The Paleolithic Era

The Paleolithic Era, also known as the “old stone age” was a time where humans foraged hunted wild animals or gathered edible portions of wild plants. Nothing was stored because people were always on the move. they couldn’t take the extra weight. The Neolithic Era or the “new stone age” refers to a period of time where humans began refining their tools for use on domesticated plants and animals. It was during this time that people began to store dry or wet things in pottery due to the surplus of food that had to be stored. The beginning of the Neolithic Era was the Transition to Agriculture. Neolithic peoples wanted to secure themselves a more stable lifestyle with a sure income of food. Women of this time began to nurture plants and men began
Order was maintained by a recognized person of power. This was usually the person who controlled agriculture and/or the military. Early Sumerians were fairly advanced at this point in time. They built large walls around their cities to protect their dwellings. They also built many temples to worship various deities. An irrigation system was developed to help improve and increase food production. Sumerian leaders developed a militaristic society and Sumerians built up a strong hatred towards the military and the leader for it. They were forced to provide food, lodging, and money for the military every time it came to visit. As time progressed, kinks were worked out of the system. The leader ruled from the capitol, Babylon, and had deputies stationed in each city state to maintain order. This way taxes were more predictable and were a more manageable price. Sumerians were eventually replaced by many other empires. Akkadians and Babylonians for example. Sargon, ruler of the Akkadian Empire had a thirst for conquest that brought much hatred from his citizens. Eventually they rebelled against him. However, Hammurabi wrote and implemented the first laws seen in the region of Mesopotamia. He provided the territories he controlled with a code of law compiled of laws from his predecessors and of his own making. He provided the “Law of Retaliation”. In layman's terms: an eye for an eye, a
Much like in Mesopotamia. Much like the mesopotamians, they used agricultural surplus to form states. The Nubians and the Egyptians had regular dealings with surrounding societies such as the Phoenicians, the Mesopotamians, and other Africans. From these they adopted forms of political and social organization. During 10,000 BCE the Sahara was a very grassy steppe with many lakes. These conditions allowed cattle and various grasses to flourish. AFricans sustained themselves on fish, wild grain and cattle. As groups began to form and nomads created permanent homes, the Sudanic people began organizing small monarchies run by the “divine”. With this development came religious beliefs including that of an afterlife. It was not long before the area became arid and dry and was no longer able to support the growing population. Sudanic cultivators moved further down the nile river as the climate got hotter and more arid. They developed an irrigation system when they moved into the floodlands where the soil was fertile enough to grow plants.

African culture progressed slower than in Mesopotamia, however it did hit many of the same milestones. Several major cities emerged and grew to be guiding forces in both Egypt and Nubia. Thebes was a prominent political power. After unification Thebes became the administrative power in Upper Egypt. Egypt was now much larger and more powerful than any kingdom before it. Menes was the founder