Study Guide - Neolithic Revolution
Neolithic Revolution
Neolithic Age (8000-3000BCE)
- Also called the “New Stone Age.”
- Key developments of this period:
- Humans first discovered how to perform agriculture (farm) and domesticate (raise)animals for food and drink.
- Humans switched from being nomads (people who wander from place to place hunting and gathering for food) to being settled farmers who lived in permanent villages.
- Farming created a steady food supply (called a food surplus).
- The permanent villages created during the Neolithic Age eventually turned into civilizations (SEE NEXT TOPIC BELOW).
- The development of farming during this period was so important for humans that it is often called the “Neolithic Revolution.”
Civilization
- A civilization is a complex and highly organized society that includes a government, social classes, job specialization, a food surplus, writing, and religious beliefs.
- Civilizations developed soon after humans discovered farming and settled down in permanent villages during the Neolithic Age.
- The first civilizations developed around 3000 B.C. in areas of land known as river valleys (low areas of land next to rivers).
The reason civilizations developed in river valleys is because these areas had favorable geography:
- The flooding of rivers deposited silt on nearby lands that created fertile soil for farming.
- People irrigated (watered) their crops with water from the nearby rivers.
- Rivers provided a source of transportation.
- Early river valley civilizations developed around the following rivers:
- Nile River in Egypt
- Tigris River and Euphrates River in the Middle East (Mesopotamia)
- Indus River in India
- Yellow River and Yangtze River in China
Ancient River Valley Civilizations (c.3000 – 1000BCE)
- Egypt
- Location: Northeastern Africa
- Major River: Nile River
- Characteristics and achievements:
- Developed hieroglyphics- Writing using picture symbols.
- Constructed pyramids- Massive structures used to bury Egyptian Pharaohs (kings).
- Mesopotamia (Sumer)
- Location: Middle East
- Major Rivers: Tigris River and Euphrates River
- Characteristics and achievements:
- Developed cuneiform- Writing system using wedge-shaped symbols.
- Code of Hammurabi- Oldest written set of laws in the world that is known for its strict (harsh) punishments of crimes (i.e.- “an eye for an eye”) and for social class distinction for punishment
- Harappan Civilization
- Location: India
- Major River: Indus River
- Achievements: The urban (city) areas of Harappan civilization were organized and well-planned.
- NOTE: Early societies in India (and areas of Southeast Asia) were very affected by seasonal monsoons - Winds that brought rain needed to farm (but too much rain caused dangerous flooding).
- China
- Major Rivers- Yellow (Huang He) River and Yangtze River
- Early Chinese societies were very isolated from other civilizations because China is surrounded by natural boundaries (i.e.- mountains and deserts).
- Common Features- Many ancient societies had important traits in common:
- They existed in river valley regions.
- They were all polytheistic- People believed in many gods associated with nature (i.e.- Sun God, Rain God, Wind God, etc).
- They often had traditional economic systems with the following characteristics:
- Barter- Trade without using money.
- Subsistence agriculture- Farming in which the crops are used only to feed the farmer and his family. Food is not usually sold for a profit.
- People have the same occupation (job) as their parents (usually related to farming/agriculture).