Civilizations Midterm PDF

The word \"civilization\" comes from the Latin *civilis* (meaning \"related to citizens\"), which is based on *civis* and *civitas* (city). In a classical context, people were called civilized to set them apart from savages, barbarians, and primitive peoples In a modern day context, civilized peop...

The word \"civilization\" comes from the Latin *civilis* (meaning \"related to citizens\"), which is based on *civis* and *civitas* (city). In a classical context, people were called civilized to set them apart from savages, barbarians, and primitive peoples In a modern day context, civilized people have been contrasted with indigenous people and tribal societies. Civilization is a developed society where people have progressed in knowledge, culture, and technology. It includes advancements in art and science, writing and record-keeping, and organized systems like governments and social structures. Social structure in ancient Egypt: Pharaohs, Government officials, Soldiers, Scribes, Merchants, Craftsmen, Peasants, Slaves Geological conditions, the cornerstone of civilization: Geological conditions such as volcanos, earthquakes, tsunamis, have also played a dramatic role in sculpting human history these events have precipitated the decline of cities. Geographical conditions: wealth in resources, fertile soil, water location Economic conditions: the first form of culture is agriculture. A reliable supply of water and food gives an opportunity for man to settle down. Within that little circle of security, he builds his huts his temples and his schools, he invents productive tools Biological conditions: homogeneous people from the same race. Elements of civilization: Mental, Economic, Moral, Political. Economic elements of civilization: Agriculture, Economic organization, Industry The foundation of industry: Industry Fire-primitive tools, weaving and pottery, building and transport, trade and finance. If man began with speech, and civilization with agriculture, industry began with: Fire Lighting, Warmth, With metal Humans started inventing by imitating animals. They saw monkeys using stones to fight or crack nuts, beavers building dams, birds making nests, and chimpanzees creating simple shelters. Humans wanted to match the strength of animals' claws, teeth, and horns, so they began creating tools and weapons to compete with them. Man is a tool-making animal -benjamin franklin Weaving, a vital skill in ancient civilizations, was the art of making fabric, baskets, from threads, essential for clothing and trade in ancient civilizations. Pottery: was used for cooking, storing, and transporting. Bricks were used as a late 'stage of the building art' What else is needed to create all the essentials of economic civilization? transport, trade and exchange of medium ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION Primitive communism-Causes of its disappearance-Origins of private property-Slavery-Classes From shared land and food to private property, from tribal property to family property. Trade disrupted the primitive world by introducing money and profit, which led to the concept of property and the need for government. Before trade, there was little property, and societies had limited economic development. Agriculture caused slavery to grow, as the rich used the poor for labor. This created social classes. From early communism to private property: Early white travelers in Africa before the advent of civilization observed that when a gift was given to a \"black man,\" it was shared with others, reflecting a sense of community. Primitive societies were kinder and less greedy, as there was no concept of personal property. Sumner argued that communism hindered progress by not encouraging creativity, hard work, or rewarding the capable while punishing the less capable. The political elements of civilization: Government, State, Law, Family THE ORIGINS OF GOVERNMENT\ the unsocial instinct-Primitive anarchism-The clan and the tribe-The king-War Humans prefer minimal government. The Tasmanians had no chiefs or laws, and in simple societies, cooperation was only for specific tasks like hunting, without a permanent political system. **The earliest form of continuous social organization:** **ClanTribeState** Clan: group of related families occupying a common tract of land, having the same totem, and governed by the same customs or laws. A tribe : a group of clans united under the same chief. In primitive groups, the government was led by family heads or clan leaders, with no absolute authority. Chiefs had limited power, which could be removed by the tribe\'s elders at any time. For instance, The Omaha Indians were ruled by a Council of Seven. The power of the chief was clear at times of war. Societies are ruled by two powers: in peace by the word, in crises by the sword. - Were the primitive always peaceful? No, primitive societies were not always peaceful. Some had conflicts over resources or land. - Hunters fought for happy hunting grounds still rich in prey Yes, it is correct. Hunters often fought for areas with abundant game, known as \"happy hunting grounds,\" as these were rich in prey and essential for their survival - Herders fought for new pastures for their flocks Yes, it\'s true. Herders fought for land with enough grass for their animals to eat - Tillers fought for virgin soil Yes, it\'s true. Farmers fought for unused, fertile land to grow crops. They fought to avenge murders, toughen their youth, break the monotony of life, or for loot and violence; rarely for religion War results: Eliminator of weak peoples, War dissolved communism, Stimulated invention, Raised the level of the race in courage, violence, cruelty, intelligence ORIGIN OF THE STATE: Nietzsche, \"a race of conquerors and masters, which with all its warlike organization and all its organizing power pounces with its terrible claws upon a population, in numbers possibly tremendously superior, but as yet formless, such is the origin of the state Nietzsche means that the state began when a strong, organized group of conquerors took control of a larger, weaker population using force. \"The state as distinct from tribal organization,\" says Lester Ward, \"begins with the conquest of one race by another.\"· \"Everywhere,\" says oppenheimer, \"we find some warlike tribe breaking through the -boundaries of some less warlike people, settling down as nobility, and founding its state." \"Violence,\" says Ratzenhofer, \"is the agent which has created the state." War led to the state Property was the mother, war was the father of the state. The state is a late development, and hardly appears before the time of written history The state marks a shift from kinship-based organization to one based on control. It became not just a force but a tool to manage the many conflicting groups in society. The state can be seen as ensuring internal peace for the sake of external conflict. LAW: STATE NEEDS LAW: A state that only relies on force would quickly lose power; systems like taxes work best when they\'re subtle and indirect. Law emerged alongside property, marriage, and government, with personal revenge being the earliest form of justice. In the simplest societies, people manage without formal law. Alfred Russel Wallace noted that some tribes in South America and the East had no courts, relying instead on the public opinion of the village. FAMILY: The first main block of civilization The essence of loyalty and discipline THE MORAL ELEMENTS: Laws, Customs, Conventions, Morals **Conventions are behaviors that a group finds useful, while customs are conventions that have been passed down through generations after being refined by trial, error, and natural selection.** **Morality is about knowing what is right and wrong and how to treat others well.** **Conscience, or moral sense, is what Darwin saw as the main difference between animals and humans. Morality is about individuals working together for the greater good, and civilization wouldn\'t be possible without it.**