Western Civilization I
Professor Nathaniel Knight
Outline #1

The Beginnings of Civilization

  1. Prehistoric Times

    2. Paleolithic Era – Approx. 50,000 BC – 10,000 BC
    Neolithic Era -- Approx. 10,000 – 3,000 BC

  2. Modes of Existence
    Hunter-Gatherer Societies
    Nomadism
    Technologies
            Fire, Stone tools
    Forms of Religion
            Animism: Shamanism, Totemism
    Art and Culture
            Cave Paintings
            Stone figurines
  3. The Neolithic Revolution
    Beginnings of Agriculture
        The Fertile Crescent
        Domestication of Animals
        Important Neolithic Sites: Jericho, Catal Huyuk
        New technologies: Ceramics, Textile manufacturing, metallurgy.
    The Copper Age – 4,500 – 2,500 BC
    Invention of Bronze c. 3,000 BC

    IV. Mesopotamian Civilization
        Sumerians
            Major Sumerian Cities: Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagash
        Climate of Mesopotamia
        Character of the Mesopotamian Gods--Creation Myth
        Ziggurats (Temple Complexes) 
        Invention of Writing
        Cuneiform (Wedge-shaped)
        The Epic of Gilgamesh
        Sargon (2371-2316 BC)
        Akkadian Empire—First political unification of Sumerian civilization
        The Code of Hammurabi—Babylonian law code.

Chronology:

c. 400,000 – 10,000 BC Paleolithic Era:
c. 10,000 BC End of Last Ice Age c.
c. 10,000 – 3,000 BC Neolithic Era:
c. 4000 – 2800 BC Formation of Sumerian City States:
c. 2800 – 2370BC Intercity warfare – emergence of Sumerian kingship
c. 2400 Epic of Gilgamesh
2370 – 2230 Akkadian Empire, dynasty of Sargon