Beginning of Civilizations Chapter 2 Flashcards

Economic Structure

• Economy encompasses the system communities utilize for producing and distributing goods and services.
• Key questions defining a society's economy include what to produce, how to produce, and who receives the goods and services.

Characteristics of Civilization

• Civilization is identified as a complex society with cities, organized governments, and specialized labor.
• An essential feature of all civilizations is the presence of cities, which serve as central points for governance, trade, and religion.
• Common social classes in early civilizations include rulers, priests, merchants, farmers, skilled workers, and slaves.

Resources and Growth

• Natural resources such as fertile soil, freshwater, and seeds are crucial for civilization growth, enabling food surpluses necessary for urban development and specialization.
• Job specialization arises as a result of resource management, leading to the emergence of social classes as different roles develop within society.

Public Works and Trade

• Public works are major government-funded projects that benefit society, including roads, city walls, and water systems.
• Trade between early cities was motivated by the desire for goods that were not locally producible and the opportunity to sell surplus products.

Features of Civilization

• The eight defining features of civilizations are:
  • Cities
  • Organized governments
  • Established religions
  • Job specialization
  • Social classes
  • Public works
  • Arts and architecture
  • Writing

Organized Governments

• Organized governments play a vital role in resource management and providing structure through laws and regulations, facilitating collaborative goals such as food production and defense.

Role of Religion

• Religion provides a moral framework and comfort, unifying civilizations through shared beliefs, often intertwined with governmental authority.

Arts and Architecture

• Early architecture showcased grandeur through temples, tombs, and palaces, serving both public functions and aesthetic purposes, while enhancing cultural identity.

Writing Systems

• Writing evolved from pictographs to symbols, initially used for record-keeping and later serving diverse functions such as documenting laws and cultural narratives, enhancing communication across time and cultures.

Explore key concepts from Chapter 2 of the Beginning of Civilizations, including definitions for essential terms such as economy, civilization, resource, and religion. These flashcards are designed to help reinforce your understanding of the foundational aspects of early societies.