Today in West Civ class we took notes.



Western World= Europe and North and South America

Before civilization: The Prehistoric era (1 of 2)

Prehistory- Before things were written down

The Origins and "ages" of Human Beings
- 200,000 years ago a human species emerged in Southwest Africa
- 14,000 years ago, a world wide human race existed
- Earliest prehistoric age is the Paleolithic age (old stone age)
- Neolithic Age (New stone age) was marked by advance tool making and the beginning of agriculture


Before civilzation: The Prehistoric era

The Agricultural revolution
- Also known as the Neolithic revolution, this was a shift from itinerant hunting/gathering to more permanent settlements on agriculture (beginnig in Southwest Asia)

- Populations rose due to increased ability to care for young children

-Hierarchies appeared in village life, the status of women was lowered as women were confined more to domestic duties

-Invention of the wheel and plow made is possible to produce enough food for storage

-Villagers were polythesis, worshipped multiple nature, human, and animal gods had own Hierarcy on what job they had

The earliest cities: Mesopotamia

Sumer

-Sumer occupied the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

- Population increased drastically due to new irrigation techniques

- Cities and towns were founded, some with as manyas 40,000 inhabitants

-More adequate food storage allowed for diveristy in professions, priests, tradesmen, artisans, politicians and farmers

-Kings emerged, as did family dynasties and the concept of the "city state"

- Sumerians invented te earliest form of writing, known as "cuneiform"