9.1 Ancient Civilizations

9.1 DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATION 10,000 B.C.E. – ca. 630 C.E.

• The development of agriculture enabled the rise of the first civilizations, located primarily along river valleys

• These complex societies were influenced by geographic conditions and shared a number of defining political, social, and economic characteristics. (Standards: 2, 3, 4; Themes: TCC, GEO, ECO, TECH)

9.1a

• The Paleolithic Era was characterized by non-sedentary hunting and gathering lifestyles, whereas the Neolithic Era was characterized by a turn to agriculture, herding, and semi-sedentary lifestyles.

  • Students will analyze the political, social, and economic differences in human lives before and after the Neolithic Revolution, including the shift in roles of men and women.

Unit 1 A. Early Peoples

1. Human and physical geography

2. Hunters and gatherers - nomadic groups

3. Relationship to the environment

4. Migration of early human populations

   1. Out of Africa

   2. Other theories

5. Early Government

• 1. Purposes

  2. Decision Making

  3. Move toward more complex government systems

Essential Questions

1. How do the movements of people and ideas (cultural diffusion) affect world history?

2. How does technological change affect people, places, and regions?

9.1b

• Complex societies and civilizations adapted to and modified their environment to meet the needs of their population.

  • Students will explore how the Mesopotamian, Shang, and Indus River valley civilizations adapted to and modified their environments to meet their need for food, clothing, and shelter.

​B. Neolithic Revolution and early river civilizations

• 1. Compare and contrast (Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Yellow River civilizations)

     1. Human and physical geography of early river civilizations

     2. Traditional economies

     3. Social structures and urbanization

     4. Political systems

     5. Contributions

        1. Writing systems

        2. Belief systems

        3. Early technology—irrigation, tools, weapons

        4. Architecture

        5. Legal systems—Code of Hammurabi

  2. Identify demographic patterns of early civilizations and movement of people—Bantu migration (500 BC - 1500 AD)

• • 1. Human and physical geography

    2. Causes of migration

    3. Impact on other areas of Africa

Essential Questions

• What defines a turning point?

• To what extent is life a constant struggle between continuity and change?

• How does technological change affect people, places, and regions?

9.1c

• Complex societies and civilizations shared common characteristics of religion, job specialization, cities, government, language/writing systems, technology, and social hierarchy, and they made unique contributions.

  • Students will explore the Mesopotamian, Shang, and Indus River valley civilizations by examining archaeological and historical evidence to compare and contrast characteristics and note their unique contributions

​Thematic Essay Questions

Jun 13 - Change - Neolithic Revolution

Jun 12 - Geography & Interactions

Jan 11 - Geographic Features

Aug 09 - Belief Systems

Jan 09 - Geo. features & Cultural Diffusion

Aug 08 - Geography & Interaction w/ Env.

Jun 08 - Belief Systems

Jan 08 - Change - Neolithic Rev.

Aug 06 - Movement of People/trade

June 04 - Turning Points

Aug 03 - Geography