August 29- September 2

 August 29 (Monday)- Went over Forum Post topics and continued on in Mr. Bruns PowerPoint and continued taking notes (Notes below) 

August 30 (Tuesday)- Continued to take notes on Mr. Bruns PowerPoint and got assigned the Ancient Civilizations group research project

August 31 (Wednesday)- Work day  on our civilization project 

September 1 (Thursday)- Work day  on our civilization project 

September 2 (Friday)- Started presentations. Notes below 

Questions: 

What is World History? BC and AD? ADE? CE? The history of the world. Before Christ. anno Domini (Latin for "in the year of our Lord". Before Christ Era. Common Era. 

How old is the Earth? 4.6 billion years 

Where were the oldest human fossils found? Africa- Specifically Tanzania and Ethiopia 

Who found the oldest human fossils? Louis and Mary Leakey, Donald Johanson, Recent scientists 

What are some of the biggest achievements in world history? Invention of tools, mastery of fire, development of language, invention of wheels, invention of boats, art

Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Cenozoic Era

Louis and Mary Leakey

  • Searched for hominid remains in Tanzania from the 1930's-1970's
    • Hominid- The group consisting of all modern and extinct Great Apes (modern humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans plus all their ancestors)
  • Fould human like fossils in 1959 in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania (in Africa)
  • This discovery  would usher many other findings over the decades  

Donald Johanson 

  • Discovered a 3.2 million-year-old fossil of a female skeleton in Ethiopia named "Lucy" in 1974 
  • This was the oldest known hominid remains found until 2015 

Agricultural/Neolithic Revolution 

  • Prior to more organized agriculture, people were nomadic and hunted animals and gathered plants- hunter- gatherer
  • They lived in groups of about 25-70 people and they moved around a lot 
  • No one knows exactly how things changed, but about 10,000 years ago, people started more organized farming 
  • Along with planting crops, people also domesticated anmals such as horses, dogs, goats, and pigs

  • As time went on, people started setting up villages, which then, over time, turned into towns and then some into cities 
  • As cities emerged, more complex ways of thinking and living emerged leading to civilization 
  • As cities grew, social classes emerged

Define Civilization 

  • Book Definition 
    • An advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached 
  • Student Friendly Definition 
    • A highly advanced society

The Five Traits of a Civilization 

  • Advanced cities 
  • Writing/Record keeping 
  • Specialized workers 
  • Complex institutions 
  • Advanced technology 

Civilization 

  • Central government 
  • Traditional economy 
  • Organized religion 
  • Specialized jobs
  • System of writing 
  • Roads, bridges, and other public works
  • Art and architecture 
  • Social classes 
  • Cities 

What are natural borders? A border between states or subdivisions such as rivers, mountain ranges, or deserts 

Why are defensible borders important for a civilization to thrive? To protect themselves 

What are some natural boundaries that would be helpful to an early civilization? Deserts, seas, mountains, rivers

Early River Valley Civilizations 

  • Arose in 4 separate river valleys around 3500 B.C 
  • Fertile soil, mild climate, waterway for transportation, water for crops and drinking 
  • Provided for abundant crops and food surpluses 

Ch. 1 Vocab Words- 

BC- Before Christ 

AD- anno Domini "In the Year of Our Lord" 

Hominid- The group consisting of all modern and extinct Great Apes (modern humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans plus all their ancestors)

Nomadic- Involves moving around a lot. Hunter-gatherer tribes follow the animals they hunt, carrying tents with them

Hunter-gatherer- A member of nomadic people who live briefly by hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild food 

Domesticated animals- An animal that has lived and been breed in a tame condition and depend on humans for survival

Civilization- A highly advanced society 

Social Classes- A division of a society based on social and economic status 

 

Ch. 2.1 Vocab Words 

Fertile Crescent- The region in the Middle East which curves, like a quarter-moon shape, from the Persian Gulf, through Iraq

Mesopotamia- Part of Iraq. It means "The land between the rivers" 

City-state- A city and the surrounding territory it controls. Functioned like an independent country.

Dynasty- A series of rulers from a single family-father to son  

Cultural diffusion- Process in which ideas spread from one culture to another 

Polytheism- Belief in many gods 

Monotheism- Belief in only one god 

Empire- Group of territories or nations ruled by a single ruler

 

Ch. 2.2 Vocab

Delta- A broad, marshy area of land formed by deposits of silt where a river runs into a bigger body of water (make fertile soil and can have problems with flooding)

King Narmer- King of Egypt that many believe united Upper and Lower Egypt around 3000 BC

Pharaoh- The god- kings of Egypt- Seen as almost as powerful as the gods of the heavens 

Theocracy- Government headed by religious leaders or a leader regarded as a god 

Pyramid- Huge structure where the Egyptian pharohs are placed after they die 

Mummification- The process of drying and embalming a corpse to prevent devay usually reserved for royalty and the rich. They believed in after life 

Hieroglyphics- Egyptian form of writing 

Papyrus- What Egyptians wrote on. Came from papyrus reeds found in marshy areas 

Ch. 2.3 Vocab

Indian Subcontinent- The landmass that includes Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh

Monsoon- Seasonal winds that can bring dry air or heavy rain- Huge impact on India 

 

Ch. 2.4 Vocab

Mandate from Heaven- A just ruler that has approval from the gods and can lose their mandate to rule 

Dynastic cycle- The rise, fall, and replacement of dynasties 

Feudalism- A political system in which the king gives land to nobles/lords and in returns, they vow loyalty and military service to the king. Used in China, Japan, and Europe 

Zhou Dynasty

Political:

  • The Zhou Dynasty came to power in 1046.
  • The Zhou Dynasty lost power in 256 BCE.  
  • Feudal system.                                                                                                                                                    
  • In 1046 BCE, King Wu led an army of 50,000 troops against a Shang army of 700,000 in a battle known as the Battle of Muye.
  • Many of the Shang soldiers joined King Wu's side.
  • The Shang King retreated and committed suicide.
  • They won because the side with 700,000 didn't like their King.

Economic: 

  • Agricultural.
  • Nobles owned the farm land.
  • Iron tools increased harvest.
  • Increasing population.
  • Merchant and traders. 

Geography: 

  • Originally located to the West of the Shang dynasty. It has man made barriers that lock the Zhou dynasty making it square like 

The Zhou dynasty is in a valley 

Located in a rain forest. 

Social: 

Religion:

  • They started  Confucianism and Taoism during this dynasty. 
  • (Confucianism- Balance within yourself respect good behavior)
  • (Taoism- Balance of good and bad live your life to the fullest) 

Education:

  • Started a new education system in China.
  • They made two different schools called the State school and the Village school.
  • The Village school was separated into three different levels: Shu, Xiang, Xu Xiao 

Art:

  • Bronze sculptures were abundant.
  • Jade sculptures for rituals were also made.
  • Nail painted first appeared during this time

Entertainment:

  • They played music.
  • String instruments began to be played during this time.
  • Kites were invented.
  • Operas were first made.
  • They had different board and card games. 

Gender roles:

  • Woman were treated as inferior to men, and they had to do whatever they were told by the men without question

Advancements: 

  • Developed waterways
  • Dyed yarns
  • Started to record astronomy
  • First geographical maps.
  • Discovered magnetism 

The Phoenicians: 

Geography:

  • Lived in Phoenicia 
  • An ancient civilization made of city-states which were along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea 
  • It is now Syria, Lebanon, and Northern Israel 
  • Phoenician city states began to take form 3200 BCE and were firmly established by 2750 BCE 
  • Phoenicia had a lot of forests and woods 
  • Phoenicia was also around lots of snow capped mountains, so they had a lot of natural boundaries protecting them from civilizations, animals, and floods 
  • The snow capped mountains also helped help cool the desert land down 

Political: 

  • Government
    • Led by a hereditary monarchy in power until (700 B.C)
    • Only one Queen ruled alone as regent for her son during 500 B.C
    • Alongside the king was the Council of Elders
    • Came under Assyrian domination in 700 B.C
    • The king had to rule with an Assyrian Governor
    • Matters of government were carried out by the priestly class and elite households that controlled the internation trade
    • King Hiram of Tyre set up trade with the King of Israel and were the first people to establish a large colonial network based on seafaring
    • Priests came from the royal faily or the leading merchant families
    • Power of the King was told about in the Old Testament
    • 3200 BC- 300 BC is when the civilization lasted
    • 593 BC conquered by Cyrus the Great
    • Final rebellion led by Tennes in Sidon
    • Final rebellion crushed 350- 345 BC by Artaxerxes III
    • Phoenician cities very rarely formed alliances with each other
    • A collection of city states 

Economic:

  • Were the greatest seafaring civilization of the ancient world 
  • Dominated trade in the Mediterranean for nearly a thousand year 
  • The word "Phoenician" is Greek for "People of the Sea." 
  • Had a great sea trading empire
  • Very famous for many things including the alphabet, cedar ships, and purple cloth 
  • They were very involved in trade, art, and religion 
  • The Phoenicians appeared on the historical scene around 1200 BC a time when most of the civilized world was being overrun by barbarians 
  • The were primarily known as sailors who had high skill levels 
  • They were called Purple People because they died their clothes purple when they died 

Technology Advances 

  • Shipbuilding 
    • Lived on the sea 
  • Navigation
    • Used the sun to find direction
  • Writing
  • See through glass
    • One of the first people to invent this 
  • Mathematics 
    • Helped invent the Pythagorean theorem 
  • Dyes
    • Dyes for royalties- Kings and queens 

Political Advancements 

  • Kingship 
    • Kind of like a democracy 
  • Alliances
    • The only alliance they made was with King Israelite 
  • Social Structure 
    • High class, middle class, low class
  • Republic Government- Tyre

Social:

  • Religion 
    • Polytheistic- Believe in multiple guys
  • Education 
    • Educated by elders in community 
  • Art 
    • Influenced by Egyptian and Mesopotamian art 
  • Entertainment 
    • Music and Hymns 
    • Festivals celebrating their Gods 
  • Gender Roles 
    • Women were subjected to lower ranking jobs than men

Babylon

Political: 

  • 1894 BC city state First Amorite Babylonian 
  • Dynasty 
  • Absolute Monarchy
  • Hammurabi's Babylonian Empire 18th Babylon to Babylonia 
  • Hammurabi's code 
    • "Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
    • Based on social class 
    • Law system 
  • Assyrian conquest  
  • Nabopolassar 625 BC (Nebuchadnezzar II) 
  • 539 BC Persia Conquest 

Geography:

  • Was the largest city in the world from 1770-1670 and first 200,000 population
  • Natural protection: Caucasus mountains, Asir & Hejaz mountains, Arabian Desert, AnNafud Desert, Anatolian Plateau, Black Sea, Mediterrian Sea, Red Sea, Pursian Golf 

Economy:

  • Arriculture 
  • Barter/Trade system 
  • Currency 
  • Big economy= 200,000+ people 
  • Social Classes 
    • Top of this is the Pharaoh 

Social 

  • Religion 
    • Strong beliefs in many immortal gods
    • Each individual would have their very own god to pray to 
  • Gender Roles
    • Men had more rights over woman 
    • Woman had some rights 
  • Entertainment
    • Hunted 
    • Boxed and wrestled 
    • Board games 
  • Art
    • Some in architecture 
  • Education
    • Scribal type learning 
    • Boys went to school
    • Some girls could go 

Hanging Garden 

  • Was believed to float in the sky
  • Was made by King Nebuchadnezzar II 
  • 7 wonders of the world 
  • 605 BC 
  • 8200 gallons 75 feet high
  • Possibly a myth? 
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