Transcript The Development of civilization

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Civilization-the most complex form of human
social organization
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Appeared in the last 6000 years, but humans have
been around for 100,000 years!
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All animals and humans need the following to
survive:
Food, at least 1000 calories
 Water, at least 2.5L per day
 Temperature regulation
 Nutrients
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How has our method of getting these changed?
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Mobile-no housing
Limited food storage
Lack of material culture
Lack of emphasis on social ranking
Lack of emphasis on possession
Lots of oral traditions in their histories
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Practice of herding animals to provide
subsistence
Follow a complex seasonal cycle
Examples include the Samburu people of North
Kenya who herd cattle
Pastoralists eat some meat, but rely more on the
animals for secondary products
Have moderate food storage
Some material culture (decorations)
Some emphasis on social ranking and
possessions
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Moderate reliance on food storage
Strong emphasis on symbolic material culture
Strong emphasis on social ranking
Strong emphasis on possession because they
take so much time investing in their land!
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Total reliance on food storage
Very strong emphasis on symbolic material
culture
Strong emphasis on social ranking
Strong emphasis on possession
Farming has been around for 10,000 years, but
did not immediately lead to civilizations
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Bands-small groups of foragers who travel long
distances, no one really in power
Tribes-larger than bands and travel less, have
chiefs that influence but are not very powerful
Chiefdoms-rely on horticulture, led by
hereditary elites, power is mainly that of
coercion and influence
States/civilizations-massive and strict division
of the population into classes, largely
sedentary, rely on agriculture
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14 characteristics that most agree are indicators
of civilizations
Every characteristic connects with other
characteristics
Many of the characteristics were supported
from the beginning of a surplus of food
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Urbanization
Long-distance trade
Social stratification
Recordkeeping/writing
Standing armies and
warfare
Money
Slavery
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Territorial
Sovereignty
Vassal tribute
Non-food production
specialists
Astronomy/math
Monumental
architecture
State religion
Taxes
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Aksum
Kush
Yam
The Xiongnu Empire
Greco-Bactria
Yuezhi
The Mitanni Kingdom
Tuwana
Mauryan Empire
Indo-Greeks
From http://listverse.com/2013/09/16/10-forgottenancient-civilizations/
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Pick an ancient civilization.
Research what it was like. Why is it considered a
civilization?
Relate it back to the 14 characteristics that are
indicators of a civilization.
Write at least one sentence about each
characteristic and your ancient civilization.
If your civilization does not have all 14
characteristics, expand on the ones that it does
have.