Chapter One

Section Three:

Beginnings of Civilization

The Rise of Cities

• The rise of cities was the main feature of Civilization

• Civilization is a complex, highly organized social order

First Cities

• Emerged along river valleys where farmers could grow a surplus of food

• These surpluses allowed the population to grow

Cities Rose In Many Valleys

• Between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East

• The Nile River in Egypt

• The Indus River in India

• The Yellow River, or Huang He, in China

• Conditions here favored farming, as floods fed the soil, animals flocked to the rivers, and there was plenty of water for farming and transportation

• Rivers also challenged farmers, they had to control flooding and water the fields

• They had to work together to build dams, dig canals, and build irrigation ditches

• Cities were surrounded by high walls, but most were filled with small streets and tiny hut houses

Cities in America

• American cities rose up in the mountains of South and Central America

• The Aztecs and Incas probably began their cities as places of worship

Features of Civilization

• There are eight key features of a civilization

• The first feature is Cities

2. Organized Governments

• This was needed to create a steady supply of food and keep order

• Most started with priests as leaders

• Eventually elders took power

• All leaders claimed power from Gods

3.Complex Religions

• Most early civilizations were Polytheistic, worshipping many Gods

• Full-time priests were needed to hold ceremonies to honor their gods

4. Job Specialization

• People could not complete all the jobs necessary to run a city on their own

• People had to specialize in jobs as soldiers, bricklayers, tool makers, and farmers

5. Social Classes

• Job status gave people their social class

• Priests usually made up the upper class, with slaves making up the lowest class

6. Art and Architecture • These show the values and beliefs of a

society

• Building showed strength in a city, and art usually depicted the Gods

7. Public Works

• People working together for the good of the city

• Temples, irrigation, bridges, roads, and walls are examples of public works

8. Writing• Allowed for accurate

records to be kept to plan ahead for the next year

• Early writing used pictograms, drawings of objects

• Symbols were added later to enhance meaning

• As writing became more complex, only scribes were trained to read and write

Spread of Civilization

• As power grew, rulers controlled surrounding areas

• These were called City-States

• Some rulers would expand into other City-States, creating Empires

• Most people still lived as nomads outside of city walls

Civilizations Change

• The environment would force civilizations to change

• Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, and droughts could lead to the end of a civilization

Interaction with other Cultures

• As people were forced to leave, cultures mixed through cultural diffusion

• Cultural Diffusion- spread of ideas, customs, and technology from one people to another