| Line 19: |
Line 19: |
| | Ancient history is everything before about A.D. 500 or 600, and it established every major religions today except Islam, which was founded soon afterward. Ancient history created civilization and achieved many of the greatest intellectual breakthroughs of all time. Literature, drama, mathematics, philosophy, language, etc., were all created and developed during ancient history, which is why it is emphasized so much in education. | | Ancient history is everything before about A.D. 500 or 600, and it established every major religions today except Islam, which was founded soon afterward. Ancient history created civilization and achieved many of the greatest intellectual breakthroughs of all time. Literature, drama, mathematics, philosophy, language, etc., were all created and developed during ancient history, which is why it is emphasized so much in education. |
| | | | |
| − | When did mankind first begin? There is no reliable evidence of man existing before 3500 B.C. The oldest writing is a pictographic tablet called a “cuneiform” dated to about 3400 B.C. from Sumer (SOO-mur) in Southern Mesopotamia (where Iraq is today). These cuneiforms look like chicken-scratches featuring wedge-like or arrow-shaped characters. The oldest western-style script is from the Indo-Aryan language, and one dated to 1550 B.C. was found in the Sinai. The oldest verified civilization dates to about 3000 B.C. We can also extrapolate backwards from modern populations to estimate that only about 300 million people existed in the world at the time of Christ, and extrapolating backwards further yields only one family in the year 3300 B.C. Languages can be traced backwards to about 3000 B.C., and some experts reconstruct a point of origin in southeastern Europe near the Black Sea, not far from the Ararat mountain range cited in the Bible in connection with Noah. Old trees never predate this time either; the oldest sequoias, which never die of old age, are only 4000 years old. | + | When did mankind first begin? There is no reliable evidence of man existing before 3500 B.C. The oldest writing is a pictographic tablet called a "cuneiform" dated to about 3400 B.C. from Sumer (SOO-mur) in Southern Mesopotamia (where Iraq is today). These cuneiforms look like chicken-scratches featuring wedge-like or arrow-shaped characters, a primitive writing style Cuneiform writing that continued in use until nearly the birth of Christ. The oldest western-style script is from the Indo-Aryan language, and one dated to 1550 B.C. was found in the Sinai. |
| | | | |
| − | No “civilization” has been found that is older than about 3000 B.C. By “civilization” we mean order and hierarchy in the way of life. Some type of political system or government is usually necessary to have a civilization. A structure similar to a city or town is necessary to bring together people, jobs, buildings or religious centers. Usually there are different classes of people, such as rich and poor. Some historians say there must be an agricultural surplus also: enough food to feed the people so that some workers could spend time in jobs other than farming. In a nutshell, a civilization must have cities, skilled (non-farming) workers, social and government institutions, writing to maintain records such as property ownership, and advanced technology. Memorize the oldest dates for the ancient civilizations: | + | Languages can be traced backwards to about 3000 B.C., and some experts reconstruct a point of origin in southeastern Europe near the Black Sea, not far from the Ararat mountain range cited in the Bible in connection with Noah. Using population estimates, we know there were about 300 million people existed in the world at the time of Christ, and extrapolating backwards yields only one family in the year 3300 B.C. The oldest trees do not predate this time; the oldest sequoias, which never die of old age, are only 4000 years old. |
| | + | |
| | + | No "civilization" has been found that is older than about 3000 B.C. By "civilization" we mean order and hierarchy in the way of life. Some type of political system or government is usually necessary to have a civilization. A structure similar to a city or town is necessary to bring together people, jobs, buildings or religious centers. Usually there are different classes of people, such as rich and poor. Some historians say there must be an agricultural surplus also: enough food to feed the people so that some workers could spend time in jobs other than farming. In a nutshell, a civilization must have cities, skilled (non-farming) workers, social and government institutions, writing to maintain records such as property ownership, and advanced technology. Memorize the oldest dates for the ancient civilizations: |
| | <table border="1px" style="background-color:#F6F6F6;"> | | <table border="1px" style="background-color:#F6F6F6;"> |
| | <tr><td>'''Name'''</td><td>'''Time of existence'''</td></tr><tr><td> | | <tr><td>'''Name'''</td><td>'''Time of existence'''</td></tr><tr><td> |
| Line 31: |
Line 33: |
| | Peru (South America):</td><td> 900 B.C.</td></tr></table> | | Peru (South America):</td><td> 900 B.C.</td></tr></table> |
| | <!--Please don't delete the table, I worked on it hard. --> | | <!--Please don't delete the table, I worked on it hard. --> |
| − | History books speculate at length about “prehistory”, which predates writing. But there is no reliable evidence to support this speculation, and not worth spending time on. There is no reason to think that man existed for thousands of years without ever expressing himself in written form. But in case you are asked, historians describe the period of time known as “prehistory” as the “Stone Age.” They divide the Stone Age into two time periods: “Paleolithic” and “Neolithic”. The Paleolithic Age is older, when man relied mostly on hunting and picking nuts and fruit to supplement his diet. The Paleolithic Age was followed by the Neolithic Age, which consisted of the rise of agriculture. The “Neolithic Revolution” means the “Agricultural Revolution,” when farming became dominant. The dates of these ages are controversial, and historians have a bias for giving them older dates than proven by archaeology. | + | History books speculate at length about "prehistory", which predates writing. But there is no reliable evidence to support this speculation, and not worth spending time on. There is no reason to think that man existed for thousands of years without ever expressing himself in written form. But in case you are asked, historians describe the period of time known as "prehistory" as the "Stone Age." They divide the Stone Age into two time periods: "Paleolithic" and "Neolithic". The Paleolithic Age is older, when man relied mostly on hunting and picking nuts and fruit to supplement his diet. The Paleolithic Age was followed by the Neolithic Age, which consisted of the rise of agriculture. The "Neolithic Revolution" means the "Agricultural Revolution," when farming became dominant. The dates of these ages are controversial, and historians have a bias for giving them older dates than proven by archaeology. |
| | | | |
| | After the Stone Age came the Bronze Age, beginning in 3500 B.C., when copper and/or bronze tools were used. That was followed by the Iron Age, which began in Turkey around 2200 B.C. and later spread to other regions. As its name suggests, it used iron for tools. | | After the Stone Age came the Bronze Age, beginning in 3500 B.C., when copper and/or bronze tools were used. That was followed by the Iron Age, which began in Turkey around 2200 B.C. and later spread to other regions. As its name suggests, it used iron for tools. |
| | | | |
| − | Ancient civilizations are often called “classical civilizations,” particularly when they produce intellectual advances as Ancient Greece did. Phrases like “Classical Indian Civilization” refer to Ancient India, which lasted from 300 B.C. to A.D. 500. | + | Ancient civilizations are often called "classical civilizations," particularly when they produce intellectual advances as Ancient Greece did. Phrases like "Classical Indian Civilization" refer to Ancient India, which lasted from 300 B.C. to A.D. 500. |
| | | | |
| | Two of the oldest towns were the biblical town of Jericho, located in Palestine, and Catal Huyuk, located in modern-day Turkey. Jericho was famous for its high city walls to protect against attack. | | Two of the oldest towns were the biblical town of Jericho, located in Palestine, and Catal Huyuk, located in modern-day Turkey. Jericho was famous for its high city walls to protect against attack. |
| | | | |
| − | The ancient world is the source of the most basic aspects of life, such as the seven-day week and marriage. The Bible remains the best explanation for both, and many other aspects of the ancient world. All four civilizations discussed in this lecture arose in or near what we now call the “Middle East.” | + | The ancient world is the source of the most basic aspects of life, such as the seven-day week and marriage. The Bible remains the best explanation for both, and many other aspects of the ancient world. All four civilizations discussed in this lecture arose in or near what we now call the "Middle East." |
| | | | |
| | ==Mesopotamia== | | ==Mesopotamia== |