1. Characteristics and the Cradle of Civilization
Ancient History 10
Characteristics and the Cradle of
Civilization

2. Gordon Childe’s Characteristics of a Civilization
PRIMARY
Settlement in Cities
Full Time Specialization of Labor
Class Structure
State Organization
Concentration of Surpluses

3. Gordon Childe’s Characteristics of a Civilization II
SECONDARY
Monumental Public Works
Long Distance Trade
Writing
Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy
Standardized monumental art work

4. CRADLES OF CIVILIZATION
Began to take place in 4 main areas of the world:
Nile River Valley (Egypt)
Tigris-Euphrates River Valleys (Mesopotamia)
Indus River Valley (India)
Yellow River Valley (China)
As more evidence is gathered Mesoamerica is being considered a fifth Cradle of Civilization

5. Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was a civilization in the North-eastern section of Africa. Its populace was concentrated along the lower parts of the Nile River and is located in what is today Modern Egypt.

6. Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a name for the portion of the Tigris–Euphrates river area; in the area that modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, northeastern Syria and a small portion of southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.

7. Indus River Valley
It was a civilization that extended over what is today Northeast Afghanistan and Northwest India. Geographically, it was the largest of the early civilizations.

8. Yellow River Valley
The Huang He ( pronounced “Wahn Chee”) River Valley served as the cradle of Chinese civilization