Early Humans and Ancient Civilizations（早期的人类和文明古国）.ppt

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD HISTORY AND FOUNDATIONS (8000 BCE – 600 AD) Major themes: Understanding world history, civilization, and culture Causes of the shift from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age Birth and characteristics of ancient and classical civilizations (e.g. Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Israel, Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome) Development of trade and effect on cultural diffusion throughout the ancient and classical world Tenets of major belief systems (e.g. Polytheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Daoism, Christianity) Collapse of ancient and classical empires Central STUDY Questions What accounts for different definitions of civilization? What precipitated the shift from nomadic to settled lifestyles? How did the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture change society? What impact did geography have on ancient and classical civilizations? How did movement affect the development of religious and government institutions? How do examples of material culture (e.g. homes and means of production) and nonmaterial culture (e.g. beliefs and institutions) help us to understand the culture that they represent? Siddhartha Gautama / Enlightenment Siddhartha Gautama - The founder of Buddhism, also known as Buddha, which means “Enlightened One”. Enlightenment – Wisdom; Siddhartha’s quest for Enlightenment through led to the foundation of Buddhism. Born into a royal family in a small kingdom near the Himalayas, he was raised in luxury. At age 16 he married a princess from a neighboring kingdom and had a son. At the age of 29 ventured outside his palace for the first time and realized that pain, illness and death came to all people. As a result he decided to spend his life looking for a cure to suffering, giving up his royal position, wealth, and abandoning his family. After leaving his family, Siddhartha first chose to practice self-denial, refusing to eat and nearly dying as a result. (see the picture) After his near death experience he ins