Chapter 2 (First Civilizations)

Chapter 2: First Civilizations: Cities, States, and Unequal Societies (3500 b.c.e.–500 b.c.e.)

I. Something New: The Emergence of Civilizations

• Civilization was global phenomenon much like agriculture, showing up in six different locations around the world, slowly extending across the world
• First civilizations emerged from 35oo B.C.E - 3ooo B.C.E in three places 
• Mesopotamia (Present day Iraq)
• Egypt
• Norte Chico (costal Peru)
• Later, three additional civilizations appeared
• Indus Valley
• China
• Olmec
• Start
• Originated with the Agricultural Revolution
• Roots in Chiefdoms where social ranking had already developed
• Though not all agricultural societies and Chiefdoms developed into civilizations which leaves other questions 
• Large scale irrigation projects might have been stimulus for early civilizations
• Warfare, trade and population density are other possible contributing factors
• Dense population increased need for competition
• Strong organized states won wars, and losers would be lower class
• First civilizations represented something much different than societies that came before
• Agricultural resources made cities possible
• Teotihuacan housed 2oo,ooo people 
• Urban society was impersonal b/c it wss impossible to know everybody
• relationships based on class were as important (if not more important) than villiage loyalty
• heavy degree of inequality began to develop

II. The Erosion of Equality

• Wealth, status and power brought inequalities
• As technology grew so did inequalities
• The greater wealth that was accumulated didn't necessarily spread it -- rather it clumped together
• Upper Class enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle with little physical labour
• Commoners represented the majority 
• included artisans
• lower level officials
• soldiers
• police
• servants
• farmers
• Their surplus production was
• Bottom of social hierarchy EVERYWHERE was slaves
• In all of the first civilizations were slaves -- prisoners of war, criminals and debtors, available for sale

• As first civilizations arouse, patriarchy emerged
• But why? 
• women more involved in secondary tasks
• women identified with home and nature -- women now associated with inferior dimension of human life (nature)? 
• warfare? military services restricted to men
• Female sexuality became limited
• Male had rights over women -- female slaves, concubines and wives were exchanged

• "A wife caught sleeping with another man might be drowned at her husband's discretion, whereas he was permitted to enjoy sexual relations with his female servants."
• "Rape was a serious offense, but the injured party was primarily the husband of the victim rather than the violeted woman herself" 
• Easier for men to get divorces than females
• Female goddess' became less significant as male creation gods became more important
• Patriarchy not the same everywhere
• In Egypt, women had greater opportunities than women in most of the world
• Were legal equals to men, able to sign their own marriage contracts, get divorces, sell land, own property and even have political power

III. The Rise of the State

• State solved many widely shared problems among the population
• However -- it also served to protect the privileges of the upper classes and demand commoners to work on large public projects
• State had the ability to force obedience
• Symbols of kingship associated with divine power
• Egypt, China, Mesopotamia all had kings that held sort of divine religious powers -- "gods established monarchy"
• A further support of state authority was the invention of writing 
• Writing served as a method of organization, accounting and communication
• Gave rise to literature, philosophy, astronomy, math and history
• Writing became major arena for social and political conflict
• Kings, high officials and their families lived in luxury ; attended by endless servants
• Elaborate burials, monumental palaces and pyramids conveyed the powers of the elite

IV. Comparing Mesopotamia and Egypt

• Both civilizations grew in river valleys, depended on the rivers to sustain their lands
• Egypt depended on Nile "that green gash of teeming life" which nurtured a rich agriculture
• The Tigris and Euphrates river supported Mesopotamian civilization but was "unpredictable" and often resulted in flooded crops
• Mesopotamia was more vunerable to  invasion
• Egypt was protected by the surrounding land and enjoyed a free security
• Culture was very reflective of their environment 
• Mesopotamian outlook on life viewed mankind as "caught in a disorderly world, subject to whims of capricious and quarreling gods, and facing death without much hope of a life beyond," 
• Egypt produced a more optimistic outlook rebirth of the sun daily, and river yearly assured Egyptians that life prevailed over death

• Mesopotamian civilization known as Sumer, organized in twelve + city-states, each ruled by a king
• Frequent warfare amongst these city-states
• Led to environmental devastation and vulnerability to outside forces
• Egyptian civilization began in 31oo B.C.E with the merge of several early states and chiefdoms into united territory 1,ooo miles along the nile
• For 3,ooo years they managed unity and independance
• Focus resided with Pharaoh 'god in human form"
• When changes of weather resulted in inconsistency with the Nile in 22oo the Pharaoh's lost credit and Egypt's strength slowly dissolved 
• Pharaohs never regained their power

• Interacted with one another 
• Step pyramids and writing system may have been inspired by Sumerian Models 
• Did long distance trade with one another
• Trading goods also caused cultural influences 
• Nubia borrowed many of Egyptian's religious and cultural practices
• In the Mediterranean egyptian influence is clear in the art, and greek culture drew heavily upon Egyptian influence as well
• Egypt and Mesopotamia were also influenced by neighbors -- the domesticated horse can from what is now Russia 
• Chariot technology was also borrowed