8000BC to 600BC
This unit begins with first appearance of humans during the paleolithic period; and then to establishment of the first permanent settlements and civilizations during the neolithic period; to the emergence of the great river valley civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China; and finally to the classical civilizations of Greece, Persia, Rome, China, and India. Throughout this unit special attention is paid to the following: the importance of geography to our historical understanding of early civilizations;contrasts and comparisons of civilizations with respect to their political, social, and economic dimensions; insights into the rise and fall of dynasties and empires; innovation and cultural diffusion; the emergence and spread of new religious beliefs; and the development of trade networks and systems.
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