Prehistory to civilization

3000 - 1200 BC

Prehistoric era - 

- origins and ages of human beings

- first human around 200,000 years ago

- paleolithic age (old stone age)

- neolithic age (new stone age) - advanced tool making and beginning of agriculture

- initially, humans were part of migratory groups (hunted, fished)

Agricultural revolution - 

- neolithic revolution

- population rose - children could be cared for

- hierarchies appeared in village life; women lowered/confined to domestic duties

- invention of wheel and plow made it possible to produce food for storage

- villagers - polytheistic, worshiped nature, human, and animal gods

Sumer - 

- occupied land between tigris and euphrates 

- population increased drastically due to new irrigation systems

- cities and towns founded - up to 40,000 inhabitants 

- more adequate food storage allowed for diversity in professions: priests, tradesmen, artisans, farmers, politicians

- kings emerged / family dynasties / concept of "city state"

- sumerians invented earliest form of writing, known as "cuneiform"