Beginnings of Civilization

1
Beginnings of Civilization
2
Beginnings of a Civilization

• First civilizations are by RIVERS - ??
• Transportation, water supply, food, farming
• Surpluses more than what is necessary
• Grow large populations, food for the future
• Eventually forming cities
• Traditional economy relies on habit, custom, or
  ritual and tends not to change

3
River Valley Civilizations

• Civilization a complex, highly organized social
  order
• Cities are the MAIN feature
• Sumer between the Tigris and Euphrates
• Egypt along the Nile River
• Indus along the Indus River
• Shang Huang River (Yellow River)

4
Features of a Civilization

• Organized Governments
• Councils/Chiefs turn into central governments
• Rulers/royal officials
• Taxes, laws, defense
• Priests/Warrior kings on TOP
• Complex Religions
• Polytheistic
• Specially trained priests for ceremonies and
  rituals

5
Features of a Civilization cont.

• Job Specialization
• Artisans skilled craftspeople
• Weapons are made of metals
• Copper then bronze
• Bricklayers, dancers, storytellers
• Social Classes
• Ranking of individuals within the society
• Priests and nobles were typically on top

6
Features of a Civilization cont.

• Arts and Architecture
• Artwork and buildings that display the values,
  customs, and beliefs for the society
• Temples, palaces, statues, paintings
• Public Works
• Projects that are costly and benefit the city and
  people
• Irrigation systems, roads, dikes, bridges, walls

7
Features of a Civilization cont.

• Writing
• System of communications originally used by
  governments and religious leaders
• Grain collection, rituals, prayers, seasonal
  information
• Pictographs picture writing
• Scribes people that specialize in reading and
  writing

8
Change in Civilizations

• Loss of resources
• Environmental forces
• Cultural Diffusion the spread of ideas, customs,
  and technologies
• Warfare, migration, trade
• City-state a group of lands that includes a city
  and the surrounding people and villages that it
  controls
• Empire multiple cities and people