Mr. Van's History Class



6th Grade Study Guide – Early Humans & Ancient CivilizationsMake sure you know these definitions. You can find them in your textbook.Vocabulary WordsHistorian – A person who studies and writes about the human past.Archaeology- the study of artifacts to learn about past human life.Anthropology-the study of human culture and how it develops over time.Artifact-weapon, tool, or other item made by humans.Fossil-the trace or imprint of a plant or animal that has been preserved in rock.Nomad-A person who regularly moves from place to place.Technology-tools and methods used to help humans perform tasks.Domesticate-to tame animals and plants for human use.Specialization- the development of different kinds of jobs.Civilization-complex society with cities, organized government, art, religion, class divisions, and a writing system.Irrigation-method of bringing water to a field from another place to water crops.City-state-independent state made up of a city and the surrounding land and villages.Cuneiform-Sumerian system of writing made up of wedge-shaped markings.Scribe-record keeper.Empire-group of territories or nations under a single ruler or government.Province-political district.Caravan-group of traveling merchants and animals.Astronomer-person who studies stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies.Concepts to UnderstandHow were the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages different? (Refer back to the chart from your notes).The Paleolithic Age:Neolithic Age:Hunted and Gathered nuts, berries, and grains.Began farming in permanent villages. Raised and herded animals.Learned to make fire, created a language and Built mud-brick homes and places of worship. made simple tools and shelters. Nomadic.Specialized in certain jobs and used copperand bronze to create more useful tools.Painted cave walls Made pottery and carved objects out of wood. Built shelters and tombs.Men hunted and women gathered food and caredMen herded, farmed, and protected the village. for the children.Women cared for the children and performed household jobs.What were the major developments that happened in the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages?During the Paleolithic Age, humankind discovered fire, developed a spoken language, invented clothing, and created cave paintings. During the Neolithic Age, man started creating stone tools, polished axe heads, arrowheads, weaving cloth, created the calendar and the wheel. He also began farming, domesticated animals and built permanent stone homes.Why was the geography of Mesopotamia an excellent place for civilizations to form? Think about rivers and how they support a civilization.Mesopotamia was known for its rich fertile soil formed from the overflowing banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The nice fertile soil provided a perfect place for farming and the rivers provided good water for drinking, washing and transporting people and goods for trade.What does Mesopotamia mean in the Greek; in the Persian?Mesopotamia means between the rivers in Greek and Fertile Crescent in Persian.How were the Sumerians organized? (city-states) What was life like in Sumer? (who was educated, social classes, religion) Sumerian cities became city-states because they were isolated from each other and not controlled by a central government. Each city-state had its own government. The Sumerians were polytheistic and built giant temples called ziggurats to worship their chief god. Each Sumerian city had a ziggurat in the middle. Houses were made of mud bricks.Only men were educated, but women could own their private businesses. Sumerians farmed, though there were skilled workers and merchants. They had a class system made up of 3 classes: the upper, middle and lower classes. The upper class consisted of priests, kings and government officials. The middle class consisted of artisans, merchants, and farmers. Finally, the lower class consisted of slaves.Boys from wealthy families were taught how to write and could become scribes or record keepers.Why was the Assyrian military so strong? How was their empire organized?The Assyrian military was so strong because they were the first army to use iron for weapons in battle. Their military was very well structured and fierce. The Assyrian military consisted of foot soldiers armed with either spears, daggers, or bows and arrows and horseman and chariots. The Assyrian military was so strong because they had to protect their valuable land from invaders.The Assyrian empire was very well organized and divided into provinces, which were governed by chosen officials who collected taxes and enforced the king’s laws.Roads were built to connect the entire empire and soldiers were posted at stations along the roads to protect traders.What technological advances did the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans make?The Sumerians created the wagon wheel, irrigation system, the plow, the sailboat, geometry, a mathematical system based on 60, a 12 month calendar based on the moon cycles and recorded the position of the stars and planets.The Assyrians were the first army to use iron for weapons. They built roads and created provinces.The Chaldeans were ruled by Nebuchadnezzar who made Babylon the wealthiest city in the world and a major trade center. He had the Hanging Gardens of Babylon built for his wife. The Chaldeans were also known for being astronomers who studied and mapped the stars.Hammurabi’s Laws- why is this so important to our world history?Hammurabi’s Laws were the first written laws known to mankind. These laws would inspire future legal systems and marked an important step toward a fair system of justice.People to knowSargon- King of the Akkadians who set up the world’s first empire when he conquered Mesopotamia.Hammurabi-Babylonian king who overthrew Sargon’s empire and made Babylon the center of trade and created the Babylon Empire. He would create the first set of written laws. Nebuchadnezzar- The king of the Chaldeans who overthrew the Assyrian Empire and rebuilt Babylon. He made Babylon the wealthiest city in the world and a major trading center. He also had the Hanging Gardens built for his wife. It was a terraced garden hanging over the king’s palace, which consisted of a variety of flowering plants and vines. The gardens were even equipped with a pump which brought water in from a nearby river. It would be known as one of the 7 Wonders of the World.GeographyMesopotamia-The earliest known civilization located in present day Iraq.Tigris R.-One of the rivers that bordered Mesopotamia and helped create the Fertile Crescent.Euphrates R.-The other river that bordered Mesopotamia and helped create the Fertile Crescent.Babylon-City in Mesopotamia which was built along the Euphrates River and became a major center of trade. ................
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