Scribd
Upload
2 views5 pages

Ancient Civilisations

Uploaded by

amirahdixon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views5 pages

Ancient Civilisations

Uploaded by

amirahdixon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Lesson Content:

What is Civilization?

Civilization looks at man being in control of nature and his environment. It is defined
as an advanced level of development in a society where groups of people work and
live together. It is marked by a complex social and political organization and a high
level of culture. Civilization therefore occurs when a culture is highly developed as
against a simple, plain and sometimes dangerous lifestyle during ancient times.

The first civilization is said to have begun in the Four Great River Valley - when
people began settling in four specific regions. These regions were particularly
important in later human development. Among these were the River Nile in
Egyptand the Valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia.

The area in the Valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers where civilization
emerged around 4000 BCE was known as Mesopotamia or ‘Land between the
Rivers’.
This was located in the area that we now know as present-day Iraq in Western Asia.

The area in Egypt where civilization first began was along the River Nile. Civilization
that developed in that area was referred to as ‘the gift of the Nile’. Although from as
early as 7000 BCE people along the Nile region began establishing communities and
developing systems of agriculture, it is argued that it wasn’t until 3800 BCE that these
people began taking important steps towards civilization.

The development of early civilization in these areas occurred when nomadic, Stone
Age people began settling and started to form towns and cities that were based on
agricultural farming.

Conditions Necessary for Civilization to Develop


In order for civilization to develop, the following CONDITIONS are necessary.

1. Advanced Technical Skills - in many early civilizations, metallurgy was an


important advancement.
2. Intensive Agricultural Techniques, e.g. the use of human power and
irrigation. This has enabled farmers to produce a surplus of food.
3. Government - some form of social organization exists where one noble family
or clan rules the people; or a state society, in which the ruling class is
supported by a government.
4. Division of labour – as people perform different jobs/tasks
5. Calendar - to organize dates and seasons

6. Advanced form of Writing – for record keeping


7. Forming Permanent Settlements called cities.
8. Formal Social Institutions - such as an organized religion, army and an
education system.
9. Complex forms of Economic Exchange - this includes the expansion of
tradeand may lead to the use and creation of money and markets.
Lesson Content:

What is Civilization?

Civilization looks at man being in control of nature and his environment. It is defined
as an advanced level of development in a society where groups of people work and
live together. It is marked by a complex social and political organization and a high
level of culture. Civilization therefore occurs when a culture is highly developed as
against a simple, plain and sometimes dangerous lifestyle during ancient times.

The first civilization is said to have begun in the Four Great River Valley - when
people began settling in four specific regions. These regions were particularly
important in later human development. Among these were the River Nile in
Egyptand the Valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia.

The area in the Valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers where civilization
emerged around 4000 BCE was known as Mesopotamia or ‘Land between the
Rivers’.
This was located in the area that we now know as present-day Iraq in Western Asia.

The area in Egypt where civilization first began was along the River Nile. Civilization
that developed in that area was referred to as ‘the gift of the Nile’. Although from as
early as 7000 BCE people along the Nile region began establishing communities and
developing systems of agriculture, it is argued that it wasn’t until 3800 BCE that these
people began taking important steps towards civilization.

The development of early civilization in these areas occurred when nomadic, Stone
Age people began settling and started to form towns and cities that were based on
agricultural farming.

Conditions Necessary for Civilization to Develop


In order for civilization to develop, the following CONDITIONS are necessary.

1. Advanced Technical Skills - in many early civilizations, metallurgy was an


important advancement.
2. Intensive Agricultural Techniques, e.g. the use of human power and
irrigation. This has enabled farmers to produce a surplus of food.
3. Government - some form of social organization exists where one noble family
or clan rules the people; or a state society, in which the ruling class is
supported by a government.
4. Division of labour – as people perform different jobs/tasks
5. Calendar - to organize dates and seasons

6. Advanced form of Writing – for record keeping


7. Forming Permanent Settlements called cities.
8. Formal Social Institutions - such as an organized religion, army and an
education system.
9. Complex forms of Economic Exchange - this includes the expansion of
tradeand may lead to the use and creation of money and markets.

You might also like