Early human communities
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Many archaeologists in conjunction with scientists have tried to describe and discover the origin of human beings. Several questions remain pending with no accurate answer; where did man come from? From what did we evolve? These are some of the questions that remain unanswered and without proof. From studies made and research done by various people such as Charles Darwin, man is said to have evolved from apes. Over the years, through natural selection, survival for the fittest and adaptation man has been able to develop and evolve to what is seen today. In many ways it is rather hard for us to imagine that at a certain point in life our ancestors were solely hunters and gatherers, they lived in caves and that there was no major settlement instead they moved around the globe in search of food.
In the Palaeolithic era, there was less food which forced the people to move from place to place in search of food; men would hunt in groups while women would gather the roots and fruits. Many people died due to the scarcity of food and harsh weather conditions. In terms of relationships, women were generally exchanged sexually for reproduction, this went on until 600 BC in Mesopotamia where reproduction was considered a private thing; a man would choose a woman who would bear children and raise a family together. Women were given less power positions in the community and they were only allowed to stay at home and to reproduce; the children would provide labour and security for the community.
As early man began to settle and start agricultural activities such as farming and keeping animals, other aspects of life emerged such as religion. In the past, people believed in spirits and in gods, Egypt had a number of gods (Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and Horus) (Roosie, 111). Each god had a purpose with aspects such as war, fertility, and various weather seasons represented. Both Egyptians and Mesopotamians believed that power and authority came from gods; gods controlled every aspect in life. Priests, who were advisors of the king, would interpret to the kings what the gods want done and the laws that should be stipulated. Kings and priests were also viewed as holy beings chosen by gods as a link between them and the whole empire.
The communities also had to come up with a form of government that would implement law and order in the community. The man was considered the head of the family, while elders in the community provided advice and maintained general order in the community. As years went on, early human beings chose kings that would rule over the kingdom. Egypt was served by pharaohs while Mesopotamia was ruled by kings but all had similar roles such as setting laws (Hawkes 77). The hierarchy of authority was as follows; the king, priests, commanders, soldiers and finally the police. The middle class included the merchants, artisans, and labourers while the low class included the slaves and peasants.
Early human beings are considered the pioneers of present day’s agriculture. Egypt which was located close to the Nile was able to develop irrigation channels that enabled crop production. Mesopotamia on the other hand was located between the river Euphrates and Tigris (Roosie, 97). The rivers supplied them with water for farming and domestic use. They grew seeds and kept animals such as the dog, cats, goats and cows that provided them with food, security and also labour. The plough for example was developed around this time. Mining and the use of metal artefacts also started with the early human communities, for example, garden equipment, swords and other domestic equipments.
Early human beings fought one another for power and resources, wars were prone hence security was required. The geographical features provided security for the regions; Egypt was surrounded by the red sea and the Mediterranean which protected it from its enemies (Hawkes, 179).
It was unjust how women in the past were treated as minorities in the community. Almost equal opportunities and positions as men would have been appropriate and just. However, the governments formed were an important step for the communities to ensure law and order was maintained in the community. Religion was also an appropriate step as it allowed unity among the members of the community and it helped maintain the morals and customs of the people.
The reason for choosing this question was to show and to describe how early human communities were and how they developed. As a way to explain the origin of several aspects in the current human life, the discussion was relevant to show how man has evolved through the social, political, economic, and religious life. The current human life is almost a complete reflection of the past in terms of religion and politics.
It is important to learn and to understand the early human life, how man evolved to be what he or she is in the present. Through the study of early ways of religion enables us to embrace our culture and religion and get to know what significance it holds to respect and accept religion in our lives. Through the study of politics and how early governments were formed and their functions, people are able to respect what position leaders have and their responsibilities. People are also able to learn how agriculture came to be and how it grew. Through the study of all these aspects human beings can reflect on the important factors and come up with solutions to customs and ways that were inappropriate such as gender inequality.
References
Hawkes, Jacquetta. The First Great civilizations; life in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Egypt. (1st ed. New York: Knopf; [redistributed by Random House], 1973. Print.
Rossi, Renzo, and Andrea Due. Cradles of civilization: ancient Egypt and early Middle Eastern Civilizations. New York: Macmillan Library References USA, 1996. Print.
