##Introduction
Civilization describes a complex way of life that came about as people began to develop a network of urban settlements.
Civilization describes a complex way of life characterized by urban areas, shared methods of communication, administrative infrastructure, and division of labor.
The earliest civilization developed between 4000 and 3000 B.C.E. when the rise of agriculture and trade allowed people to have surplus food and economic stability.
Definitions of Civilization
The word "civilization" relates to the Latin word "civitas" or "city". Hence civilization means a society made up of cities.
The process by which a society or place reaches an advanced stage of social and cultural development and organization is called civilization.
A civilization (or civilization) is any complex society characterized by the development of a political state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language.
For more on the "Definition of Civilization", check out the quick video from Florida PASS Program
From Florida PASS ProgramCharacteristics of Civilization
Social scientists such as V. Gordon Childe have named a number of traits that distinguish a civilization from other kinds of society. Civilizations have been distinguished by their means of subsistence, types of livelihood, economic systems, literacy, and other cultural traits.
Following are some particular characteristics shared by all civilizations;
Cities - The first civilizations developed in river valleys (flat areas between hills or mountains) where people could carry on the large-scale farming that was needed to feed a large population. As food became abundant (easier to get), more people would live in the city. New patterns of living soon emerged.
Government - Growing numbers of people, the need to maintain the food supply, and the need for defense (protection) soon led to the growth of governments. Governments organize and regulate human society. They also provide smooth interaction between individuals and groups.
In the first civilizations, governments usually were led by monarchs (kings or queens who rule a kingdom) who organized armies to protect their populations and made laws to regulate their citizens lives.
Religion - Important religious developments also characterized the new urban civilizations. All of them developed religions to explain the forces of nature and their roles in the world.
They believed that gods and goddesses were important to the community's success. To win their favor, priests supervised rituals aimed at pleasing them. This gave the priests special power and made them very important people. Rulers also claimed that their power was based on divine approval, and some rulers claimed to be divine.
Social Structure - Rulers and upper-class priests, government officials, and warriors dominated society. Below this class was a large group of people - farmers artisans (people with special skills), and craftspeople. At the bottom was a slave class.
The demand of the upper class for luxury items, such as jewelry and pottery, encouraged artisans and craftspeople to create new products. As urban populations exported finished goods to neighboring populations in exchange for raw materials, organized trade began to grow.
Because trade brought new civilizations into contact with one another, it often led to the transfer of new technology, such as metals for tools and new farming techniques, from one region to another.
Writing - Writing was an important feature in the life of these new civilizations. Above all rulers, priests, merchants, and artisans used writing to keep accurate records. Of course, not all civilizations depended on writing to keep records. The Inca in Peru (a south american country), for example, relied on well-trained memory experts to keep track of their important matters.
Eventually, the earliest civilizations used writing for creative expressions as well as for record keeping. This produced the world's first works of literature.
Art - Significant artistic activity was another feature of the new civilizations. Architects built temples and pyramids as places for worship or sacrifice for the burial of kings and other important people. Painters and sculptors portrayed stories of nature. They also provided drawings of the rulers and gods they worshiped.
How did Civilizations Emerge
As all, we know that man lives on Earth and it is the third planet from the sun in the family of eight planets that revolve around the sun. The age of Earth is believed to be between 4 and 5 billion years while the origin of life is still a mystery, scientific findings over the year have led to the theory that life on Earth begin some 2 million years ago. Synthesized from certain organic compounds it is believed that man has been revolved out of cellular invertebrates.
When man got evolved on earth he had various traits superior to other animals and plants that included thinking and reasoning former communication problem solutions, posture, making tools and writing etc.
Superior to all other animals man needed a specific kind of lifestyle so he started making different kinds of tools and houses etc.
The process of inhabiting the earth and making tools and houses and societies is known as civilization and it is where civilization started civilization when through different phases.
Following art the phases of civilization;
1. Ice ages
2. Cultural ages
- Paleolithic age
- Mesolithic age
- Neolithic age
- Copper bronze age
- Iron age
Earliest Civilizations in the History
- Civilization of nearest
- Fluvial Civilization
- Mesopotamian Civilization
- Greek Civilization
- Roman Civilization
