NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION (BEGINNINGS-600 BCE) 1.2 APWH Unit 1 - Technological and Environmental Transformations, c B.C.E. to c.

Transcription

1 NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION (BEGINNINGS-600 BCE) 1.2 APWH Unit 1 - Technological and Environmental Transformations, c B.C.E. to c. 600

2 Learning Objectives Become aware that agriculture evolved independently in several regions of the world. Agriculture and pastoralism transform human societies. Beginning about 10k years ago, the Neolithic Revolution led to the development of new and more complex economic and social systems.

3 Changes from the Ice Age Ending (11,000 Years Ago) Climate becomes warmer, wetter. Larger mammals and other hominids go extinct. Increase in wild plant life and habitable regions. First animal domesticated (tamed and kept as a pet), the wolf.

4 The Neolithic Revolution (9,000-3,500 BCE) Humans begin to learn how to domesticate (cultivate for food) plants. Humans develop a sedentary (nonmigratory) lifestyle to grow plants. Some humans become pastoral nomads- raising livestock but migrating with their animals. Often clash and fight with sedentary farmers.

5 Where Agriculture Developed 1. Fertile Crescent 2. several areas in Sub-Saharan Africa 3. China 4. New Guinea 5. Mesoamerica 6. The Andes 7. Eastern North America

6 When, and why? In all of these cases it happened around the same time: 12,000-4,000ya Scholars struggle with the question: Why did ag. develop so late in human history? Answer on next slide

7 Our best guess.. It coincides with the end of the ice age, 11,000ya Extinction of some large mammals Climate change allows more plants in warmer, wetter weather Already managing wild plants The Chalicothere vanished in the early Pleistocene

8 Developing Agriculture and its impact on the environment Women were probably the agricultural innovators Fertile crescent first to have full agricultural revolution? How does the bird shaped pestle from Papua New Guinea conflict? Pastoralism developed at various sites in the grasslands of Afro-Eurasia. Different crops in different regions depending on local flora and fauna Ag. communities had to work cooperatively to clear land and create water control systems. These ag. practices drastically impacted environmental diversity. Pastoralists affected the grasslands by overgrazing.

9 Ag. Spread Diffusion: gradual spread without much movement Migration: incl. conquest, absorption, displacement of hunter/gatherers Spread of language By the beginning of CE, hunter/gatherers small minority

10 Agriculture Slowly Spreads

11 Improvements in Ag. production Pottery Plows Woven textiles Metallurgy Wheels and wheeled vehicles. Nefertiti in sheer linen

12 The ancients knew of seven metals. Here they are arranged in order of their oxidation potential (in volt) : Iron V, Tin V Lead V Copper 0.34 V Mercury 0.79 V Silver 0.80 V Gold 1.50 V.

13

14 Emerging Changes Food surplus reduced amount of humans needed to work. Humans begin to specialize- work on different tasks they are good at. Pottery, art, building homes, weapons. Kilns for pottery eventually used to work metals and create metal tools and weapons. Bronze tools and weapons become dominant beginning the Bronze Age.

15 First Towns Develop Çatal Hüyük (Modern Turkey) relatively egalitarian---no evidence of labor specialization or gender distinction First settled: c. 7000BCE Jericho (Modern Israel) First settled: c. 7000BCE

16 Advanced Civilization: The Next Step? By 3500BCE, relatively large, advanced preliterate societies develop along Indus, Huang He, Nile, and Tigris & Euphrates Rivers. As societies grow in size and need, sedentary human beings are again faced with pressures to adapt to changing natural and human environments.

17 COMPONENTS OF CIVILIZATION There are six and you need to know them.

18 The six characteristics of civilization 1. Advanced cities population size (10,000s) trade/ administrative centers religious centers

19 2. Specialized Workers Lived in cities, fed by surplus food Artisans, shopkeepers, soldiers, officials, rulers, priests

20 3. Social Classes Rulers and priests nobles Artisans and merchants farmers Invert these two if talking about China Slaves

21 4. Complex Institutions The long- lasting patterns of organization Government Religion Education Military

22 5.Recordkeeping/writing Keep track of events, time, business transactions, religious rituals

23 6. Advanced technology Monumental architecture Art, public works New tools

24 Technological Advancements Wheeled Vehicles Save labor, allow transport of large loads and enhance trade Potters Wheel (c.6000bce) Allows the construction of more durable clay vessels and artwork Irrigation & Driven Plows Allow further increase of food production, encourages pop. growth

25 Role of Women Great Leap Sideways Women generally lost status under male-dominated, patriarchal systems. Women were limited in vocation, Planting, weeding, harvesting, grinding fossil evidence Women may have lacked the same social rights as men.

26 Early Human Impact on the Environment Deforestation in places where copper, bronze, and salt were produced. Erosion and flooding where agriculture disturbed soil and natural vegetation. Selective extinction of large land animals and weed plants due to hunting & agriculture.

27 Costs & Advantages of Agriculture Advantages Steady food supplies Alteration of natural ecosystem - deliberate Greater populations Explosion of innovation - Textiles, metallurgy Leads to organized societies capable of supporting additional vocations (soldiers, managers, etc.) Costs Heavily dependent on certain food crops (failure = starvation) Harder work Disease from close contact with animals, humans, & waste - Epidemics (large communities) Reduced mobility

28 Legacy of first Pastoral and Ag. Societies Elite groups accumulated wealth. Creating hierarchal social structures Promoted patriarchy

29 What are the consequences? The Biggest Mistake in Human History? Hunter-gatherers work about 20% of the day to provide enough food to survive, farmers work about 60% of the day to provide enough to survive. Duh!!! Divergence between world s parts grew despite common origins mankind diverges and distinct cultures emerge