Characteristics of Civilization Personal Timelines due Assignment Summary

-Characteristics of Civilization. Personal Timelines due Assignment Summary Paragraph Map Quiz Tomorrow

Unit I River Civilizations

Five Characteristics of River Civilizations

We begin at about 8, 000 BC when village life began in the New Stone Age. . . Also known as the Neolithic Revolution. NEW STONE AGE

What is the REVOLUTION? From A TOTALLY new way of living: Hunter-Gatherers to Agriculture

The invention of Agriculture changed the way people lived. Agriculture (Farming) Growth of Cities Division of Labor (Specialization) Trade Writing and Mathematics

Five Characteristics of River Civilizations (1) Government / Laws (3) Writing Systems (2) Organized Religion

(4) Class Structure (5) Division of Labor

Government Religion System of Writing Class Structure Division of Labor

1. Organized Government Organize people to grow and distribute food Make and enforce laws Plan / organize large projects Standardize money / collect taxes Build an army for protection

2. Organized Religion Theocracy – Government by religion Early civilizations were ruled by priests Set up rituals, symbols and shrines Priests were gods or the representatives of gods Polytheism – Many gods

3. System of Writing A way to keep track of records § Laws to follow § Taxes to collect § What has been stored Passes on knowledge to others Priests were the ones who wrote

4. Class Structure Ruler – Usually a priest Priests/Nobles – Priests worked with gods Nobles were warriors with land Merchants – People who traded Shopkeepers/Artisans – Working class with some skills Laborers/Farmers – Workers – no skills Slaves – No freedom – lowest class

5. Division of Labor Provides goods and services People develop specialized skills Encourages trade and new technology Encourages a system of social classes