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Characteristics of a Civilization

Characteristics of a Civilization. Global History. To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization. Toynbee, Arnold 1852-1883, British Economic Historian and Reformer. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Self-actualization (self-knowledge, fulfillment of

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Characteristics of a Civilization

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  1. Characteristics of a Civilization Global History

  2. To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization. Toynbee, Arnold1852-1883, British Economic Historian and Reformer

  3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Self-actualization (self-knowledge, fulfillment of personal potential) Esteem (autonomy, achievement, recognition) Social (belonging, affection) Safety (security, protection from harm) Physiological (Hunger, thirst, shelter)

  4. What is a civilization? • Civilization a society with a complex culture • Culture a shared set of beliefs, values, and traditions; a way of life

  5. Five Characteristics of Civilization • Cities • Specialized Workers • Complex Institutions • Record Keeping • Advanced Technology

  6. 1. Cities • Central feature of ancient civilizations • Located in fertile river valleys Nile River

  7. Early Cities Developed Along Rivers Euphrates River • Rivers provided: • water supply • transportation • food supply from animals • Rivers provided challenges: • flooding • irrigation

  8. 2. Specialized Workers • Not only farmers, but merchants, artisans, scribes. • Why? Surplus of food. There was no need to have everybody farm. This led to bartering or an exchange of goods (basket or cart) for food.

  9. What is an Artisan? • Artisans specialized in various jobs, such as: • Bricklayers • Blacksmiths • Created great architecture and art

  10. 3. Complex Institutions • Formal governments & laws • Religion/priests with religious duties and/or political power • Education system (mostly for priests & scribes)

  11. Complex Institution: Governments • Early governments were first headed by priests • Later controlled by warrior chiefs or kings • These kings became hereditary rulers

  12. Complex Institutions: Governments Continued • Governments became more complex as new responsibilities arose such as: • tax collecting • law making • handling public works projects • organizing systems of defense

  13. Complex Institution: Religion • Generally polytheistic • Many gods represented natural forces • Others controlled human activities • Priests and worshippers tried to gain gods’ favor through complex rituals and sacrifice

  14. Complex Institution: Religion • Temples often built to honor specific gods and goddesses Egyptian Temple Myan Temple Mesopotamian Ziggurat

  15. Complex Institution: Social Structure • People ranked according to their profession • Chief • Priests • Nobles • Wealthy merchants • Artisans • Peasants/farmers • Slaves Egyptian Social Structure

  16. Complex Institution: Social Structure Ruling classes: Based often on military prowess Originally elected, later hereditary Perceived as offspring of gods Religious classes: Role: intervention with gods to ensure fertility, safety Considerable landholdings, other economic activities

  17. Complex Institution: Social Structure Free commoners: Peasant cultivators Some urban professionals Slaves: Prisoners of war, convicted criminals, debtors

  18. Social Structure - Patriarchal Society • Men as landowners, relationship to status • Patriarchy: “rule of the father” Right to sell wives, children • Double standard of sexual morality Women drowned for adultery Relaxed sexual mores for men

  19. Social Structure - Patriarchal Society • Yet some possibilities of social mobility for women Court advisers, temple priestesses, economic activity • Introduction of the veil at least c. 1500 BCE

  20. 4. Record Keeping • System of Writing Cuneiform, hieroglyphics, & pictographs • Quipu  series of strings used by the Inca to record statistics

  21. Writing Continued • Probably first used by priests • Earliest writing used pictograms Chinese Calligraphy Egyptian Hieroglyphs Mesopotamian cuneiform

  22. Development of Writing • Sumerian writing systems form 3500 BCE • Pictographs • Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped” • Preservation of documents on clay • Declines from 400 BCE with spread of Greek alphabetic script

  23. Writing Continued • Symbols later added to represent words and then sounds • Scribes were specially trained to read, write, and record information

  24. 5. Advanced Technology • The wheel and the plow • Bronze weapons • The Sail

  25. Bibliography • Annenberg/CPB • American Association for the Advancement of Science • McGraw-Hill Co. • Unitedstreaming.com

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