1-3 Civilizations Begin

Essential Questions

1. In what ways are surplus food, government, and division of labor necessary for advanced civilization?

2. How did the needs of early civilizations lead to the development of calendars and systems of writing?

3. What are the characteristics of early civilizations?

4. How did life change for man politically, economically and socially as a result of the Neolithic Revolution?

5. How did roles of men and woman change as a result of the Neolithic Revolution?

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Vocabulary

civilization: A complex culture that can produce a surplus of food, establishes large towns with some form of government, and has people who perform different jobs.

irrigation: A system of ditches and canals that move water from rivers into fields to water crops

division of labor: A system in which different people perform different jobs

artisans: Skilled workers

cultural diffusion: The spread of ideas and other aspects of culture from one area to another

Political:

Social:

Economic:

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The Emergence of Civilization

Big Idea: Early civilizations developed mainly in valleys near rivers.

Section 3 Summary

At the end of the New Stone Age, people in permanent settlements began to advance rapidly, especially in four regions. These are the 4 River Valley Civilizations that we will learn about../

(1) the Nile River valley in Africa

(2) the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates (yoo·FRAY·tees) Rivers in southwestern Asia (Mesopotamia)

(3) the Indus River valley in southern Asia

(4) the Huang, or Yellow, River valley in Eastern Asia.

These people first developed civilizations. A civilization is a complex culture with three characteristics.

1. First, people can produce surplus, or extra, food.

2. Second, people establish large towns or cities with some form of government.

3. Third, people perform different jobs, instead of each person doing all kinds of work.

The Nile, Tigris and Euphrates, Indus, and Huang Rivers all flood during rainy periods. During the rest of the year, little rain falls, and the climate is hot. People in these valleys developed irrigation systems, digging ditches and canals to move water from the river into fields to water their crops. They also built dikes to keep rivers from flooding. As a result, they produced surplus food, and population increased.

Villages grew into large cities, where people provided labor to build great buildings. Leaders and forms of government emerged to help societies run. Governments made rules to guide people’s work and behavior. As agricultural techniques improved, people could specialize in work other than farming. A division of labor emerged, in which different people performed different jobs. Some became skilled workers, called artisans. They could devote time to improving tools or technologies. Others became merchants or traders. Traders carried not only goods but also ideas.

The spread of ideas and other aspects of culture from one area to another is called cultural diffusion. Cultural diffusion occurs through trade and conquest. To learn more about cultural diffusion click here. The four river valley civilizations also developed a calendar and writing. Some historians believe these two achievements are also characteristics of civilization. Calendars helped people to know when the yearly floods would start and stop. As civilizations grew more complex, people needed to develop rules for living together.

Written language was developed around 3000 B.C to keep and pass on information and ideas. History began. The four civilizations also used metals. More than 6,000 years ago, people began using copper. By 5,000 years ago they had begun mixing copper and tin to make bronze. The Stone Age had ended and the Bronze Age had begun. By 3,200 years ago people in southwestern Asia had begun to make iron, which is even stronger than bronze.

The Iron Age had begun. In the four river valleys, women managed the family. They may have discovered agriculture and probably invented pottery and weaving. The rise of goddesses during this time suggests that women were powerful. However, with the invention of the plow and use of animals, men became the primary food providers, and their power increased.

People believed in gods and goddesses and forces of nature that controlled all aspects of life. People prayed and offered sacrifices to their gods to bring rain.

Answers to the Essential Questions

1. In what ways are surplus food, government, and division of labor necessary for advanced civilization?

• A surplus of food leads to an increase in the population of an area so that large settlements may form. Government makes rules to help societies run. Division of labor allows people to perform work other than raising food. People can devote their time to improving tools and arts, becoming artisans and traders.

2. How did the needs of early civilizations lead to the development of calendars and systems of writing?

• Early civilizations needed calendars because farmers needed to know when the yearly floods would start and stop. They needed systems of writing to develop rules for living together and to keep and pass on information and ideas.