The First Civilizations

Civilization

• Neolithic Revolution – Agriculture – Food Surpluses

• Permanent settlements

Partner Discussion Question

• Examine the picture on the following slide. What key features do you see that cities would require? What are other necessary things that are not depicted in the picture? Write down your thoughts in your notes.

List features cities require seen in image. List features cities require not seen in image.

Needs of Early Cities

• Fresh water • Organization

– Trade – Farming – People

• Villages become cities

• New Farming Inventions – Plows – Sickles – Irrigation canals

• Required Cooperation – Shared canals used by

many fields • More food

– Surpluses

• Cities become first civilizations

What Makes a Civilization? • Reliable Food Surpluses • Cities • Specialization of Labor

– Social Classes • Complex Institutions /

Government – Bureaucracy

• Record Keeping / Writing • Monumental Building

– Pyramids / Irrigation Systems

Reliable Food Surpluses • Supports growing population

Cities • Organized areas

– Areas for farming – Areas for living – Area for trade • What do we call these???

• Marketplace – Trade – Social

Specialization of Labor • Food Surpluses – What does this allow for??? • Specialized workers

– Artisans • Metal workers • Weavers • Potters

– New inventions – Creates Social Classes – But…

• Most still farming

Complex Institutions • Government • Religion

– Common beliefs – Nature gods

• Temples

• Economy/ Trade – Barter (trade)

Record Keeping • Why???

– Tax collection – Laws – Grain storage – Calendars

• Scribes - professional recorders • Written languages

– Pictographs – Stylus

Mesopotamian City