Comparing "Civilizations" with Nomadic Pastoral Societies

Based on ALL reading assignments, take bulleted notes on the following questions.  Some will require your own thought and will not be explicitly stated in the reading.

• What were nomadic pastoral societies?  
• What was their relationship with “civilized societies”?
• How did pastoral societies resemble or differ from early agricultural societies?
• Where did pastoralism persist even after the Neolithic Revolution?

Jigsaw Reading

For you assigned civilization(s), take bulleted notes on the following questions in your notebook:

• Why were some early states able to expand and conquer neighboring states?
• What methods did rulers use to unify their populations?
• Which social strata encouraged the development of art in ancient civilizations?
• What forms of writing developed in ancient civilizations?
• What pre-600 BCE religions strongly influenced later eras?
• How did social and gender identities develop pre-600 BCE?

What is a Civilization?

Questions for Consideration

• What were the pros and cons of being “civilized”?
• Where did the Neolithic Revolution first transform human populations?
• What labor adjustments did humans make in order to facilitate the Neolithic Revolution?
• What were the social effects of the increased food supply caused by increase of agriculture?
• What technological innovations are associated with the growth of agriculture?
• What is a “state?” Who ruled the early states, and which segments of society usually supported the ruler?

The Neolithic Revolution

Terms to Identify:

• Neolithic
• Slash-and-burn agriculture
• Catal Huyuk

Questions (bullet in notebook):

• What was the Neolithic Revolution and what were its effects?
• How did pastoral societies resemble or differ from early agricultural societies?
• How did the Neolithic Revolution affect human societies economically & socially?
• Why did the Neolithic Revolution start (at all)?
• What various crops & animals were developed or domesticated during the Neolithic Revolution?

The Peopling of the Earth

Terms to Identify:

• Homonids (Hominidae)
• Homo Erectus
• Homo Sapiens
• Paleolithic
• Neanderthal
• Venus figurines
• Cave paintings

Questions - Please take bullet-pointed notes on these questions and either email them to me or show them to me in your notebook.

• What were the characteristics of Paleolithic society?  
• What role did technology play in the peopling of the Earth?
• What evidence is used to create the “peopling of the Earth” theory?  What are some of the problems with this evidence?