Ch 1: First Civilizations Flashcards
0
Q
Australopithecus
A
Early ground dwelling ape.
1
Q
Hominids
A
- Earliest “human-like” creatures.
- Flourished in East/South Africa.
- 3-4 million years ago.
2
Q
Homo habilis
A
Walked upright, had thumb, used tools.
3
Q
Homo Erectus
A
- 1st to leave Africa.
- Use of fire allowed for Northern
migration.
4
Q
Neanderthal
A
- 40,000-200,000 years ago.
- Adapted to cold climates.
- Lived in Europe, Asia, and Africa
- Skilled hunters, adapted to
environment.
5
Q
Cro-Magnon Man
A
- 150,000 - 40,000 years ago
- 1st true human populations
(Europe)
-New hunting weapons - Art & music: cave paintings in Alta
Mira, Spain - Larger brains
6
Q
Paleolithic Age
A
"Old Stone Age"-before 12k yrs ago
-Eoliths: to make stone tools
-Hunted,fished and gathered
food
Lived in caves, but built shelter with animal hides also.
7
Q
Mesolithic Era
A
-Mid Stone Age - 12k-10k years ago
-Moved north (towards America)
-Used bow, arrow, fishhooks, sleds,
and canoes.
-Gradual transition from food
gathering to food producing
8
Q
Neolithic Era
A
- 10k-8k years ago
- Started growing crops and
domesticated animals. - No longer forced to be nomadic;
Created cities in the Near East - Arts: pottery & textiles
- Religious practices (honor mother
goddess)
9
Q
Formation of Society
A
- Families were basic social unit
-monogamous and patrilineal - Several extended families = a clan
-common speech, culture, and
patterns - Harsh punishments to keep justice
- Elders provided leadership
10
Q
Neolithic “Science”
A
- animism: all things have a spirit
-belief in an afterlife
-worship of fertility & life spirits
-shamans preached magical
powers - observance, investigation,
experimenting (trial and error) - Megaliths: giant stone examples of
geometric form and astronomical
functions (original calendar)
11
Q
Emerging Civilizations
A
- All civilizations need: fertile soil,
mild climate and river source.
- Characteristics of civ:
Urban focus, political & religious
structures, social structure,
writing, and art
12
Q
Mesopotamia
A
- Southwest Asia
- Fertile Crescent: “land between
two rivers” (Tigris & Euphrates)
- Fertile Crescent: “land between
- Bronze age: imported metal &
timber while exporting grain. - Use of metal, wheel, & sailing ship
13
Q
Sumerian People
A
- Population grew with more food production - Scribes kept business records - Cuneiform: pictographs (wedge- shaped impressions) on clay tablets
14
Q
Sumerian Cities
A
- By 3000 BC had est. # of independent cities in southern Mesopotamia - Theocracy: Gov by divine power - Warfare
15
Q
Ziggurat
A
- Massive stepped tower. Under
temple - Center of life
-religious, economic, & political
16
Q
Successive Invasions
A
- Wealth of Sumerian’s attracted
invaders (plains: no nat protection)
17
Q
Akkadian Empire (200 years)
A
-Akkadian ruler (Sargon)
took over Sumerian cities and
established a dynastic empire.
-1st empire
-From Persian Gulf to Medit
-Kept Sumerian religious
practices, writing, and
culture intact
-100 years of political &
military struggles
18
Q
Hammurabi’s Empire
A
- Well disciplined army
- divided opponents and
subdued them one by one.
-Took over Sumer & Akkad
and reunified Mesopotamia - Economic revival
-built temples, defensive
walls, & irrigation canals;
encouraged trade)
19
Q
Code of Hammurabi
A
- 282 laws
- Harsh punishments for crime,
- Unequal justice
- man or women; rich or poor
20
Q
Cultural Highlights
A
- Polytheistic (many Gods): gave
rise to art of divination (voodoo,
psychic stuff, etc.)
- Used Sumerian writing (cuneiform)
- Literature
-The Epic of Gilgamesh
21
Q
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A
-Addresses harsh life, represents flooding of rivers, pre-dates famed Greek works -Notes of wisdom that anticipate Hebrew Scriptures
22
Q
Hittites
A
-Capture Babylon
-use iron technology and war
chariots
-Five centuries of dark ages
23
Q
Impact of the Nile
A
-Capable of producing abundant
harvests
-The “miracle” of the Nile was its
annual flooding from summer rain.
24
Q
Formation of Egypt
A
-Egypt formed along the Nile
-Lower Egypt (Delta: where the
Nile meets Mediterranean Sea)
-Upper Egypt (near Aswan; along
Nile)
-United to form Egyptian empire
-Deserts add to sense of security
25
Q
The Old Kingdom
A
2700 - 2200 BC
- Pharaoh, God-figure, and political leader controlled all resources
- huge bureaucracy ran empire
- Pyramids built to demonstrate power and lead to immortality (wealth)
- decline caused by overspending and crop failures (civil War ensued)
26
Q
Middle Kingdom
A
2050 – 1800 BC
- Pharaohs restore order to Thebes
- Wealth spent on public works (self glorification, pyramids, and irrigation)
- Civil strife and Hyksos invasion bring decline
27
Q
New Kingdom
A
1570–1090 BC
- Pharaohs learned weapons and tactics from Hyksos = repel invaders
- Queen Hatshepsut – 1st female pharaoh rules judicially and unchallenged for 20 years
- Egyptian unite against outside threats
28
Q
Decline of new Kingdom
A
- Amenhotep IV causes religious
revolution
- Calls for worship or Aton
(monotheistic)
-priests of traditional religion
react violently
- religious struggle weakens
kingdom
- Tutankhamen assassinated while
generals rule Egypt
- Rameses II: 30 period Of Granger
and renewal (Hebrew exodus –
loss of slaves)
29
Q
African Kingdoms
A
- Nubians: 900 mile empire
- trade, rivalry, and
intermarriage w/ Egypt - present-day Ethiopia
Kushites: further south - middlemen between
Egypt and Africans - some kushite Kings
overtook Egypt
- trade, rivalry, and
30
Q
Egyptian society
A
- Hierarchy: most were peasants
- All served Pharaoh
- scribes rose in gov
- Women enjoyed more rights
(not equal)- marriages were arranged
- wife’s focus was family life
31
Q
Art & Culture
A
- Hieroglyphics: 24 symbols
(consonants)
- Positive attitude of daily life
- Wealthy enjoyed life of
leisure
- Hunting, banquets, &
music
- Earliest known board
games
- Most of society did not
have the time or investment
32
Q
Egyptian religion
A
- Book of the dead:
1st writings,
describe conditions
of the afterlife
- Cult of Osiris: emphasized
resurrection
- 70 day mummification
ceremony
- 1st for royalty then for
wealthy
- Pyramids constructed to
create an immortal
33
Q
Invasions
A
- Hittites (2000–1200 BC)
- Indo-European group
- Used iron tech and war
chariots - Borrowed from the
Sumerians
- Phoenicians (“see people”)
-Strong navy &
dominated sea trade - Developed the phonetic
alphabet (22 characters)
34
Q
Stonehenge
A
- Constructed sometime between 2100 and 1900 BC
- Used as observatories to detect midwinter and Midsummer sunrises and standstills of the move
- Built from 80 bluestones moved from 135 miles away
