Transcript File - Mrs. Ward World History

THE
NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION
Essential Question:
What was the significance of
the Neolithic Revolution?
Pre-historic early humans were huntergatherers for thousands of years; they
hunted animals and collected plant foods
Some hunters
and gatherers
were advanced,
Neolithic
Revolution
but were never able to develop complex
societies because they had to migrate
(constantly be on the move) to find food
These earlyNeolithic
humans who
had to move around to
Revolution
find their food were called nomads
Farming
changed the
way humans lived:
Neolithic
Revolution
Around 8,000 B.C.E. (Before Common Era), the
Neolithic Revolution (a revolution in
agriculture) occurred: early humans discovered
how to farm and domesticate animals
Farming
changed the
way humans lived:
Neolithic
Revolution
People no longer had
Food surpluses led to
to be roaming nomads population increases
Farming villages became established along river
valleys; the rivers offered good soil, irrigation,
and sources of drinking water
Neolithic Revolution: Spread of Agriculture
The earliest civilizations sprung up around river
valleys; the first civilizations were located around
Mesopotamia (today’s Middle East region)
Simply put: more food means more people;
when there is a steady food supply, people are
healthier and have more children
Around 3,000
B.C.,
some
farming
villages
became
Neolithic
Revolution
complex civilizations; this was the start of cities
What characteristics are needed to make people
into a “civilization”?
?
• Advanced cities
Characteristics of Civilizations
?
?
?
?
?
Civilizations must have cities that are centers of
trade for large areas
One of the first
civilizations arose in
Sumer, which was part
of Mesopotamia
Civilizations must have technologies (knowledge,
tools, inventions) that make their lives easier
For example, Sumerians
melted and mixed copper
and tin, which creates
bronze; bronze made tools
and weapons stronger
Civilizations must have writing in order to keep
records of taxes, laws, and trade
Sumerian scribes (record
keepers) invented a
system of writing called
cuneiform, a series of
wedge-shaped symbols
The abundant
food supply
enabled people to
do other things
besides farm;
some became
artisans, those
who made goods
(clothes, jewelry,
weapons) by hand
Civilizations must have specialized workers that
do specific jobs; this creates a class system
Civilizations must have
complex institutions like
government and religion
to keep order
Temples became the center of both religion
and government, as people believed gods
governed the cities’ activities
Closure Activity
Now that we have defined “civilization”,
answer this question:
Is the United States a civilization?
Give evidence to support your answer.