arts and humanities
Civilization emerged not in a fleeting moment of change, but in a slow process of urban growth and by the operation of an increasingly refined intelligence. By dint of individual ingenuity and communal cooperation, the peoples of ancient Mesopotamia, Africa, the Americas, India, and China generated a cultural heritage whose traditions would be passed from generation to generation. The landmarks of these cultures—from writing to metallurgy, from epic poetry to codes of conduct, and from lavish tombs to the temples and palaces of empires—provided the foundations for future civilizations, including and most immediately those of Classical antiquity.
In your own words and based on reading #2 as well as artifacts presented in class (or others you can research), discuss the importance of having a sound understanding of prehistory and the first civilization(s). In other words, why are prehistory and the rise of civilization important to the humanities?
Here are some initial essential questions to guide you:
1. What are the landmarks of prehistory?
2. What are the traces of humankind’s first civilizations?
3. How have these origins shaped or influenced our present-day lives?
Please base your response on one reading or all of the readings by quoting the text. Word Requirement: 500 words.
