Dates Flashcards
1
Q
Date Homosapiens migrated out of Africa to Eurasia
A
120,000 years ago
2
Q
Dates Neanderthals flourish in Europe and Western Asia
A
30,000- 150,000 years ago
3
Q
Date Beginning of the Neolithic Era. First evidence of agriculture.
A
9,000. BCE
4
Q
Date Mauryan Empire the first Indian Empire. Very short lived
A
6th century BCE
5
Q
Date Sumerians: southern part of Mesopotamia
A
5000 BCE
6
Q
Founding of Date Buddhism
A
5th Century BCE
7
Q
Date Jainism
A
6th and 5th century BCE
8
Q
Date of Establishment of the first cities of Sumer
A
3800 BCE
9
Q
Date Old kingdom in Egypt
A
2660-2180 BCE
10
Q
Date Harepans: India’s first Civilization in the Indus Valley some 300 cities. Height of Harappan civilization.
A
2500 - 2000 BCE
11
Q
Dates Shang Dynasty China
A
2000 - 1050 BCE
12
Q
Date Indo- European migration
A
1500-500 BCE
13
Q
Dates Olmec culture Southern Mexico
A
1500 - 500 BCE
14
Q
Date Vedic Age India
A
500 BCE
15
Q
Dates Zhou dynasty China
A
1050- 256 BCE
16
Q
Date Vedic Age India
A
500 BCE
17
Q
Dates Confucius China
A
551-479 BCE
18
Q
Dates Classical period in Greece
A
500-479 BCE
19
Q
Date Cyrus the great consolidates the Persian Empire
A
550 BCE
20
Q
Dates Roman Empire
A
509- 27 BCE
21
Q
Date Hellenistic period Covers the period of Mediterranean history between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the rise of Augustus the Roman Empire
A
323 BCE - 31 BCE
22
Q
Date of Win Dynasty
A
221- 206 BCE
23
Q
Date of Han Dynasty
A
202 - 220 CE
24
Q
Dates of Roman Empire
A
27-476 BC
25
Date of Peak of Maya Culture
300- 900 CE
26
Dates Construction of Mounds at Cahokia Central America
1050- 1250 CE
27
Date of Aztec Empire
1428- 1521 CE
28
Dates of Inca Empire dominates the Andes
1438- 1521 CE
29
Dates Bantu speaking peoples expand across Central and Southern Africa
1438- 1532 CE
30
Persian empire was the largest that the ancient world had seen, extending from Anatolia and Egypt across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. King Astyages of Media, who dominated much of Iran and eastern Anatolia (Turkey), was defeated by his southern neighbor Cyrus II (“the Great”), king of Persia (r. 559–530 B.C.)
Achaemenids:
31
in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist tradition The doctrine that all life is one and sacred, resulting in the principle of nonviolence toward all living creatures. a religious philosophy that all life, including animals, is sacred. An example is vegetarianism because of the importance of animals' lives.
Ahimsa:
32
took his father’s armies and moved east to try to defeat the Persian Empire. He was successful, and by 324 BCE he had conquered all the way to the Indus River and created the first Greek empire.
He died in 323 BCE, and
Alexander the Great
33
large body of sacred texts – written in Sanskrit. Controlled by priests first work of literature. Complex and careful rituals
The Vedas
34
The belief that bodies of water, animals, trees, and other natural objects have spirits
Annism:
35
To deny yourself of pleasure: live without any pleasures.
Where does this impulse of self denial come from?
Historically, a rigorous, laborious lifestyle, involving the denial of pleasure and rest as a way of expressing spiritual devotion. a severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons. included simple living, begging, fasting and ethical practices such as humility, compassion, meditation, patience and prayer.
asceticism:
36
Chandragupta Son. Embraced Buddhism promoted its spread beyond India. as an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from c. 268 to 232 BCE
Ashoka
37
trading center, and powerful ancient kingdom in northern present-day Ethiopia. Civilization with only indigenous writing system in sub-Saharan Africa
Axum:
38
Northern Mexico immigrated to the valley and settled in Tenochtitlan. became the dominant ethic group of what is now Mexico. Empire based on Religion and war. Central valley of Mexico. Network of alliances and tributary states. Clan based communities. distinguished in war became governors and judges. Warrior aristocracy. Young boys trained for war. Human sacrifice of war captives.
Aztecs:
39
Brought to Africa from S E Asia by traders. From Madagascar. Helped with expansion across the african continent. originally found in South East Asia, mainly in India. They were brought west by Arab conquerors in 327 B.C. and moved from Asia Minor to Africa
bananas:
40
relating to or denoting a group of Niger–Congo languages spoken in central and southern Africa, including Swahili, Xhosa, and Zulu. Bantu-speaking peoples expanded across central and southern Africa migrated across Africa. Archaeology and linguistic sources prove the immigration pattern. Bantu settled Cameroon, Slow migration across Central Africa. displacing forager people. because they were agriculturalists, and were iron foragers.
Bantu
41
influential break off of Brahmanic teachings rejecting various tenets. Ignores the caste system. Everyone can follow the eightfold path. Started same time as Jainism. All believe in the same gods, reincarnation, transmigration of life,
Siddhartha Gautama(Buddha),
aestheticism, not a believer in caste system
Life is suffering
Selfish desire is the cause of suffering
Selfish desire can be eliminated
Buddhism:
42
```
Right views
Right thought
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration
Some are for monks only
```
8 fold middle path leads to extinction of suffering
43
non gods religion God did not help you. If you want to believe in gods that was fine but they do not save you.
Non theastic
44
complex mounds in central USA, plazas and houses. Engaged in long distance trade. across North America. relied on agriculture to support complex cultures. settlement near confluence of Mississippi and Missouri rivers. largest mound settlement. Mounds for ceremonial purposes have been uncovered. 38,000 people. traders, agriculture spread through the southeast US.
Cahokia:
45
social classes in Hinduism: a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion
caste system
46
a Neolithic settlement in modern-day Turkey. The settlement was occupied between 7250 and 5400 BCE, and it contained anywhere from five thousand to ten thousand people. it is extremely important to the beginning of art. witnesses the transition from exclusively hunting and gathering to increasing skill in plant and animal domestication. a site whose history is about one of man’s most important transformations: It is also a site at which we see art, both painting and sculpture, appear to play a newly important role in the lives of settled people.
Çatal Hüyük:
47
started in Teotihuacan.Mexico improved upon farming techniques used by the Aztecs to farm around Lake Texcoco which was swampy. By building up Reeds and mud to extend the Lake for more farming. tidy rectangular plots divided by canals allowed for canoe transportation of people
Chinampa:
48
As a result many of the world's major religions emerged. These same civilizations developed institutions, systems of thought and cultural styles that still influence us today. ...1. Family structures- Classical civilizations gave importance to male leadership in the families and all the aspects of life. 2. Agriculture based economy- The most common occupation of the people was agriculture. 3. Composite governments- Governments were large, politically composite with unique methods of administration. 4. Expansion of trade- They got connected to the world by means of trade routes through water and land.
classical civilizations:
49
a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who was traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. the first teacher in China who wanted to make education broadly available and who was instrumental in establishing the art of teaching as a vocation. He also established ethical, moral, and social standards
Confucianism:
50
is a philosophy, a religion, and a way of life that arose in the 6th century BCE in what is now the eastern Chinese province of Henan. It has strongly influenced the culture and religious life of China and other East Asian countries ever since.
Daoism:
51
Rule of the many for the good of the many (though since it was of the many it might subvert the good of the many. According to aristotle.
democracy:
52
a disease that is always present in a certain population or region. These spread rapidly by close contact. They were common in the first cities, where people and animals lived in confined spaces
Most diseases over time turn to endemic
ex: TB is endemic to certain regions of the world, such as Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean
endemic disease:
53
is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts. The literary history with five Sumerian poems about Bilgamesh (Sumerian for "Gilgamesh"), Only a few tablets of it have survived.
Epic of Gilgamesh:
54
one of several peoples that built city-states on the Italian peninsula in the first millennium BCE, only people in the region who were not of Indo-European origin(likely originated in Turkey. Scholars disagree about their origins, and their language is an isolate—it is not related to any other known languages. first in the region to develop cities, complex political and social organization, and irrigation. They built cities on hills,
The Etruscans
55
Main message of Buddha.
Pain and suffering, frustration and anxiety are ugly but inescapable parts of life.
Suffering and anxiety are caused by human desires and attachments
People can understand these weaknesses and triumph over them.
This triumph is made possible by a simple code of conduct. Code of Manu
Four Noble Truths
56
is a Babylonian legal text composed c. 1755–1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organised, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient ...He had a proclamation of an extensive law code that set a variety of punishments for breaking the law. Punishment fit the crime. Code dealt with agriculture, marriage and family, quality of goods,
Hammurabi’s Code
57
was the second imperial dynasty of China ,
Control over Nobility, All reported to the emperor. Came to the Capital to be trained. Confucian education. Border control and expansion. Military service mandatory. Combined Military from all over. Men gave one month of labor to the government every year. Control over agriculture: relied on taxes from farmers to support the government. Tried to make land productive, and increased land size to be farmed. Gave land in new areas. Innovations in agriculture. Moldboard plow introduced. New Harness introduced.
Han dynasty:
58
India’s first Civilization in the Indus Valley some 300 cities. Literate Civilization. The Indus River Valley Civilization, developed the first accurate system of standardized weights and measures, created sculpture, seals, pottery, and jewelry from materials, such as terracotta, metal, and stone. Inscribed on stone, hard to translate.
Harappans:
59
created a new form of Religious beliefs, a monotheism based on one all powerful God. Abraham, Moses This religious group was monotheistic and based on the worship of an all-powerful god called Yahweh. These people were nomadic pastoralists and were later enslaved by the Egyptians
Hebrews:
60
ruled absolutely by kings. and were particularly interested in amassing as many of its riches as they could and put their wealth on display for all to see, building elaborate palaces and they sponsored libraries (the famous libraries at Alexandria and Pergamum, for instance) and universities. The university at Alexandria People, like goods, moved fluidly around the Hellenistic kingdoms. Almost everyone in empire spoke and read the same language: koine, or “the common tongue,” a kind of colloquial Greek. Koine was a unifying cultural force:
Hellenistic culture:
61
Thinking Humans evolved from Homo Erectus, or from earlier primates
bipedal, use of fire, use of tools, more brain power, community organization, cooperation. anatomic variations, that allowed for greater vocalization, large forebrains
All of these things together allowed them to manipulate their environment.
Homo sapiens:
62
Process by which diseases become endemic. Population contacts combine gene pools and eventually most adults are immune to diseases
homogenization of the disease pool:
63
Dynasty of rulers who built a large empire across the Andes. Centered at Cuzco. They invented civilization. Settled and farmed vertical archipelagos. settlements at temperate climates farming and herding took place at higher and lower altitudes. Andean ancestors worship with the Chimu system of split inheritance. largest empire in the world within 50 years. Chimu meant you had to conquer new lands to have an inheritance. 80 providence, 2600 miles, 16 million people and scores of ethnic groups came under Inca control Columbia/Ecuador to Chile under Inca control.
Inca Empire
64
These were all peoples who had original homelands somewhere in Central Asia and migrated into agricultural areas. Settled in India along the Indus river region. Had large civilizations. Unearthed more than 300 cities
What don’t we know about them?
We have no written evidence and no archaeological evidence about their homelands. We don’t know where they came from or why they migrated in the first place. . We also don’t know whether they brought culture, religion, or ideas about politics with them when they migrated
Indo-European peoples:
65
in India about the same period as Buddhism. It was established by Mahavira (c. 599 - 527 BC) in about 500 B. C. influential break off of Brahmanic(priests/shaman) teachings rejecting various tenets. Considered all life sacred. Mohandas Gandhi was a Jain
Monastic vows
Never take a life
Never to be untruthful
Never to take what is not given
Never to be unchaste
Never to be attached to anything (some did not wear clothes)
Jainism:
66
six classical schools of thought in Chinese philosophy. Literally meaning "house of administrative methods" or "standards/law.
Legalism
67
lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree. a group of individuals tracing descent from a common ancestor : such a group of persons whose common ancestor is regarded as its founder. descent in a line from a common progenitor.
lineage
68
14,000-11,000 BCE hunted reindeer in the area of Southern France and northern Spain. Produced highly developed carved art. smoked and preserved meat. Had free time to develop artistic skills.
Magdalenian society
69
Disease really affected African population. 90% of all deaths were in Africa. Spread by mosquitos.
Mosquitos are the highest death rate of any animal.
an intermittent and remittent fever caused by a protozoan parasite that invades the red blood cells. The parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes in many tropical and subtropical regions.
Malaria
70
is a Chinese political philosophy that was used in ancient and imperial China to justify the rule of the King or Emperor of China. According to this doctrine, heaven bestows the mandate on a just ruler of China, If a ruler was overthrown, this was interpreted as an indication that the ruler was unworthy, and had lost the mandate. It was also a common belief that natural disasters such as famine and flood were divine retributions bearing signs of Heaven's displeasure with the ruler, does not require a legitimate ruler to be of noble birth, Chinese dynasties such as the Han and Ming were founded by men of common origins, but they were seen as having succeeded because of what they had gained
The Mandate of Heaven
71
Chandragupta saw this as an opportunity to expand his territories, and he successfully unified all of North India. The empire flourished under the reign of his grandson Ashoka. learned to divide areas into provinces, with governors, taxes, and army. One man ruled most of India during the founding of Buddhism:
Mauryan Empire:
72
Meso America Classical Period. Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Religions focused on ancestor worship buried the dead beneath their houses. 10,000 people. Raised field agriculture. built up bed and diverted waters. Plants had compact nutrition, and grew in small spaces, huge variety of plants and things to trade. Inhabited the highlands of Guatemala and the Yucatan peninsula. A Lot of limestone in the area led to building monuments. large cenotes to capture water. extensive trading and a common language.Merchants were high nobles/royal families. Developed a complex writing system. Recorded important events. Devised a form of astronomy and mathematics.
Maya:
73
Extinction of large mammals after the final retreat of glaciers. occurred between 10,000 - 15,000 years ago. Warming climate was very unfavorable to large mammals such as woolly mammoths, mastodons, and others. Australias and Americas lost 70 -80 % of their large animal populations
megafaunal Extinction:
74
engaged in mound building. Hopewell 200 BCE - 600 CE burial chambers. mounds formed animal shapes, or geometric figures. including canals that allowed trade to flourish. and spread throughout eastern Americas.The center of the Mississippian people was at Cahokia, today in Illinois. As many as thirty-eight thousand people were at this site—. The most obvious was the presence of about two hundred raised earth mounds.
Mississippian culture:
75
13,500-10,500 BCE Middle east/Syria lived off wheat. Had Sickles to harvest grain, Traded with other communities. They were wealthy, and had a large trade. Climate change caused a downfall.
Natufian society
76
settlements in the Yellow River Valley No written record. Fortified Walls, shared social and cultural practices
Neolithic era:
77
on the african continent From 500 B.C.E. to the Common Era, moved to the the fertile middle
stretches of the Niger River due to a long drought. They brought domesticated animals agriculture, and ironworking. The most studied of these centers was the city of Jenne-jeno.
weren’t controlled by a large central state, they were urban centers without any apparent state authority. Instead, they formed clusters of economically specialized settlements around larger central towns. The most prestigious occupation was iron smithing, something this civilization was famous for
Niger Valley Civilization
78
grand nephew of Caesar. fought for power after Caesar was killed. eventually won and ended the era of Civil wars. transformed the government to one in which all power was held by a single ruler. by taking over many offices that had been held by separate people.
Octavian/ Caesar Augustus:
79
Coastal lowlands of Southern Mexico. Laid the foundation for all future empires.Political and Economic centralization helped spread technology culture and religion. Formed first cities in Mesoamerica. Cultivated maize, squash, and beans. had a complex trade, spread religious practice. Formed the first cities in Mesoamericas. No large Urban areas but Centers of agriculture trade and religion. long distance trade - spread their culture. Urban planning around temples. Corn, bean, and squash foundation but traded for stone, rubber, cacao, pottery.
Because rainfall was abundant didn’t have to use irrigation they practiced slash-and-burn agriculture. set aside large public areas used for ceremonial purposes, and they built temple pyramids out of stone and earth.
Olmecs
80
these objects were used by Shamans in ancient china Used for pyronmancy
Predict the future (divination)
Late Shang Dynasty
Pieces of Turtle shell and bones
oracle bones
81
Stone Age or old Stone Age - People used stone, bone, and other Natural products to make tools and gained food by foraging. By definition this society came before agriculture.
Consisted of: Small bands, Kinship, polygamy, families
Slow rate of population growth, Seasonally nomadic
Little to no surplus, Few personal belongings, Egalitarian, Fewer working time and more leisure hours
Followed by the Neolithic Era
Paleolithic era
82
Herders, farmers. Followed herds, Nomadic pastoral. On the other hand, sedentary pastoral built special building/structures to house animals.This type of people learned that animal manure increased crop yields and consequently used the manure from their animals in horticulture
These kinds of people often raided resources from agricultural peoples
pastoralists:
83
Hereditary Aristocracy of Rome, a privileged legal status, was determined by birth as members of certain families. A social system in which males hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property. In the domain of the family, fathers or father-figures hold authority over women and children.
patricians:
84
were the most important society in the Near East. An Indo-European people who settled in contemporary Iran, they infiltrated the Babylonian and Assyrian empires and eventually created an empire of their own that stretched from Anatolia all the way to India. There were three major rulers of the early Persian Empire: Cyrus the Great, Darius, and Xerxes. The ruling family was known as the Achaemenids.
Persians:
85
Common people of Rome. Free citizens with a voice in politics but had few of the patricians political and social advantages
Plebeians:
86
Greek term for city-state. incorporated the concept of the citizen into its institutions. Any free adult male who owned land and was not a foreigner was known as a citizen in his city-state. Citizens were allowed to participate in government institutions, and particular institutions were created to encourage that participation.
polis:
87
texts written by individuals during and about the time period they were living in;
primary source: secondary source
88
first Chinese empire, established the first great Chinese empire
Adopted legalist policy. Strict laws rewards, and punishments. Reduce power of Nobility. Sweeping program of centralization. All nobles moved to the capital. possession of arms outlawed. Officials administered throughout the territory. long list of regulations. penalties for inadequate preformance. First census taken. Many improvements in roads, armies, writing, great wall of China started
Qin dynasty
89
is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is one of the four sacred canonical texts of Hinduism
is the oldest known Sanskrit text. Some of its verses continue to be recited during Hindu rites of passage celebrations (such as weddings) and prayers, making it probably the world's oldest religious text in continued use
Rig Veda
90
a Persian empire with a ruling family known as the Seleucids. They used the ruling and administrative techniques that were set up by the Achaemenids. The idea of Greek democracy—wider participation in government—did not transfer over to the Seleucids or any of the other successor states.
Seleucids:
91
large palaces, large temples, and altars. Military Shang King was a high Priest. Sacrificed to ancestors.
Shang dynasty:
92
was a teacher, philosopher and spiritual leader who is considered the founder of Buddhism. He lived and taught in the region around the border of modern-day Nepal and India sometime between the 6th to 4th century B.C. was born into a wealthy family as a prince in present-day Nepal. ... After six years of searching, Buddhists believe he found enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree
Siddhartha Gautama
93
Chinese Historian did not attempt to compose “objective” history but rather belonged unmistakably to the didactic Chinese tradition of history. He makes moral judgments on his characters. of the early Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography a general history of China in the Jizhuanti style covering more than two thousand years beginning from the rise of the legendary Yellow Emperor and the formation of the first Chinese polity to the reigning sovereign under Emperor Wu of Han.
Sima Qian
94
southern part of Mesopotamia – Arid climate farmers developed large-scale irrigation, which required an organized group, and allowed the population to grow.
Sumerians:
95
worlds first city, developed the cuneiform writing system.
URUK
96
Aztec City center of the Empire Settle by Mexica built a system of dams and dykes to drain swamp. farmed by system Chinampa
Tenochtitlan:
97
Most powerful city in classical MesoAmerica. Central Mexico. Not in the jungle. Builders North west of the Mayan lands. population reached as high as 250000. Massive ceremonial center with the pyramid to the sun and the moon at the center. Religious and cultural center. Ethnic diversity. migration of outsiders along trade networks. Religion followed trade.
Teotihuacan:
98
Rebirth of the soul in another human or nonhuman body 2. A reappearance or revitalization in another form; a new embodiment.
Buddhism denies there is any such soul or self in a living being, but does assert that there is a cycle of consisting of rebirth and redeath as the fundamental nature of existence.
transmigration of the soul
99
are regarded as a major cause of rural poverty in sub-Saharan Africa because they prevent mixed farming. The land infested is often cultivated by people using hoes rather than more efficient draught animals because the disease transmitted weakens and often kills these animals. Cattle that do survive produce little milk, pregnant cows often abort their calves, and manure is not available to fertilize the worn-out soils. a similar disease to humans, called African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness
tsetse fly:
100
the Warring States period (481/403 BCE - 221 BCE) describes the three centuries when various rival Chinese states battled viciously for territorial advantage and dominance. Ultimately the Qin state was victorious and established the first unified Chinese state. Then the three states of Han, Wei, and Zhao
Warring States Period:
101
the pastoral people on the borders of Chinese settlements. were a confederation of nomadic peoples that lived on the eastern Asian Steppe. founded by a leader named Modu Chanyu after 209 BC. . became a dominant power on the steppes of north-east Central Asia during the 2nd century BC, and their empire lasted until the late 1st century AD. This empire centered on the region that we today know as Mongolia had a complicated relationship with the Chinese dynasties, with periods of hostilities and openly violent conflicts alternating .Took wealth from the Han Dynasty
Xiongnu:
102
Book of documents describes the conquest over the Shang. A close relationship between heaven and the King. Decentralized feudal system. The dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history (790 years). The Dynasty made significant cultural contributions to agriculture, education, military organization, Chinese literature, music, philosophical schools of thought, and social stratification as well as political and religious innovations
Zhou dynasty:
103
Scholars now call them foragers a term that highlights the flexibility and adaptability in their search for food. Most of what foragers ate was plants, and much of the animal protein they gathered came from what they scavenged rather than hunted directly. such as insects, shellfish, and small animals.
What characteristics were shared by most foraging societies?
104
(see primary and secondary) flexibility and adaptability in their search for food.. Archeology is a good source but they are imprecise and are based on theory and are subject to new science or theories. Anthropology analysis of society that still are around today Problem with where they live. in the desert, societies of scarcity. DNA evidence: More calories from plants than hunting animals. Only owned what they could carry. Tremendous variety in different societies. Nothing about individuals, language, or social distinctions.
What kinds of evidence do we use for information about foraging peoples? What are some of the difficulties with these types of sources?
105
The increase in agricultural production and technological advancements during contributed to unprecedented population growth and new agricultural practices, triggering such phenomena as rural-to-urban migration, development of a coherent and loosely regulated agricultural market, and ...
Enclosure, or the process that ended traditional rights on common land formerly held in the open field system and restricted the use of land to the owner, is one of the causes and a key factor behind the labor migration from rural areas to gradually industrializing cities. It allowed population to far exceed earlier peaks
The increase in the food supply contributed to the rapid growth of population
The next stage of development was trading between markets, requiring merchants, the transformation of farming that resulted in the eighteenth century from the spread of new crops, improvements in cultivation techniques and livestock breeding
What were the causes and effects of the Agricultural Revolution?
106
the process by which a society or place reaches an advanced stage of social and cultural development and organization.
the society, culture, and way of life of a particular area.
comes from the Latin word civis meaning someone who lives in a town. ... is generally an advanced stage of organization. That means it has laws, culture, a regular way of getting food and protecting the people.
What does the term civilization mean?
107
the presence of geographic boundaries and political institutions.
an economy that produces food surpluses. a concentration of population in distinct areas or cities.the existence of social classes.
developed systems of religion, learning, art, and architecture.a system of record keeping.
technology.
What are the main characteristics of civilizations,
108
For a group of people to be classified as this term, they:
- MUST HAVE: Surplus agricultural production
- Large settled urban areas (cities)
- Complex division of labor
- organized into political and religious hierarchies
- Some people have more power than others
- Regional and long-distance commercial networks (TRADE)
- Local and long-distance
- Cultural/intellectual activities (writing?)
- Writing for record keeping
Example: Hammurabi, Harappans, Egypt, etc.
Often synonymous with "civilization"
Complex society
109
Cities depended largely on food produced by the surrounding countryside while people in cities carried out other tasks. Complex division of labor, enforced through laws, taxes, bureaucracies backed by armed forces. Social and gender hierarchies became more complex. First Mesopotamia, then Egypt, then India, and china. Dense population, need specialized industry to solve problems.
What kinds of problems did cities face that agricultural villages did not?
110
Ancient Athens had a social hierarchy that consisted of the Upper Class, the Middle Class, the Metics, and the Slaves.
Both political and religious organizations helped to create and reinforce social hierarchies, which are clear distinctions in status between individual people and between different groups. Political leaders could make decisions that impacted entire societies, such as whether to go to war. Religious leaders gained special status since they alone could communicate between a society and its god or gods. In addition to these leaders, there were also artisans who provided goods and services, and merchants who engaged in the trade of these goods. There were also lower classes of laborers who performed less specialized work, and in some cases there were slaves. All of these classes added to the complexity and economic production of a city.
What kinds of social distinctions existed in the ancient world? What caused those distinctions? In Cities what kinds of solutions did ancient peoples employ to try to solve those problems?
111
While men tend to hunt and women tend to gather, these roles often overlap. Women retain control over the food they gather. Both men and women raise children equally. Studies on other contemporary hunter-gatherer societies show a similar degree of sexual equality. Labor roles became more gendered as well. Generally, men did the majority of the fieldwork while women were relegated to child-rearing and household work. While it was looked at as the man’s duty to work outside the home or serve in the military, it was the woman’s responsibility to take care of the household. This included raising children, preparing meals, cleaning, and any other domestic duties.
and then complex societies? Across all the city-states, women didn’t have any political clout. Married women could hold some influence over their husbands regarding their political opinions. No matter which city-state you examine, the chief role of the women in Ancient Greece was to give birth to children, particularly to males.
What changes to gender roles came about with the development of agriculture? Why did these changes occur?
112
Egypt worshipped Osiris
India believed in reincarnation
China worshiped ancestors
Cult of Osiris Osiris became the guardians of the dead, he said resurrection was for everyone. Good behavior got you rewards in heaven
Compare and contrast the religious beliefs found in Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Aryan/Vedic India, Shang China, and the Israelites/Hebrews.
All Built buildings to there gods
Elites who read or memorized verses. Common people observed.
Religion explained the unexplainable.
Little incentive to behave a certain way except to make sacrifices to the Gods
As society became more complex so did religion
Most were polythestic, animistic.
For God to do good things for you, you had to do something good for them.
Religion became an arm of the state
The first major works of literature were often religious texts, and for that reason alone it is impossible to study ancient societies without examining religion.
originally there was Great deal of diversity in religious beliefs. Religion was regional and based on communities needs and surroundings
Most societies had a priest class. Who controlled the texts, Performed rituals, spectacles for the people.
What are the similarities and differences between the religions of ancient societies?
113
geography, His vision in the book is that geography and its impact on human material culture are fundamental, an "ultimate factor," in explaining causality in human societies, and he makes an excellent case. While he shies away from arguing geography and materiality "determine" history and social formations, Diamond comes very close to making this argument.
food production, and the biology of immunity—dramatically influences the content of human societies and the course of history. In just one example, humans developed immunological defenses against infection over millennia based on their exposure to domesticated animals. food production, This factor gave western Eurasian peoples a tremendous immunological advantage over peoples for whom widespread domestication of animals had not been possible.
rather than human ingenuity, Diamond hopes to show the power of geography in shaping human social organization. the layouts of continents, the types of climates, the available resources, and the flow of human, plant, and animal species have tremendous consequences not just for human physiology or evolutionary biology but for the shape and content of human societies.
arguing there is a direct and causal relationship between geography and human social organization and processes. In short, geography impacts the content of history, conquest, politics, and technology.
These origins, Diamond argues, are fundamentally tied to geography, to the type of available natural flora and fauna, to the type of human movement possible over or around geographic obstacles, and to other factors.
draws on anthropology, evolutionary biology, animal physiology, linguistics, archaeology, and other fields.
Furthermore, because of the east-west arrangement of the Eurasian continent with similar climates along similar latitudes, agriculture and other developments could spread more easily. Had the peoples of the world been switched in the Late Pleistocene, Diamond argues, the results would be much the same. Those in western Eurasia had a tremendous geographic, not racial, advantage.
What are the four major arguments that Diamond makes to support his thesis in Guns, Germs, and Steel? A major idea of Guns, Germs, and Steel is that material factors—
114
Diamond says that if we look beyond the "guns, germs, and steel" argument, common assumptions about why Europeans had those benefits have to do with greater intelligence or other notions of superiority. Based on his experiences and the emerging science that has found race has no significant impact on features such as intelligence, Diamond looks for more satisfactory, deeper, "ultimate" causes of conquest.
Here, geography plays a major role. Eurasians were not "smarter" than the peoples of New Guinea or the Americas. Instead, they benefited from human geography. The continent of Eurasia had great biotic diversity, which enabled plant and animal domestication to develop more easily and meet greater needs.
The main criticism against this book is that it neglects the impact of human agency and overemphasizes the role of geography.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Diamond’s work?
115
Strong , Centralized Government (Peace)
Strong trade networks and strong economy (Prosperity)
Contributions/ Ideas lasting until today (Progress)
What are the important characteristics of classical civilizations?
116
taught followers to live ascetic lives, avoid harming any living thing, and renounce evil thoughts and actions. Will bring enlightenment
What are the tenets of Jainism?
117
Hindu women were subject to Fathers, husbands, and sons.
Buddhism wanted to eliminate desire so women are seen as a thing men desire. Men should not delight in them.
Did not change basic patriarchal structure of religion
But women could have a spiritual life and become nuns
Buddhism does ignore the caste system. Everyone, noble and peasant, educated and ignorant, male and female, could follow the eightfold paths.
With the introduction of Buddhism to India, what changed about women’s lives?
118
The main problem facing the Han for much of this period was those nomadic people of the central Asian interior, Likewise, they saw the expansion of China into their territory as a problem. During the transitional years between Qin and Han, while the Chinese were mainly focused towards the interior of their nation, they took the opportunity to retake the territory north of the wall.
What role did the Xiongnu play in the history of China during the Han dynasty?
