Today we will learn about the development of written languages in early civilizations. The diffusion of spoken languages preceded this. You can read more about that here. The development of written language had profound effects in both politics and religion in addition to entertainment (books and plays!).
Question of the Day
How did the written languages of early civilizations differ and how were they similar in regard to the reasons they developed and the purposes they served in each society?
Focus Questions
In what ways did urbanization cause the development of writing?
To what extent did the needs of political, economic, and religious elites drive the development of written language?
What were the political, economic, and social effects of the development of written language in each society?
City-state
Civilization
Cuneiform
Epic of Gilgamesh
Hammurabi
Hammurabi's Code
Oracle bones
Papyrus
Pictographs
Heiroglyphics
Rosetta Stone
Semitic
Confucius
The Analects
Vedas
Hebrew Bible
Greek
Latin
Today you'll have to define one of the vocabulary terms from last class and write a paragraph on one of the objects you studied for homework. See below for the prompt.
Write one paragraph on one of the objects from last night's homework (Maya maize god statue, Indus seal, and early writing tablet from Mesopotamia). The prompt will be: What does the object you have chosen tell us about its time, place, and culture, especially in regard to the development of civilization?
Watch a short video on Ancient Mesopotamia.
Start work on a timeline for the development of civilization in different regions. In studying the development of civilization we will focus on the growth of complex political, economic, social, and religious systems in different parts of the world. Written language facilitated the growth of these systems and the elites within them, while the growth of these systems simultaneously supported the diffusion of writing.
Your first task is to read this Wikipedia article on the "History of Writing Systems."
Then read this article on "Writing." Now complete this sheet (graphic organizer) using the articles. You only have to complete two of the civilizations on the sheet. In each bin you should have at least one and at most three effects of writing in the two cultures you have chosen. So for two cultures with three different kinds of effects (social, political, and economic), you will fill out a total of six bins.
The second article should be more helpful in this task.
You may also use sources that you find on your own and the enrichment resources at the bottom of this page to help you.
Optional: You may make a timeline called the "Development and Impact of Writing" using the sheet you completed as a challenge and a way to help you get a sense of the chronology. If you make a timeline, you will be allowed to use it to help you write your paragraph next class. Please bring the timeline to class in hard copy, if you choose to use it to write the paragraph.
You will have to define one of the vocabulary terms above at the beginning of next class. I will choose the term.
Then you will write a paragraph in response to this prompt: Compare and contrast the impact of the development of writing in two of the civilizations we studied last class.
Rosetta Stone: This is one of the 100 objects from the British Museum that the BBC has used to tell its history of the world. It's related to today's topic of written language.
Rhind Mathematical Papyrus: This is one of the 100 objects from the British Museum that the BBC has used to tell its history of the world. It's related to today's topic of written language.
Pillar of Ashoka: This is one of the 100 objects from the British Museum that the BBC has used to tell its history of the world. It's related to today's topic of written language.
Flood Tablet: This is one of the 100 objects from the British Museum that the BBC has used to tell its history of the world. It's related to today's topic of written language.
Guns, Germs and Steel Videos
Episode 1 of 3: Out of Eden
Episode 2 of 3: Conquest
Episode 3 of 3: Into the Tropics