Social science section 2 Flashcards
How many years ago did the holocene begin?
11,700 years ago
The earliest fossil record of homo sapiens dates back to
300,000 years ago
Approximately what was the human population before the holocene?
Less than ten million
Which epoch preceded the holocene?
The pleistocene epoch, characterized by cycles of glaciers growing and receding, and at times covering vast portions of the Earth.
The last glacial maximum (LGM)
Occurred around 20,000 years ago. In this time period, much of Europe, North America, and Asia were covered in ice.
Younger Dryas period (12,900-11,700 years ago)
Warming caused by solar cycles created a massive glacial meltwater event, cooling ocean temperatures and reversing global warming trends for roughly a millennium.
Interglacial period
A warm period between ice ages. The holocene is an interglacial period.
The middle holocene is also known as
the northgrippian stage/age
The early holocene is also known as
the greenlandian stage/age
the late holocene is also known as
meghalayan stage/age
The classification of the early holocene as the “Greenlandian stage” refers to
An ice core in Greenland, NGRIP2, which bears evidence of the onset of the holocene.
What event marks the end of the early holocene and the beginning of the middle holocene?
A meltwater event in Canada caused the collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet
What was the beginning and end date of the middle holocene?
Began around 8,236 years ago and ended 4,250 years ago
Which two ages of human history are included in the middle holocene?
the stone age and the bronze age
Which notable human civilization emerged in the middle holocene?
Mesopotamia
The classification of the late holocene as the “Meghalayan stage” refers to
a cave in India where mineral deposits gave evidence of the beginning of the late holocene
Holocene turnover
changes in the atmosphere and ocean led to sudden changes in the weather around the world. Occurred during the late holocene.
What is the approximate starting date of the late holocene?
2250 BCE
Which organization rejected a proposal to formally adopt the anthropocene as the current epoch?
the International union of geographical sciences
In what way did climatic conditions impact Mesopotamia?
The transition from middle to late Holocene resulted in cooler and dryer conditions. At the same time, the Akkadian Empire of Mesopotamia collapsed. Some scholars argue this was due to climate change and drought.
In what way did climatic conditions impact early Egypt?
- The onset of drought in 2250 BCE is often linked to the collapse of the Old Kingdom (c.2700−2200 bce) in Egypt.
- Egyptians did a great job documenting their irrigation practices and manipulations of the Nile River, so scholars often study them as an example of early human effort to farm sustainably.
Nile Delta
A region near the Middle East where early Egyptian society emerged.
The Indus civilization of early India
Located in Modern Pakistan. It was one of the most developed societies in the world. Scholars have divided the civilization into three periods: The Early Harappan phase, The Mature Harappan phase, and The Late Harappan phase.
In what way did climatic conditions impact early India?
In what is known as the Late Harappan phase, populations moved out of urban centers to smaller villages. Some scholars speculate this was due to climatic factors.
In what way did climatic conditions impact early America?
Climatologists suspect that the Americas experienced the same fluctuating climatic conditions as the Eastern Hemisphere during the Holocene.
Climate in the Roman empire
During the eighth to fifth centuries, the climate was colder and wetter, providing favorable conditions which might be linked to the growth of Roman city-states.
Climate in early China
China is unique for its remarkable collection of human records that date back to the Shang dynasty. Scholars have analyzed these records and found that warming periods have coincided with population growth.
The mandate of heaven
a cultural idea under the Zhou dynasty which suggested that prosperity in the land and favorable weather validated the authority of the current ruler.
According to historian Michael McCormick, which year was “the worst year to be alive” and why?
536 CE. In this year, volcanic eruptions ushered in a cold year “without summer”, and several of the coldest summers on record for the next decade and a half.
The little ice age (LIA)
Typically dated around 1300−1850 ce. A period of cooler global temperatures on average.
Which two major events in world history took place during the Little Ice Age?
- The Black Death in Europe
- Christopher Columbus making contact with the Western Hemisphere in 1492
What were the leading causes of the Little Ice Age?
volcanic forcings and periods of lower solar activity
solar minima
a period of low solar activity
Name the three distinct cooling periods of the Little Ice Age and (roughly) when they occured.
The Wolf minimum (1280-1350), the Maunder minimum (1654-1715), the Dalton minimum (1790-1820).
How did the Little Ice Age impact Africa?
In parts of Africa, the LIA caused a decrease in rainfall and a rise in drought conditions. The Sahel Region experienced drying events around 1600 as well as from 1800 to 1850.
How did the Little Ice Age impact Asia?
The LIA caused a period of weak monsoon rains in South Asia.
How did the Little Ice Age impact North America?
Colonial navies were often hampered by the weather itself. In this way, the LIA slowed colonization, but it also increased violence against the indigenous population: when harsh weather limited available resources, colonists sought to forcibly take food from the natives.
How did the Little Ice Age affect religious beliefs about the weather?
The Little Ice Age put a strain on the belief that good weather was an indication of God’s favor. Later, during the Enlightenment, people fully rejected antiquated ideas about the weather in favor of scientific observations.
Which two factors do scholars believe mitigated the impacts of the Little Ice Age?
Advancing infrastructure and stabilizing governments.
Quaternary period
Began 2.6 million years ago and included both the pleistocene and the holocene. The major climatic pattern was ice growing and receding in cycles.
