WHAT IS CULTURE?

Take a minute to write your own definition of culture…..

Now we can share our answers to find out the information that we already know.

We can construct a web of our ideas.

CULTURE IS HIGH CULTURE???

CULTURE IS ORDINARY???

IN FACT, WE ALL HAVE CULTURE

Culture is everything that people - have (material possessions), - think (values and attitudes) and - do (behavior patterns) as members of

a society

Civilization isCivilization is

An advanced form of culture.An advanced form of culture.

Early man had culture but did not Early man had culture but did not have civilization.have civilization.

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- “THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS”

Mesopotamia has three nicknames…

The Land Between Two Rivers Cradle of Western Civilization The Fertile Crescent

Today we need to understand where these names came from

Mesopotamia

This is why we call the area “The Land Between Two Rivers”.

The word mesopotamia is a greek word which means “the land between the rivers”

How the Fertile Crescent became a nickname…

Why would anyone want to build a civilization in the middle of the desert?

It was a great place to live

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- GEOGRAPHY POSITIVE abundant

amount of clay

good soil water

supply from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

NEGATIVE few natural

resources minimal

protection from deserts and mountains

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- CLIMATE

POSITIVE In the north,

seasonal rain High temperatures

in the south can be cooled by wind off the Persian Gulf

NEGATIVE In the south, little

rainfall. Temperatures as high as 43°C

Civilization isCivilization is

An advanced form of culture.An advanced form of culture.

Early man had culture but did not Early man had culture but did not have civilization.have civilization.

What is civilization?What is civilization?

A large organized A large organized society that has society that has lasted a long lasted a long timetime

(actually this definition is (actually this definition is only very simple, only very simple, but…)but…)

The rise of civilizationThe rise of civilization

Civilization is defined as: highly Civilization is defined as: highly organized society marked by organized society marked by advanced knowledge of trade, advanced knowledge of trade, government, arts, science andgovernment, arts, science and often often time written languagetime written language

The Parthenon in Athens is an example of classical Greek Civilization.

What is the first known society?What is the first known society? The earliest known civilizations arose in The earliest known civilizations arose in

MesopotamiaMesopotamia between the between the TigrisTigris and and EuphratesEuphrates rivers in modern-day rivers in modern-day IraqIraq, , PersiaPersia in modern-day in modern-day IranIran, the , the Nile valleyNile valley of of EgyptEgypt. The inhabitants of these areas . The inhabitants of these areas built cities, created writing systems, built cities, created writing systems, learned to make pottery and use metals, learned to make pottery and use metals, domesticated animals, and created domesticated animals, and created complex social structures with class complex social structures with class systems.systems.

The 5 traits of CivilizationsThe 5 traits of Civilizations

1.1. Advanced CitiesAdvanced Cities Give people a place to store Give people a place to store

and trade surplus foodand trade surplus food

A place for templesA place for temples

2.2. Specialized WorkersSpecialized Workers

City people cooperate on City people cooperate on projects and to organize projects and to organize citiescities

(in Sumer, Priests organized cities and (in Sumer, Priests organized cities and acted as judges)acted as judges)

3.3. Complex institutionsComplex institutions

Places where groups of people Places where groups of people come together to help come together to help societysociety

Examples – religion, Examples – religion, government, school and government, school and armiesarmies

4.4. Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyFind a better way to do thingsFind a better way to do things

Farming – irrigationFarming – irrigationTools made from copper Tools made from copper

bronze (copper + tin)bronze (copper + tin)

5.5. Record KeepingRecord Keeping

To keep record of what is important To keep record of what is important to peopleto people

In Sumer, food or crops were recordedIn Sumer, food or crops were recordedFirst Mesopotamians kept track with sticks, First Mesopotamians kept track with sticks,

and later created a written language.and later created a written language.