What is a civilization?

The term civilization is difficult to define. What makes one group civilized and another not?

man settles & organizes into communities for protection communities develop into towns & later independent city- states city-states have a hinterland that provides the food and resources necessary to sustain it city-states build mutual protection alliances & civilization There are certain elements that are generally agreed upon as being fundamental to a civilization. permanence First of these is permanence.

Secondly, there must be an organized system of government & law that unites the people and a system of writing by which laws can be recorded and knowledge passed on.

Civilizations are also characterized by the existence of specialized tradespeople and a system through which goods & services can be exchanged. Although there are several other elements that can be argued as essential to a civilization, these five are vital to any civilization.

complex & highly organized religion refined art & music advanced architecture system of education Several elements are considered to be by-products of a highly organized and specialized society: In addition, every civilization has elements of the following four sub-headings.

Political leadership laws organized government military - conflicts/wars diplomacy

trade currency banking/finance specialization of labour agriculture Economic

Ideological religion philosophy literature art/architecture technology math/science/medicine concept of time education language

Social social practices: - family/roles customs/ceremonies class system immigration/movement leisure activities/sports history

The First Civilizations Early civilizations tended to be located in river valleys. The Sumerian civilization was the oldest. It began around 3500 BCE in Mesopotamia. (The Land Between the Rivers) {modern Iraq} Soon afterwards another civilization began in the Near East. The Egyptian civilization began about 3200 BCE. along the Nile. Where were they located?

Another flourished in India around 2500 BCE. along the Indus River. China had her first civilization by about 1500 BCE along the Yellow River. Why? The river valleys had rich, easily worked soils. Agriculture was relatively easy and the populations of these civilizations tended to grow very rapidly. Transportation was also relatively easy.

The two exceptions to early civilizations being located in river valleys were: The Minoan Civilization began on the island of Crete around 2000 BCE. - the Minoans had a fine central position in a sea of islands with access to the great civilizations of the Near East and Egypt. The Aztecs and Mayan Civilizations that first appeared around 800 BCE. - they multiplied on the rich soil of their semi-tropical forests of Central & South America.

What is a Civilization?? Remember: PERSIAT & G

P – Political E – Economic R – Religion S – Social I – Ideological (Ideas) A – Arts & literature T – Technology G - Geography