Historians trace the earliest evidence of human civilization between 40,000 and 500 B.C. During this time, humans first learned to harness fire which proved vital in keeping our ancestors warm and as a means of defending themselves from wild animals. In the beginning, early humans lived in hunter gatherer tribes, collecting wild berries, fruits and seeds and lived off the land. Over time, the earliest humans learned to grow crops and domesticate animals for livestock. In approximately 8,000 B.C., villages in the Middle East developed more complex forms of farming and established the earliest civilizations in the favorable geographic region known as the fertile crescent. Around 5,000 B.C., as their farming techniques advanced, ancient humans built more advanced forms of architecture and tilled the land. These advances in architecture and farming permitted the earliest humans to settle in one location and gradually shift from hunting and gathering to farming communities. This important lifestyle change permitted the earliest humans to invest more time in technology and innovation. Soon they learned other important skills including pottery, sewing, animal breading and copper work. These advances led to the establishment of the very first towns in 3,000 B.C. in Egypt, Mesopotamia and China, widely recognized as the earliest forms of civilization.

Ancient Americas: North America, Mesoamerica and South America:
Ancient humans in North America hunted animals and foraged for food throughout the continent. The Adena people established the first civilization in North America around 700 B.C. which consisted primarily of villages with temple mounds. In Mesoamerica (modern Mexico), humans learned to farm around 3,000 B.C. Around 2,000 B.C. the Olmec civilization emerged in Mexico, followed by the Mayan civilization in 500 B.C. Meanwhile, the Andean civilizations of modern Peru learned to farm around 2,000 B.C. and established large agrarian based towns. These early civilizations built large temples rivaling those of Ancient Egypt.

Ancient European Civilizations:
Evidence of the earliest farming communities in Europe appears around 6,000 B.C. in the southeast and around 4,000 B.C. in the northwest. The most important early European civilizations in this time were the Mycenaens, the Etruscans and the Celts.

Ancient Asian Civilizations:
Civilizations flourished in the fertile Indus Valley of modern Pakistan around 2,600 B.C. and in farming communities throughout northern China from 4,000 B.C.

Ancient African Civilizations:
Historians attribute the Fertile Crescent, a geographic area between Europe and Asia, as the birth of civilization. Farming communities flourished throughout Mesopotamia, resulting in the development of towns. In Sumer, these towns established trade routes amongst each other and gradually grew into cities around 3,400 B.C. Along the Nile River Valley the Egyptians established an advanced civilization that would last 2,500 years.

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