Prehistoric Europe
6th Grade Informational and Literature Reading Texts
The earliest settlers to Prehistoric Europe came from the African continent during the Paleolithic era, somewhere around 45,000 and 25,000 B.C.E. These were small bands of people who were most likely following animals to hunt. As these early Europeans settled in and adapted to their environment, they eventually began to develop more complex societies. Agriculture was developed around 7000 B.C.E., allowing people to settle in one place. Over the next 4000 years, many different technological advances were introduced from various other groups coming from the Mediterranean area. These ideas gradually spread northward and were adopted by some of the more well-known civilizations of this time period, such as the Minoans and the Mycenaeans. These groups flourished during the Bronze Age, when bronze tools and weapons were developed and first used.
Following the end of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, around 7 B.C.E., the Greek civilization began and later flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries B.C.E. A period known as Classical Greece began with the defeat of the Persian invasion. Later, with the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Greek civilization spread from the Mediterranean Sea into Central Asia. Many aspects of the Classical Greek culture, including religion, architecture and philosophy, became a major influence on the Roman Empire. Rome then went on to continue to spread the ideas of the Greeks throughout Europe and the Mediterranean area.
This is why the Greeks are viewed as being the culture which has provided the basis of all modern Western culture. More than any other aspect of the Greek culture which has flourished and spread is their idea of "Democracy." Democracy means "rule by the people." The Greeks developed a system of government with three different branches (much like the United States has today): a governing body who wrote laws; a council of representatives from the ten main tribes of Athens; and a court where citizens argued cases before a group of randomly selected jurors. "In a Democracy," the Greek historian Herodotus wrote, "There is, first, that most splendid of virtues, equality before the law." Although Greek Democracy only lasted a few years, this development has spread worldwide and changed the face of the world as it we know it today.
Beginning in the eighth century B.C.E., Ancient Rome grew from a small town in central Italy into an empire that at one point covered most of Europe, parts of the Middle East, northern Africa and various islands in the Mediterranean. Like the Greeks, the Romans left a legacy that we can still see today. Latin, the Roman language, forms the basis of the Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian). The modern Western alphabet and calendar are based on those used by the Romans. The transition of the Romans from a mythology-based religion to their acceptance of the new religion of Christianity contributed to the growth of Christianity as a major world religion. Rome functioned as a republic, where people were represented by officials in government for 450 years.
After the rise of the general Julius Caesar in the first century B.C.E., the republic came to an end. Following the assassination of Caesar, Augustus rose to become Rome's first emperor. His reign began an age of peace and prosperity. By 300 A.D. the Roman Empire had grown so large, it was divided into two parts. "Old Rome" would be part of the Western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as The Byzantine Empire, would be established in the far eastern part of the Mediterranean and have a new capital, Constantinople. Around 476 C.E., the Germanic peoples of northern Europe grew in strength and repeated attacks led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Following the end of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, around 7 B.C.E., the Greek civilization began and later flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries B.C.E. A period known as Classical Greece began with the defeat of the Persian invasion. Later, with the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Greek civilization spread from the Mediterranean Sea into Central Asia. Many aspects of the Classical Greek culture, including religion, architecture and philosophy, became a major influence on the Roman Empire. Rome then went on to continue to spread the ideas of the Greeks throughout Europe and the Mediterranean area.
This is why the Greeks are viewed as being the culture which has provided the basis of all modern Western culture. More than any other aspect of the Greek culture which has flourished and spread is their idea of "Democracy." Democracy means "rule by the people." The Greeks developed a system of government with three different branches (much like the United States has today): a governing body who wrote laws; a council of representatives from the ten main tribes of Athens; and a court where citizens argued cases before a group of randomly selected jurors. "In a Democracy," the Greek historian Herodotus wrote, "There is, first, that most splendid of virtues, equality before the law." Although Greek Democracy only lasted a few years, this development has spread worldwide and changed the face of the world as it we know it today.
Beginning in the eighth century B.C.E., Ancient Rome grew from a small town in central Italy into an empire that at one point covered most of Europe, parts of the Middle East, northern Africa and various islands in the Mediterranean. Like the Greeks, the Romans left a legacy that we can still see today. Latin, the Roman language, forms the basis of the Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian). The modern Western alphabet and calendar are based on those used by the Romans. The transition of the Romans from a mythology-based religion to their acceptance of the new religion of Christianity contributed to the growth of Christianity as a major world religion. Rome functioned as a republic, where people were represented by officials in government for 450 years.
After the rise of the general Julius Caesar in the first century B.C.E., the republic came to an end. Following the assassination of Caesar, Augustus rose to become Rome's first emperor. His reign began an age of peace and prosperity. By 300 A.D. the Roman Empire had grown so large, it was divided into two parts. "Old Rome" would be part of the Western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as The Byzantine Empire, would be established in the far eastern part of the Mediterranean and have a new capital, Constantinople. Around 476 C.E., the Germanic peoples of northern Europe grew in strength and repeated attacks led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.