...2004 Egypt and Mesopotamia; the comparison and contrast of the ancient societies As we take a look at the Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies, there are several similarities. Although, each of the societies had some differences within them, they both borrowed technologies from other societies and were successful during their period in history. Evolving from the Paleolithic times where the people were in small tribes, they lived in whatever shelter that was found. There became a transition to a more stable style of living, known as the Neolithic time or New Stone age. It was a period of history where agriculture started to take hold. Both Egypt and Mesopotamia began to farm the land and settle into an area. Neolithic people began to settle around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; as well as, the Nile River roughly 8,000 B.C. River water provided the necessary irrigation needed to grow crops and a fertile land for farming. These people started to develop science of agriculture. By using agriculture, the Neolithic people move away from the traditional life as a nomad. These people were not always on the move to hunt or gather the food needed to survive. This was the first time for people to enjoy the benefits of not moving around all the time and to develop a large society in one area. Around 4000 B.C., the Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures began to develop and flourish. With large groups of people within one area, they were forced to develop different systems...
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...civilization. In other words, regional geography created a domino effect of the development of various civilizations. For example, the development of the Mesopotamian Civilization was majorly impact by the regional geography. It is important to note that Mesopotamia is known as the birthplace of civilization. Historians believe that between 4,000 B.C.E. and 3,000...
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...Brandon Gordon Professor J. Gonzales HIST 100 21 February 2014 The Factors Enabling Civilization to First Appear in Mesopotamia History shows us that Mesopotamia had many key factors that played a significant role in allowing the first civilization to develop there. Despite the word being highly debated by subject matter experts worldwide, most would agree that “a civilization is a culture capable of sustaining a great number of specialists to furnish the economic, social, political and religious needs of a large social unit” (Edgar, Hackett, Jewsbury, Molony, Gordon 10). From the beginning to the end, key advancements have set it apart and made it a widely studied world area. Due to Mesopotamia’s geographical advantages in farming capability and advancement in technology, language and laws, it sustained long enough and in a matter to be regarded as the world’s first civilization. After the Neolithic period and Agricultural revolution, people migrated southeast from the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. These people, mostly farmers, settled on the plain between where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers almost connect and modern day Iraq is. The name Mesopotamia is Greek meaning “between the rivers”. Rainfall was inadequate for farming however and these new settlers, out of necessity, developed irrigation techniques that would then allow the rivers to help water their planted crops. This required much teamwork and cooperation from these people though in order to use...
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...Where would our world be today if the ancient civilizations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Palestine did not exist? Who do we have to thank for their achievements? What contributions did they make to society? In these paragraphs the ancient world of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Palestine will come back to life as I talk about their achievements and contributions that helped not only to their civilizations, but helps to the future civilizations to come. In 2650 B.C. Egypt's Old Kingdom era began. (Document 1) During this time period dynasties were created and in those dynasties were Egyptian rulers called pharaohs. The pharaohs had majestic pyramids as tombs built to show their power. These pyramids started the architectural development. Every since the Egyptian civilization started the Egyptians believed in faithful life after death. On judgment day the more pure you are the better and kinder judged you will be by Osiris the god of the dead. (Document 3) The Egyptians wore clothing made out of cotton. Cotton is one of the world's most important agricultural products and not many civilizations could grow it so the Egyptians sold it. (Document 4) Egyptians had a system of writing called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are a form of pictures to create an idea. Over time scribes developed demotic a simpler form of writing. They wrote on paper like material called papyrus. The Egyptians were among the first to use something to write on rather than stone and clay tablets. Now today we have...
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...Task 1: Geography and the Development/Diffusion of Human Societies Part A: Mesopotamia is regarded as the birth place of civilization. “Historians believe that large civilizations began in Mesopotamia between 4,000 and 3,000 B.C.E.” (Wandrei, 2015). The most significant geographical factor that I feel contributed to the development of this society was the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These rivers are part of a larger area referred to as the “fertile crescent” due to its rich soil. The soil is extremely rich due to the large amount of silt (a mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks) deposits left from the rivers during flooding, making ideal farming areas. Although the area was ideal for farming it was still extremely difficult to do due to this regions climate that usually only produced ten inches or less of rain. So with the drought and still occasional flooding, the Mesopotamian society had to learn how to control these factors to be able to succeed in this region. They had to build an irrigation system to help protect their homes from the floods and move water to their fields during the droughts. With this irrigation system it allowed for them to have a surplus in crop. Also, having access to the rivers allowed for them to trade some of their surplus crops to obtain other needed supplies to help continue building their society. “With irrigation and the necessary drainage, southern Mesopotamia became a land of plenty that could support a considerable population” (Edzard...
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...Euphrates rivers, Mesopotamia was the wellspring from which modern societies emerged. The land was very important because it’s where writing was first discovered 5000 years ago at Uruk, and where the seventh wonder of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, is situated. It is important culturally because it was the center of the Islamic Empire (Khilafat), and Arab civilization for hundreds of years. It’s where science and culture prospered, where Arabic language has its two distinguished schools, Kufa and Basra, and where one of the oldest universities in the world was built, Al Mustansiriyya University in Baghdad. It is also important religiously, as it has the oldest established church in the world, The Church of the East, founded by St Thomas, one of Christ's 12 disciples. In addition, it has numerous Islamic holy sites such as Karbala, Najaf, and Baghdad. The holy city of Najaf is the study center of theology for the world's 150 million Muslims who follow the Shia tradition. Its people learned how to tame the dry land and draw sustenance from it. Tanks tread there and now companies pump oil from beneath the ancient soil. According to what Dr. Oguagha taught in History 101 class he said that much of the area lies in present day Iraq were it not for the Mesopotamians, that country or any other possibly wouldn't exist, at least not in a way we would recognize. During my research and with the help of the video the cradle of civilization I realized that Mesopotamia is generally...
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...One of the best methods for understanding an ancient society is by examining the material culture they leave behind. In particular, their forms and styles of art (as well as what is depicted) can be very telling of what a group held to be of import, as well as the beliefs and values of the group as a whole. In this paper, we will be investigating the art forms found in Mesopotamia in the Bronze Age, in particular, depictions of hybrid creatures. The material culture which pertains to this paper has been evaluated in regard to how the depictions of these hybrid creatures changed over time, as well as how they later became a popular motif in art throughout Mesopotamia, and the means by which these images were transmitted, particularly through the medium of cylinder stamp seals. Importance of animals Images of animals are one of the oldest subjects of artistic expression, barring geometric patterns. As such, archaeologists can glean much information about a cultural group from the manner in which they depict animals. For example, in societies which value animals as a source of food, depictions of animals could often be associated with hunting scenes, or perhaps scenes showing the manner in which the animal was prepared to be consumed. In societies where animals were of ritual...
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...Chapter one of our text covers a broad range of history beginning with the legend of Babel. (1) The story tells us how spoken communication has been lost over the years and it also creates a foundation for spoken history. (1) The text then moves on to the city of Çatalhöyük, which was established around nine thousand years ago in south central Turkey. (2) This city had eight thousand occupants living in two thousand homes, which is an average of four occupants per home, that’s not so different from how we live today. The people of Çatalhöyük were an organized and technologically sophisticated society that practiced religion, and had domesticated plants and animals. (2) This is just another example of how even though these people lived nine thousand years ago people today are still living in the same ways. I think that has been the most interesting part of the beginning of chapter one; our society still has many of the same values and practices of our ancient ancestors. The next section of chapter one focuses on the Old Stone Age or Paleolithic era. (3) The people of this era lived before written history existed, around 3000 B.C.E. However, they were tool-makers and artists. The cave paintings at Lascaux act as a type of history as do the finely made tools and jewelry that historians have discovered. (3) The Paleolithic people were known to be hunters and gatherers, they did not have domesticated animals, they had few material possessions, and disparities in wealth were unlikely. (3)...
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...civilizations were greatly influenced by geography as the basics needed for sustaining life and natural barriers form invasion provided safety and sustenance for the peoples. As the Neolithic revolution came forth and people started to develop agricultural techniques which would allow for stable food for the year, the people would settle where geography offered the least amount of barriers and the most amount of positive attributes to sustain the civilization. That is, civilization was able to come forth in Egypt due to the barriers with the desert and the Nile River which provided sustenance for crops. In Greece, civilizations began with the coastal areas as the land was great for crops while there was access to the sea for trade and barriers for protection with the mountains and limited access to the Greece cities. The same holds true with the Sumerians and the Mesopotamian area with mountains for protection and rivers for crops and sustenance. The combination of barriers for protection and water for crops would lead to people settling in areas which offered the most possible amount of attributes for civilizations to develop while at the same time offering natural barriers for protection. The cradle of civilization is considered to be the area around Mesopotamia with the Tigress and Euphrates rivers when the Sumerians developed an early civilization, In Sumerian, there was a code of laws, there was a stable area for crop production, and the rivers offered flooding for the land to recover...
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...tavern was present in a particular culture). Archeological evidence shows that while during the last 10,000 years alcohol consumption was common, it was also uniquely culturally contextual. Dutch archeologist Marijke Van der Veen claims that “[studying] the production, preparation, consumption, and disposal can help identify the social context of food” (Van der Veen 2006: 407). A more traditional archeological approach focuses less on the production of food due to its “transient nature”.[3] Ethnographic research can provide more information about consumption practices as can historic sources, but we need more information from actual artifacts found at sites around the world. With artifacts, we can provide a more conclusive picture of how different cultures produced, consumed, valued or tabooed, alcohol. Analysis of residues on ceramics provides valuable knowledge about food production practices and trade. However, it is important not to neglect other links in the chain of human food and drink use, most notably consumption itself, the facet of culture we know the least about. ALCOHOL IN PREHISTORIC SOCIETIES: There is ample evidence of small-scale fruit...
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...Geography has always been crucial in the development of civilizations. From the dawn of civilization to before 600 A. D, it has shaped the course of advancement. Rivers, mountains, valleys, and cataracts influenced human evolution in various ways. Geography played an important part in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India. It still does today. Humans have developed technology because of geographical barriers. In Mesopotamia, people settled in the fertile crescent for farming. They used the silt from the crescent for their agriculture. India has a diverse geography. This diversity supports various lifestyles and cultures. In Egypt, they called the Nile river, “The gift of the Nile”, which shows how critical the Nile was to the civilization. The geography of...
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...They originated in Africa and slowly spread out to other areas. They had stone tools and hunted and gathered food. Since they relied on gathering and hunting for food they were nomadic. Over a period of hundreds of thousands of years hominids adapted and became smarter. They learned to make fire, better tools/weapons, and shelter. They also learned how to grow their own crops. The transition from gathering and hunting food to growing food and taming animals is referred to as the Neolithic Revolution which occurred around 10,000 B.C.E. Since they started growing their own food...
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...Events/Important/key Dates • 7,000~ 4,000 BCE: Spread of agriculture through most of Middle east. • 5,000 BCE: Farming along Nile River • 4,000 BCE: Sumerians settle in Tigris- Euphrates valley • 4,000 BCE: Sumerians (a people who had migrated into the area from the north) provided final boost toward establishing civilization • 4,000 BCE: cumulative effects of agriculture & technology → civilization as a new organizational form (wheel, bronze use, and writing facilitated) • 3,500 BCE: Writing is introduced. (based on new needs for commercial property and political records → celebration of the deeds of proud local kings) • 3,500 BCE: Early Sumerian alphabet • 3,100~2,700 BCE: Initial kingdoms in Mesopotamia and Egypt • 3,000 BCE: Introduction to bronze tools • 3,000 BCE: Mesopotamian husbands veiled their wives on marriage → to protect the wife’s honor • 2,700~2,200 BCE: Old Kingdom period , Egypt • 2,600 BCE: First great pyramid • 3,400~2,200 BCE: Akkadian Empire conquers Sumer • 2,052~1,786 BCE: Middle Kingdom period → civilization spreads to Upper Nile. • 2,000 BCE: Sumerians wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh ( world’s oldest story) • 2,000 BCE: Sumerians produced the potter’s wheel, invented glass, introduced useof fertilizer and silver → Trade expands → Sumerians had trading contact with India • 1800BCE: Babylonian Empire rose again • 1600BCE: fall of Babylonian Empire • 1,300 BCE: (Egypt) Queen Nefertiti → role in religious reforms → men and women have equal...
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...strange question. “Why do you white men have so much cargo, and we New Guineans have so little?” Diamond was confused by the question at first, and had no idea how to answer it. Why had European civilization developed at such a fast rate, compared to other peoples around the world? Diamond set himself to the task of finding out, and spent years answering this question. Yali’s question is a hard one to answer. Diamond travelled around the world to try to answer it. Why did some civilizations grow faster? After years of research, he found his answer. His answer was geography. Natural resources are key in building and development, food and water especially. Without the necessary resources to survive, civilization cannot develop. For groups of people to develop and create new things, there need to be people within those groups who are not focused solely on feeding themselves. This requires a surplus of food, which requires farming at least to some extent. When food is less of an issue, some people can focus on other things, like building better houses, creating better tools, and coming up with better solutions to a multitude of problems. These people, specialists, are what allows the group to...
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... = the study of the earth) – physical and human • Human geography studies where people are in the world, what the people are like who live in certain areas, how people impact geography (for example, population density) • Physical geography studies landforms and physical features of the earth Paleolithic Age – 2.5 million BCE to 8000 BCE • Humans were nomadic (were constantly moving) • Evolved (slowly changed and advanced) by learning to walk upright, making stone tools, etc. Neolithic Revolution (Agricultural Revolution) – occurred in 8000 BCE • During this revolution, humans stopped being nomadic and settled down into communities and villages (which would later develop into civilizations thousands of years later) • Humans being FARMING (agriculture) – this allowed people to have much more food than they previously had, which made life easier o At the same time, there was a separation between the work that men and women did o Warriors also became important Characteristics of civilizations – record keeping, advanced cities, specialized workers, advanced technology, complex institutions (like religion, government, military) First civilizations began around rivers, which provided water and fertile soil for people to farm • The civilization of Mesopotamia (also known as the Fertile Crescent) developed around...
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