Foundations of Civilization

Chapter 1 Section 3

Key Terms

• Surplus• Division of labor• Traditional economy• Civilization• Artisans• Cultural diffusion

From Villages to Cities

• Advances in Farming– Increased production– Irrigation systems– Produced a surplus

• Surplus-excess food• Surplus food larger

populations

Changing Economies

• Fewer people needed to farm

• Could do other jobs• Division of labor-each

worker specializes in a particular task or job

• Traditional economy-economic decisions based on custom, tradition, or ritual

Characteristics of Cities

• Cities are larger and densely populated

• Early cities contain many unrelated people

• Have more formal organization

• Served as centers of trade

First Civilizations

• Complex and organized society

• Characteristics– Developed cities– Organized governments– Formalized religion– Specialization of labor– Social classes– Record keeping and

writing– Art and architecture

Developed Cities

• Political, economic, cultural centers

• Organized governments– Created laws– Established justice– Supervised food

production– Building projects– Gathered taxes– Provided defense

Formalized Religion

• Priests performed rituals

• Sacrifice or offering• Built large temples• Priests became

powerful• Government and

religion connected

Specialization of Labor

• Engineers planned cities• Soldiers defended the

city• Artisans-skilled

craftsman– Basketry– Carpentry– Metal work– pottery

• Merchants and Traders

Social Classes

• Occupation• Wealth• Social order• Rulers, priests, nobles

most power• Merchants artisans next• Farmers, unskilled labor• Slaves at the bottom

Record Keeping and Writing

• As society grew, record were necessary

• Keep records of trade• Records of taxes– Used clay tokens stored

in pouch– Knotted stings (Incas)

• Writing 5,000 year ago• Calendars invented

The Arts

• Statues• Paintings– Usually gods, goddesses– Heroes, rulers

• Intricate pieces of bronze

• Placed on– Buildings– Tombs

Environmental Influences

• Flooding– Wipe out crops– Wipe out cities

• Drought– Kill livestock

• Loses fertility• To obtain resources

people traded

Spread of People and Ideas

• Cultural diffusion-spread of beliefs, customs, and technology from one culture to another

• Done through trade• Learned new languages• Writing• Religions

Expansion and Warfare

• Needed more land and resources

• Conflict over land and water

• Seaports • Between nomads and

civilization• Nomads usually skilled

warriors