Periods 1 and 2

1. Periods 1 and 2 8000 BCE-600 CE

4. Some Foundations Generalizations • Starts with Neolithic Revolution • Ends with Fall of Classical Empires • Establishes patriarchy as a social continuity and urbanization as the grand continuity • Several major belief systems emerge in this period. • Humans organize in increasing large numbers leading to increasingly complex forms of social organization: villages, river valley civilizations, classical empires.

5. River Valley Civilizations--Generally • Larger Organizations: governmental, religious, military • More specialization, stratification, patriarchy, technology • More long distance trade—connections between Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Indus Valleys

6. Neolithic Revolution SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

7. Centralized Government • Leaders • Literate Bureaucrats • Legal Systems—Code of Hammurabi

9. Technology Economic Specialization

10. Metals • Wheels • Storage

11. Writing Systems

12. Professional Rulers and Religious Leaders—The Priest King

13. Code of Hammurabi

14. IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY

16. Urbanization/Monumentalizing

18. War Chariot—Military Organization

20. Nomadic Threat!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no permanent home. I want their cool stuff!

22. Classical Empires • First Wave—Persia, Greece, Macedonian, Shang, Zhou • Second Wave (we need to recall) • Mauryan/Gupta • Han • Rome

23. Two World Foundations • The Mauryan leader Ashoka (South Asia) makes Buddhism the official religion of the empire; he publicizes legal and religious edicts on pillars erected throughout the empire. • The Macedonian conqueror Alexander creates an empire stretching from Eastern Europe and North Africa across the Middle East and into South Asia. • Though short lived, the empire allows for the diffusion of Greek culture throughout these areas, even into South Asia. • In South Asia, Greek artistic styles blend with Indian traditions forming a style of art know as Bactrian or Gandharan (syncretism example).

24. Pillars of Ashoka

26. Classical Empire Generalizations • Large and multiethnic • Expand with conquest • Professional Military • Defined Social Class System • Development of Religious Traditions • Technological Advances • Long Distance Trade (Rome, Han, and Mauryan/Gupta don’t directly interact, but they share trade relationships via merchants)

28. Professional Military Geared for Conquest • Intensified Social Stratification: • Confucian Social Structure • Mauryan/Gupta Caste system (More regimented during Gupta Empire) • Patrician/Plebian notion of Ancient Rome (Roman Empire labor done by enslaved peoples)

29. Political Systems move toward single strong ruler with professionalized, literate bureaucracy.

30. Religious Traditions Develop • Mauryan/Gupta—further development of Buddhism (adopted as state religion by Ashoka) and Hinduism (definitive version of major Hindu texts—Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana—solidified during Gupta Empire) evolves.

31. Han Dynasty • Solidification of Confucian tradition • Earlier traditions like legalism and Daoism continue to have an influence • Daoism influenced the Han because it was the major ideological inspiration of the Yellow Turban Revolution from 184-204 CE—this occurs as the Han are losing control in China.

33. Han Technology • Paper • Canals • Great Wall (mostly earthen mounds in Foundations Era)

34. Roman Empire • Religiously tolerant as long as people recognized the cult of emperor worship • Romans persecuted Jewish people over the issue of emperor worship. • Christianity, early in its history, was also persecuted. • Constantine made Christianity the state religion early in 300s.

35. St. Catherine’s Monastery; Mt. Sinai, Egypt

36. Roman Technology • Road system • Aqueducts • Keystone for arches

38. Great Stupa, oldest stone structure in India

40. Gupta Technology • Medical Advances/Astronomy • Mathematics (numbers) • Chess

41. Decline of Classical Empires • Loss of internal control—decentralization • Nomadic Invasions • Diseases