Emergence of Civilization Unit 1 Civilization

Emergence of Civilization CIVITAS - Latin word meaning 'cities‘ Emerges at the end of the Neolithic era First Civilizations develops in four different areas independently of each other.

5 Characteristics of Civilization 1- Surplus of Food 2- Complex Institutions (government) More complex government and religions High level of cooperation for the benefit of the group 3- Division of Labor - Specialized workers Specialized skills & occupations Creates a class of skilled worked called Artisans Merchants and Traders Due to the surplus of food, not everybody had to be farmers. Other things are needed/wanted in order to survive, so they specialized in other trades, then some may have bartered food with their work/skills.

5 Characteristics of Civilization 4- Writing - Record Keeping Priests were the first to start using marks or drawings which evolved into writing Needed to keep track of when to do important ceremonies and rituals to keep the gods happy Scribes - Those who mastered the writing and reading of the symbols – Keep Secretive Government Births, deaths, taxes Ownership, marriages, business contracts, etc.. Became a way to pass down traditions, learning, wisdom, information, ideas and religious beliefs

Characteristics of Civilization 5- Calendar Needed to know when river would flood Time from flood to flood was a year Time from full moon to next full moon was a month Not completely accurate – about 11 days off

GROWTH OF CITIES 4 Areas of the world develop independently of each other Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Valley - Mesopotamia Nile River – Egypt Indus River Valley – India Yellow River Valley - China All Develop around Rivers Fertile soil Rivers consistently flood every year Bring moisture to the land Can be used for Transportation and food Fish and animals

Religion POLYTHEISTIC - Belief in many Gods and Goddesses that control the forces of nature Believed in spirits Believed that the Gods controlled forces of nature Gave sacrifices to win the gods favor and get peace, good harvests, rainfall, etc. Wanted to keep the Gods happy Priests (priest-kings) gained power because they carried out the rituals to keep the gods happy Powerful positions in the governments

Religion THEOCRACY - Government controlled by a church or religion Military leaders worked in conjunction with priests to keep the gods happy and provided a defense against enemies Collected taxes - earliest system of taxation Labor for construction projects Part of harvest Used to pay for government and building projects

Economy and Society Technology was important made work easier, faster and more efficient Bronze Age - Vessels, tool, weapons: They last longer Bronze is mixture of copper and tin Farming improved Develop use of irrigation through ditches and canals Fewer farms needed Excess food used for trading with merchants for goods Barter Economy - Trading goods or services for something you need Creates a demand for more specialized skills and goods Still used to some extent today

Important Point to Note Although civilization developed in different areas and at different times there was still limited contact between them Trading Migration Wars Cultural Diffusion – Spread of ideas, skills, and a diversity of culture.

Review Questions (24 Points) Where did the first 4 civilizations begin? Why was there a need for specialized workers in a civilization? What are the 5 characteristics of a civilization? Why did the 4 civilizations all develop around rivers? How was time of one year determined by early calendars?