC. Skeletal remains found on the island of Java in 1891 Originally, only the skull cup, thigh bone, three teeth and a jaw bone were discovered Recent discovery established that his cranial capacity was nearly double that of a male gorilla but only 2/3rds that of a modern man Peking man remains was uncovered in China Peking- 1926-1930 That they descended from the same ancestral type FONTE-CHEVADE MAN Remains uncovered in South-Western France Resembled modern man more closely than some ancestors of later origin (Skull cup were about those of living Europeans) Have an exceptionally thick brain case and the cranium was low-vaulted NEANDERTHAL MAN Appeared last 25,000 years and known as the cave man Skeletal remains were uncovered in the valley of Neander near Dusseldorf-West Germany Grouped with homo (resembled modern man) five feet/four inches in height LOWER PALEOLITHIC MAN Had capacity for speech, reasoning ability Development of spearheads and much superior knives and scrapers Advancement in non-material culture (flint working floors and stone hearths where huge fires appear to have been made Suggest origins of co-operative life or the crude beginnings of social institutions Bestowing care upon the dead- development of religious sense NEOLITHIC CULTURE/NEW STONE AGE AND THE REVOLUTION Tools moved from chipping and fracturing to grinding and polishing. Level of material progression rose to new heights. Less likely to perish from a shift in migration hence resorted to the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals which led to rapid increase in population, promoted settled existence and fostered the growth of institutions. WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF NEOLITHIC CULTURE/ FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR WIDE DISTRIBUTION First to be distributed over the entire world (penetrated into every habitable area of the earth’s surface) It has been established that Neolithic man invented boots and rafts (aided them to escape the confines of Asia, Africa and Europe Population increase may have accounted for constant search for new land for grazing and hunting (adventurous men would migrate in order to improve their economic conditions) IMPORTANCE OF NEOLITHIC MIGRATIONS Distribution of similar pattern of culture over the entire world Developed the arts of knitting, spinning and weaving of cloth Made the first pottery and knew how to produce fire artificially by friction Built houses of wood and sun-dried mud IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE AND THE DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS Moved from man the hunter-gatherer to the settled mode of existence, for the growth of villages and social institutions Stimulated the rise of division of labour and encouraged the practice of exchange(man was therefore under compulsion to seek new methods). ORIGINS OF THE DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS The first animal to have been domesticated is said to be the dog (hang around the hunters camp to pick up bones and scraps of meat) and be put to use in hunting/guarding Turned his attention on other species such as the cow, goat, sheep and pig (to serve his needs) Agriculture- barley from North Africa, wheat in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia. Millets, vegetables and fruits were also grown NATURE OF INSTITUTIONS Development of institutions (combination of group beliefs and activities organized in a relatively permanent fashion for the purpose of fulfilling some group need) Includes a body of customs and traditions, codes of rules and standard Physical extensions such as buildings, punitive devices and facilities for communication and indoctrination DEFINITION OF THE FAMILY Permanent unit composed of parents and their offspring, which serves the purpose of care for the young, division of labour, acquisition and transmission of property, as well as preservation and transmission of beliefs The family during this era existed in polygamy and monogamous form Polygamy emanates as a result of preponderance of females Leads to increase in population (one man can procreate more offspring than one woman can bear). Hebrews encouraged the taking of extra wives so that the group might multiply more rapidly and protect itself against absorption or annihilation Rulers and other rich men have maintained plurality of wives as a form of conspicuous consumption (not necessarily because of a voracious sexual appetite but to impress other monarchs with his ability to support such a large establishment)  RELIGION Developed religion as a form of institution in order to form a sense of dependence on a power outside ourselves (A power which we may speak of as spiritual or moral) Primitive man was naturally dependent upon nature (seasons, rain falls, growth of plants and reproduction of animals) Developed various ceremonies-rain on plants, sunshine Primitive religion had an element of fear (lived in an almost constant state of alarm and dread). They fear not only sickness and death but also hunger, drought, storms, spirits of the dead and slaughtered animals Misfortunes and failures are attributed to impiety and had to be appeased ORIGIN OF STATES THROUGH MILITARY CAUSES AND LEADERSHIP FACTOR Most ancient states owned their origin to war activities. They were founded for purposes of conquest, defence against invasion, or expulsion of an invader (example could be seen with the Hebrews with the war for the conquest of Canaan, they besought their leader Samuel to give them a king) that they might be like other nations with a powerful ruler to keep them in order and to lead them to victory in battle. There is the attachment to great importance to leadership as a factor in the origin of state.  WHAT IS CIVILIZATION The term civilization carries a variety of meanings: It could mean decadent phases of highly developed cultures (Oswald Spengler). When a great people and empire was in its prime, he characterized its social and intellectual pattern as a culture. When it has passed its prime and has become ossified that it could be referred to as civilization CULTURES OF CIVILIZATIONS The stage of man’s advancement is commonly referred to as cultures. The word culture is generally used to designate societies or periods which have not yet attained to knowledge of writing and whose general level of achievement is comparatively low. It could mean intellectual and artistic accomplishments---literature, art, music, philosophy and science. Historians however perceive it as a whole complex pattern of ideas, achievements, and traditions, characteristics of a nation or empire at a particular CULTURES OF CIVILIZATIONS Cont. Thus we can speak quite properly of a civilization as a superior culture. Culture deserves to be called a civilization when it has reached a stage of advancement in which writing has come to be used to a considerable extent FACTORS REPONSIBLE FOR THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF CIVILIZATIONS Factors of geography Economic resources Food supply Contact with older civilizations