THE BEGINNINGS OF CIVILIZATION

THE GROWTH OF CIVILIZATIONS Civilization-A complex, highly organized social order. First civilizations developed near river valleys  Water supply  Transportation  Plenty of animals  Fertile soil

EFFECTS Rich conditions in river valleys allowed farmers to produce surpluses Surplus-More food than necessary Consequences:  Population growth-villages become cities  Division of labor-People work at other jobs than farming

THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS Egypt (Nile River Valley)-2575 BC Indus River Valley (India and Pakistan) BC Huang River (China)-1766 BC Sumer (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq)-3300 BC

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 1. Organized Governments  As cities grew, more complex governments were required  Responsibilities: food production, flood control, digging canals/irrigation  Challenges: Law and order, tax collection, defense  Different departments of government formed for different tasks.  Leaders were often powerful warriors, priests

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 2. Complex Religions  Most ancient people were polytheistic-believed in many gods  Believed gods controlled natural forces like flooding, rain, sunshine, birth, death, etc.  Created complex rituals-ceremonies, dances, prayers, etc.  Built temples, sacrificed plants, animals, sometimes people  Required full time, trained priests

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 3. Job Specialization  Individuals could specialize in certain jobs because of food surpluses  Artisans-skilled craftspeople, created pottery, baskets, etc.  Metalworkers learned to work with copper and bronze  Other jobs: bricklayers, soldiers, merchants, entertainers

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 4. Social Organization  Surplus of food, growth of personal property, and job specialization led to social classes  1. Priests and nobles  2. Wealthy merchants  3. Skilled artisans  4. Peasant farmers  5. Slaves Nuclear family=basic unit of social organization

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 5. Arts and Architecture  Expressed the talents, beliefs, and values of the people who created them  Temples and palaces-remind people of the strength and power of government, religion  Decorated with wall paintings, statues of gods and rulers, design work

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 6. Public Works  Strong leaders order projects to benefit civilizations  Irrigation systems  Roads  Bridges  Defensive walls  Often very expensive in gold and lives

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 7. Language  All cultures have spoken language, many civilizations developed written languages  Scribes recorded religious rituals, farming technique, achievements of rulers  Pictographs-Simple drawings that look like the objects they represent

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 8. Economic System  How people use the limited resources available to them  Traditional Economy-People produce what they need, tend not to change  Command Economy-Rulers tell people what to produce  Market Economy-People have freedom to buy, sell, produce as they choose  Mixed Economy-Mixture of command and market

FEATURES OF CIVILIZATION 9. Customs and Traditions  People began to pass down important behaviors and beliefs  Values-what the people find important  Norms-expected behaviors

CHANGES Civilizations always must adapt to their environment  Climate  Landforms  Natural resources Cultural diffusion spread technologies and ideas  Migration  Trade  Warfare Civilizations grew in power  City-state-A political unit including a city and its surrounding lands and villages  Empire-A group of territories controlled by one ruler.