FIRST CIVILIZATIONS

Chapter 2

First Civilizations 

Notes:

Something New 

• Mesopotamia, one of the earliest civilizations 
• 3500-3000 B.C.E.
• first written language

• Indus Valley civilization in Indus and Saraswati river valleys 
• 3000-2000B.C.E.
• unlike other civilizations
• no palaces, temples, elaborate graves, kings, or warrior classes
• uncertain as to how society was organized
• First civilization took shape in China
• 2200 B.C.E.
• ruler was the “Son of Heaven”
• Urban Revolution
• cities
• new societies with greater specialization and inequality

The Erosion of Equality

• inequalities in wealth, status, and power
• upper and lower class
• most of the population was lower class
• commoners
• supported the upper class
• slaves at bottom of hierarchies 
• Societies started to differentiate men and women
• male labor favored for intensive agriculture
• women associated with nature
• restrict sexual acts
• Patriarchy emerged in Mesopotamia 
• Egyptian patriarchy gave women greater opportunities 

The Rise of the State

• organization and stability
• filled roles 
• conflict
• defense
• irrigation
• served upper class
• used force

(My thoughts...) Equality was very short lived. Humans can't help but to see our differences. Even if we didn't have any differences people would still treat other people differently. Societies thrive off of the social hierarchy. Some people suffer so others rise. This still happens in todays society. The poor suffer while the rich get richer. I think humans were just meant to be the failures they are but I believe we can change. I sadly probably won't be alive to see it, but I hope to at least see change in my lifetime.