LESSON 3.
6:
CRADLES OF CIVILIZATION
?WONK OT DEEN UOY OD TAHW
The origin of the word "travel" is most likely lost to
history. The term "travel" may originate from the
Old French word travail. According to the
Merriam Webster dictionary, the first known use of
the word travel was in the 14th century.
It also states that the word comes from Middle
English travailen, travelen (which means to
torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from
Old French travailler (which means to work
strenuously, toil). In English we still occasionally
use the words travail and travails, which mean
struggle. According to Simon Winchester
in his book The Best Travelers' Tales (2004), the
words travel and travail both share an even more
ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture
Photo credits: slideplayer
History Explored: Ancient Civilizations Around the World | Explore mode
[Link]
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MESOPOTAMIA
?WONK OT DEEN UOY OD TAHW
AND THE MIDDLE
EAST SOCIETIES
Historical breakthroughs and
contributions to society:
1. Invention of Agriculture and
Irrigation
2. Invention of Wheel
3. Use of metal-made tools,
metallurgy
4. Development of religion; rise of the
three great Abraham religions, Photo credits: alamy stock photo
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Cuneiform writing in a clay tablet.
5. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as the ziggurat temple-palace,
monuments, temples, palace, paved roads, artificial water channels, and
fortified walls.
6. Development a form of city planning and urbanity.
7. Astronomical observation of stars and planets, mapping constellations and
astrology, prior to Astronomy.
8. Time-keeping, such as using sundial clocks and 12-month based calendar.
9. Cuneiform, one of the earliest writing systems with clay and stone tablets
and stylus as means of writing. Development and improvement of the
writing system, the use of letters, the root of the modern alphabet scripts,
from Phoenician alphabets.
10. Developement of mathematics, such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry,
and calculus. Counting system, such as the development of Arabic
numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) based on the refinement of the original
Indian numerals forming the Hindu-Arabic decimal system, which we use
today.
11. Development of medicine, alchemy prior to chemistry
12. Reconstruction of the Ziggurat at the ancient Sumerian city of Ur. Sumer is
considered one of the earliest complex societies in the world. Sargon of
Akkad subdued and merged with Sumer to form the first empire, Akkadian
Empire (also called Sumerian-Akkadian) about 22nd century BCE.
13. Model of the Second Temple also called Herod's Temple, in Jerusalem. It
was constructed around 516 BCE and destroyed by the then Roman
general, Emperor Titus, on the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Highlighting
one of the most important part of Jewish history, Second Temple period,
when many events took place, like the birth and life of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, in ancient Galilee.
14. The Golden Age of Islam (800-1400 CE) highlighted the advancement of
philosophy, natural sciences, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, trade, and
the flourishing of cultural workds as established by mass gathering and
translation of all knowledge existing at that time by Muslim scholars, and
preservation through the Islamic libraries, academies, and government-
funded scholarships.
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EGYPT AND
AFRICAN SOCIETIES
What do you need to know?
Historical breakthroughs and contributions to society:
1. Invention of agriculture, dams, and irrigation channels to
water farms
2. Writing system hierogylphs use of papyrus plant to create
papyrus paper, and creation of ink
3. Development of mathematics, particularly geometry of
rectangles and rectilinear curves applied in architecture
4. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as the
Pyramids, monuments, temples, palace, paved roads,
artificial water channels, and fortified walls
5. Use of metal-made tools, metallurgy
6. Lotions, creams, balms, cosmetics and cosmetology
7. Development in medicine, like surgery
8. Development of calendar
Photo credits: History of Information
Papyrus paper scroll written in the papyrus is an excerpt on the
Egyptian Book of the dead.
Photo credits: Ancient History Encyclopedia
Aerial shot of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
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India and South
Asia Societies
What do you need to know?
Historical breakthroughs and contributions to society:
1. Invention of agriculture
2. Use of metal-made tools, metallurgy, particularly the
discovery of highly rust-resistant iron metallurgy
3. Development of the two-great world religions, Hinduism
and Buddhism
4. Development of Hindu-Arabic decimal system, which we
use today
5. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as the
buildings, monuments, temples, paved roads, artificial water
channel
6. Development of a form of city planning and urbanity
Upper: The ruins of ancient city Mohenjo-
Daro of Indus civilization, which is also
called Harappan civilization.
Lower: Pashupati seal is one of the earliest
records regarding Shiva, the Hindu god
creator and destroyer of all, and gods of
animals. Here a figure with apparently
three heads is surrounded by different
animals.
Photo credits: Quora
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China and East
Asia Societies
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Historical breakthroughs and contributions to society:
1. Invention of agriculture
2. Development of writing system calligraphy
3. Paper-making and printing technology
4. Gun-powder and fireworks
5. Silk harvesting from silk worms
6. Astronomical observation of stars and planets,
mapping, constellations and astrology, prior to
astronomy, and development of lunar calendar
7. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as
the monuments, temples, palace, paved roads,
artificial water channels, and fortified walls, like
the Great Wall of China
8. Advancement in pottery, like porcelain
9. Invention of compass
10. Birth to world philosophy of Confucianism,
Taoism, and some other oriental religions, artificial
water channels
11. Development of a form of city planning and
urbanity
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Central Andes and the
South America Societies
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Historical breakthroughs and contributions to society:
1. Invention of agriculture. The Inca civilization
cultivated potatoes.
2. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as
the paved roads and suspension bridges,
monuments, temples, palace, land terraces to
support farming and fortified walls of great
strength and quality, which reflected quite
elaborate urban design and urban planning, like
the Machu Pichu
3. Incas also mapped the constellations prior to
astronomy, and developed a calendar for farming
season, religious, and civil activities.
4. Created clothing made up of cotton and Ilama's
fur
5. Well-planned centralized economy and social-
safety nets by establishing food storage facilities
6. Developed quite elaborate recording and
accounting system using knotted threads called
quipu, which the numerical pattern is based on
tens (10s) just like our modern number systems,
and thought to be a form of proto-writing in
ancient America.
Photo credits: Euronews Photo credits: Peru Explorer
Machu Pichu of the Inca civilization is the Temple of the Sun is also
sitting atop the mountains where, located.
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Mesoamerica and Central
American Societies
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Photo credits: National Geographic Society Photo credits: History on the Net
American Indians inhabiting the ruins of ancient Extensive Mayan architectural creations, such as
Mesoamerican civilizations, in medieval times pyramids and buildings with elaborate city planning
designs
Historical breakthroughs and contributions to society:
1. Invention of agriculture. The Mayan civilization cultivated maize or corn.
2. Engineering and architectural marvels, such as the pyramids, monuments, temples,
palace, paved roads, and fortified walls of great strength and quality, which reflected
quite elaborate urban design and urban planning.
3. Mayans also had complex numerical system and developed a 365-day calendar.
4. Mayans performed astronomical observations, mapped the constellations, and were
able to predict solar eclipses.
5. Mayans, together with Aztec, were the first to be known to use rubber ball.
6. Invention of agriculture. The Aztec civilization cultivated cacao, the source of chocolate.
7. Aztecs developed technological innovation in farming called chinampa where farm
lands were rectangular with a water canal surrounding.
8. Aztecs also mapped the constellations prior to astronomy, and developed a calendar for
farming season, religious, and civil activities.
9. Aztecs developed a quite comprehensive plan, which obliged all the children to study
and learn, one of the earliest forms of universal education.
10. Developed quite elaborate recording and accounting system using knotted threads
called quipu, which the numerical pattern is based on tens (10s) just like our modern
number systems, and thought to be a form of proto-writing in ancient America.
Cradles of Civilization
[Link]
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