Early Humans & the Neolithic Revolution
How did people obtain most of their food during the Paleolithic Era?
Hunting animals and gathering wild plants.
What is an irrigation system?
A system used to bring water to farmland, often through canals.
Which two rivers supported the development of Mesopotamia?
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
What is one major achievement of Indus Valley cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo-daro?
Planned streets, advanced drainage systems, or sanitation systems.
What does it mean when a group of people is nomadic?
Moving from place to place instead of living in permanent settlements.
Identify two reasons why early civilizations developed near rivers.
Rivers provided fresh water, fertile soil, transportation, and opportunities for trade.
Which river was essential to the development of Ancient Egyptian civilization?
The Nile River.
Which river supported the development of early Chinese civilization?
The Yellow River (Huang He).
What major change occurred during the Neolithic Revolution?
People began farming and domesticating animals.
What is a social hierarchy?
A system that organizes people into different social classes based on wealth, power, or status.
What was Hammurabi's Code?
A written collection of laws established by Babylonian King Hammurabi.
What were oracle bones used for during the Shang Dynasty?
To seek guidance from ancestors and spiritual powers about important decisions.
How did food surpluses help early human societies develop?
They supported larger populations and allowed people to specialize in different jobs.
Identify three characteristics of a civilization.
Examples include cities, organized government, religion, social hierarchy, job specialization, writing, and technology.
How did the Nile River's annual flooding benefit Ancient Egyptian civilization?
Flooding deposited fertile soil that helped Egyptians grow crops and produce food.
What was the Mandate of Heaven?
The belief that Heaven gave rulers the right to govern but could take that right away if they ruled poorly.
Why is the Neolithic Revolution considered a major turning point in world history?
It transformed human societies from mostly nomadic hunter-gatherers into settled agricultural communities, eventually leading to civilizations.
What is the difference between adapting to the environment and modifying it? Give one example of each.
Adaptation: Changing how people live to survive, such as wearing clothing suited to the climate.
Modification: Changing the environment, such as building irrigation canals.
How did Hammurabi's Code reflect the social hierarchy of Mesopotamia?
Punishments differed depending on a person's social class, showing that people were not treated equally under the law.
How did the Zhou Dynasty use the Mandate of Heaven to justify overthrowing the Shang Dynasty?
The Zhou claimed that the Shang rulers became corrupt, had lost Heaven's approval because of poor leadership, giving the Zhou the right to rule.