Western Civilization: Early Societies Outline
1. What does the word “history” mean?
2. What does the word “prehistoric” mean?
3. What happened in the course of human events that allowed history to begin?
4. What are the 4 types of preindustrial societies?
5. What are the primary characteristics of civilization, in other words, what is necessary for a society to a civilization?
6. Describe the following Pre-Industrial Societies:
Hunter/gatherer
Horticultural
Pastoral
Agricultural
7. Describe the main characteristics of the following Stone Ages?
Paleolithic Age
Mesolithic Age
Neolithic Age
8. What was the Neolithic Revolution?
9. How did the Neolithic Revolution change the way humans lived?
10. What was necessary for the birth of civilization?
11. What does Mesopotamia mean?
12. In what region is Mesopotamia located today?
13. Why did Mesopotamian civilization develop in that region?
14. What is alluvial soil and why was it important to the birth of civilization?
15. What does “Cradle of Civilization” mean?
16. What are the 4 earliest Cradles of Civilization?
17. What is the one common factor of all 4 Cradles of Civilization?
Ancient Mesopotamia
18. What were the first two civilizations that developed near each other and independent of each other?
19. Draw a timeline of the major Mesopotamian Civilizations.
20. In what modern day country is Mesopotamia located?
21. Describe the social structure of Mesopotamian society.
22. Where did the first cities develop?
23. How did they get water to their crops?
24. What was the purpose of a loom?
25. Why was pottery so important to ancient people?
26. What is Bronze, and why was it better than stone or bone tools?
27. What was the importance of the Mesopotamian’s number system they developed?
28. How did their mathematics contribute to astronomy?
29. What is the importance of a calendar to an ancient agricultural society?
30. Who invented the first form of writing?
31. What was it called, and what does it mean?
32. What is the oldest written story in history, and what was it about?
33. What was the earliest civilization that developed in Mesopotamia?
34. Who developed the first cities?
35. What is a city-state?
36. What was so important about the Ziggurat?
37. What types of government did the Sumerians have?
38. Did the Sumerians believe in an afterlife?
39. What did the Sumerians believe about their gods? Why did they worship their gods?
40. Why was paying tribute to the gods so important to the Sumerians, religiously and realistically?
41. How did the first form of writing develop?
42. Who was Sargon?
43. What was the importance of the Akkadians?
44. What is the difference in a Kingdom and an Empire?
45. Who was Hammurabi?
46. What was the Fertile Crescent?
47. Who did Cultural Transmission work?
48. What was Hammurabi’s Code?
49. Why is Hammurabi’s Code important?
50. Give two examples of Hammurabi’s laws.
51. Why were laws so important to a king?
52. Who were the Assyrians, and what was their reputation?
53. Who was King Ashurbanipal and why was he important to our knowledge of ancient Mesopotamia?