Early Agricultural Civilizations

Early Agricultural Civilizations

6th Grade UBD - Unit 2 - Early Agricultural Civilizations

Preview

The Growth of Civilization- Agriculture allowed early humans to settle in larger communities. As populations grew, signs of civilization began to appear.

Interactions Among Civilizations- Early civilizations were located in areas that could support agricultural communities. Civilizations that were near one another exchanged goods and ideas.

Reach Into Your Background

Early humans often lived alone or in small groups. This made it difficult to survive. Over time, however, they began to live in larger groups and create settlements. They also began working together to ensure the basic needs of all those in the group were met. What other advantages might living in a large group have? (5 minutes)

Partner ActivityWork with a

neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Key Ideas- The Growth of Civilization

Agriculture provided a steady food source. Cities were supported by nearby farms. People living

in cities could specialize, or do only certain kinds of work they enjoyed.

Specialization of labor created social classes. Central governments developed to manage the larger

populations. Civilizations developed cultures that over time

included written languages.


Food is one of the main needs for life. Until this need is met, most of a person’s thoughts and actions are directed toward locating food.

The development of agriculture—producing crops and raising farm animals—provided a steady food supply people could rely on.


With a steady food supply, more people could settle in one place.

They began to build stronger and longer-lasting homes and live in larger communities.

They began to develop civilizations.

Key Term

Civilization- A society with cities, a central government, job specialization, and social classes.

Specialization of Labor

As the population grew, other changes in people’s lives began to occur.

People began to live together in larger communities.

These communities could be fed by the neighboring farms.


In large communities, workers do not have to meet all their needs themselves.

This lets people specialize in certain jobs.

The division of labor allowed early humans to become skilled at certain tasks. They now had time to do things they wanted to do.

Key Term

Specialization- The development of skills in a specific kind of work.


During this time, people created pottery. Artists and craft workers made jewelry, paintings, and carvings.

Items such as jewelry and carvings were not needed to survive and therefore are considered luxury items.

Key Term

Luxury Item- Something that gives pleasure but is not necessarily needed to live.

The Creation of Social Classes

Specialization of labor created a new feature of civilizations—social hierarchy.

A social hierarchy is a system in which people are ranked in different classes, one above the other.

Key Term

Social Hierarchy- The division of society by rank or class.


There were fewer members in the top class than at the bottom.

In early civilizations, power was usually concentrated in the small ruling class at the top, made up of government and religious leaders.


A person’s class was determined by the role they filled. At first, people could move to a new class if their role changed.

Over time, the social systems in many civilizations became more rigid and people had little chance of moving to a higher class.

Social ClassesVideo- Social Classes

Cities and Government

Cities are usually the center for culture, religion, government, and the invention of new tools.

The Role of Leaders

As larger numbers of people began to live together, it became important to have good leaders.

Leaders were needed to settle conflicts and direct large tasks.

Rulers took charge of big project and wrote laws that told how to solve problems among members of the community.

Culture

Culture is the beliefs, behaviors, and knowledge of a society.

Culture is passed on from the older members of the society to the younger ones.

Clothing, music, entertainment, and even architecture are part of culture.

Key Term

Architecture- The discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction of buildings.

Religion and Literature

An important mark of a civilization is its ability to share its culture. This is particularly true of its knowledge.

The organization of religion and the invention of written languages were major cultural advances that took place in early civilizations.

Religion

Members of ancient civilizations faced many dangers.

Bad weather destroyed crops.

Illness and injuries that would be minor today often led to death.

Religion

To help explain these hardships, people often believed they were at the will of higher beings, or gods.

They looked to stories and legends to understand how the gods affected the world they lived in.

Religion

Members of ancient civilizations usually followed the same religion.

They marked the same special events.

They honored the same gods.

They held religious ceremonies in the same way.

Religion

Early civilizations often had a social class of priests and priestesses.

These people controlled the holy customs.

They were believed to have special connections to the gods.

Religion united the members of a civilization.

Key Term

Religion- An organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to the supernatural, and to spirituality.

Key Term

Monotheism- The belief in one god.

Key Term

Polytheism- The belief in many gods.

Writing

Before writing was invented, people could share information only by speaking.

Often, older people told younger people what they knew.

Writing

Written language played several important roles.

People used written records to keep track of floods and the times to plant.

They wrote down details about the goods they bought and sold.

Writing could provide information about laws and customs

Writing

Most well-known civilizations have recorded information about themselves in writing. As a result, researchers can study those civilizations today.

Writing of Ancient CivilizationsVideo- Writing of Ancient Civilizations

Key Ideas- Interactions Among Civilizations

Rivers were a source of water for crops, fresh water for drinking, and fish for food.

Rivers provided a method of transportation. Geographic features like deserts, mountains, and

oceans sometimes kept civilizations from spreading. As a result of war and trade, civilizations exchanged

stories, tools, and ideas about science and religion.

The Importance of Geography

As agriculture grew more important, it became necessary for early humans to settle in places where they could regularly find water.

For this reason, many of the earliest civilizations arose near natural sources of water.

The Nile Where Egypt BeganVideo- The Nile Where Egypt Began

Exchanges Among Early Civilizations

Civilizations traded with each other. They also fought wars with each other.

As a result of such meetings, civilizations often shared parts of their cultures.

They heard each other’s stories. They learned from each other about tools, science, and religious ideas.


In some areas, different civilizations were located near each other.

When two or more civilizations often wanted the same resources. Both trade and war were common.

Fighting brought many changes in leaders.


Cities provided early humans with the main things they needed to live. Cities also encouraged culture to develop.

Even today, cities continue to be very important to the success of civilizations.

Independent Activity

What has been the

“muddiest” point so

far in this lesson? That

is, what topic remains

the least clear to you?

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity Work with a

neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Early Agricultural Civilizations

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