đź“…Weekly Schedule and Objectives: Prehistory and Rise of Civilizations

Topic: Introduction: Prehistory and the Rise of Civilizations


Weekly Schedule
Due Date Activity

Aug 25

Read & examine this week's modules

Textbook: Introduction (Making Sense of World History) and Chapter 1

Watch: All Videos
Aug 25

Quiz: Class Intro Quiz

Aug 25

Discussion: Check-in Discussion

Image: Royal Helmet from Ancient Mesopotamia   

Summary:

One of the world's earliest civilization traces its origins to the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, or Mesopotamia, and was enriched through its contacts with other cultures, including those of Asia and Africa. At the same time, this influential civilization acquired a defining combination of features: cities, writing, artwork, commerce, religion, codified law, political structures, and social stratification. The Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Indo-Europeans, Phoenicians, Israelites and Persians all made innovative contributions to the evolution of Mediterranean civilization. This week we will also outline the development of human economy from hunting, gathering and primitive tool-making by kin groups during the Paleolithic age (ca. 40,000-10,000 B.C.) to the agricultural revolution of the Neolithic age (ca. 10,000-3,000 B.C.), when production surpluses led to the gradual development of trade, labor specialization and urban culture.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this week's module, students will be able to:

  1. Introduction to the study of history.
  2. Examine some of the major events that led to the rise of civilization:
    • Focus: Mesopotamia
    • Agriculture
    • Domestication of Animals