Lecture 02 WC 2022 Basic Concepts of Civilizations: Meaning, Features & Importance PDF

Basic Concepts of Civilizations: Meaning, Features & Importance Dr. Md. Faruk Shah Adjunct Faculty Member Department of History and Philosophy North South University  Lecture Outline Definition of civilization Characteristics of civilization...

Basic Concepts of Civilizations: Meaning, Features & Importance Dr. Md. Faruk Shah Adjunct Faculty Member Department of History and Philosophy North South University  Lecture Outline Definition of civilization Characteristics of civilization Factors behind the birth of civilizations Theories of the origin of civilization Life-cycle-stage of civilization Importance of studying the history of civilization  Definition of Civilization Civilization was an act of human creativity. The term ‘civilization’ is derived from the Latin word ‘civitas’ which means a city. A key in the development of a civilization is the creation of cities. It indicates a particular stage in the evolution of human history.  Ogbarn & Nimcoff perceived civilization as the latter phase of the super- organic culture. Civilization is the outward behavior of human being. Thus civilization is what we use or have. Civilization can be defined as highly organized society marked by Development of Civilization (cultural evolution) Savager y Civilizatio Barbaris n m Ethnic Periods Technological Development Lower Savagery Invention of speech Subsistence on fruits and nuts Middle Savagery Fish subsistence & the use of fire Upper Savagery Bow and arrow Lower Barbarism Pottery Middle Barbarism Domestication of animals Irrigation in agriculture Upper Barbarism Iron tools Civilization (Ancient) Phonetic alphabet, writing, etc. Civilization (Medieval) Architecture, aristocracy, etc  Characteristics of Civilization  Urban centers  Agricultural manipulation, storage & irrigation  Written language  Social stratification  State government  A common religion  The Growth of Cities  A City is an area where a large number of people live close together.  People usually move from rural to towns, to cities.  It was surrounded by high walls for protection.  Cities emerged as farmers produced surplus food.  Conditions in the river valleys favored the development of cities.  Agriculture manage population. The Growth of Cities: Cultural Changes in Transition to Cities  Agricultural innovation  Labour diversification  Emergence of government system  Social stratification  Stable Food Supply  Ensures a stable supply of food  Domestication of animal and agriculture  Government System  Existence of govt. system that directs peoples’ behavior.  Rules and organizations establish order in society  Govt. issues laws and collects taxes  City dwellers contribute to government either by giving labor or harvest  Practice of bureaucracy  Govt. ensured food supply and protection in early civilization  It organizes defense and military  Govt. builds things for its people, such as roads, bridges, etc.  Religious System  Each civilization had a religious system  Role of religion in the society is significant  Religious and political leaders often the same in early civilizations  People engage in religious rituals in hopes of pleasing the gods  Cities had temples for performing religious rituals  Gods control natural forces and human activities  Presence of full-time priests  Social Structure  Cities possess a complex social structure  Breakdown of populations into different classes based on hierarchy  Division of labour based on social status  People generally could not move from one social class to another in early civilization King Priests and Nobles Warriors, officials & merchants Peasant farmers and workers Slaves  Job Specialization and Technology  Creation of job to meet the need of people Culture shock(1).mp4  Development of special skills/job specialization  Invention of technology to enhance the quality of life  The higher the level of technology, the more advanced culture.  Writing and Recordkeeping  Writing systems use symbols to represent spoken sound  People preserve information  Merchants keep record of purchases and sales  Rulers record laws and taxes  Writing enables to preserve all records accurately  Scribes (trained writer) kept needed records in early city.  Increasing use of documents  Writing is the means of passing knowledge from one generation to another  Arts and Architecture  Expression of beliefs and values through literature, drama, music, painting, etc  Temples and Palaces  Construction woks done by skilled workers  Culture of Civilization Permanent Institutions Social: Rise of classes Gender: Patriarchy Political: Monarchy, aristocracy, militaries, etc Religious: polytheism Technology: advanced and complex Trade and Commerce Systems of Record Keeping Intellectual Traditions Arts, Architecture Literatures  Factors that influence the change of a civilization Social evolution Cultural diffusion Environmental changes Migration Expansion and warfare  Theories of the Origin of Civilization Geographical Theory: geography was the paramount force behind a society’s development. Nomad Theory: nomads were the founders of state and of complex society. Social Surplus Theory: improved agricultural technology leads to increasing production, which allows the formation of larger populations and settlements, and finally cities (the “Urban revolution”). Challenge and Response Theory: people achieve civilization as a response to challenge in a situation of special difficulty. Classical theorist Arnold J. Toynbee. The challange-response theory For Toynbee, a civilization might or might not continue to thrive, depending on the challenges it faced and its responses to them. Toynbee presented history as the rise and fall of civilizations, rather than the history of nation- states or of ethnic groups. He identified his civilizations according to cultural or religious rather than national criteria. When a civilization responds to challenges, it grows. Civilizations declined when their leaders stopped responding creatively, and the civilizations then sank.  Life Cycle Stages of Civilization Growth Social Breakdown challenge Disintegration  Stages of a Civilization’s Change as Suggested by Quigley (1961) Mixture Gestation Invasion Decay Expansion Universal Age of empire conflict  Importance of Studying the History of Civilizations Understanding the world Historical insight Historical awareness History repeat  Past lessons Thank You and Questions???