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What is a civilization? What characteristics must a group of people have in order to be considered a civilization? Civilization is a complex culture that contains several characteristics such as organized communities, a system of government, an economic system, a social structure, a religious world view, intellectuals, and an artistic endeavor. These characteristics were found in our earliest civilizations: Sumerians, Babylonians, and the Assyrians.
To be considered a civilization, the community must have been organized and no longer nomadic. This meant that it must have held a land mass and was located in a particular place. There have only been two civilizations throughout history which were considered a civilization but did not necessarily
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met the first criteria, the Hebrews and the Romani Gypsies. In the case of the Hebrews, they did not have a homeland until 1948 when Israel became a state. It was their religion and culture which held them together as a civilization while they were spread out throughout lands. Secondly, a civilization must have an established system of government to maintain order and discipline.
This can be any form of government such as a democracy, monarchy, communism, republic, dictatorship, theocracy, etc. Within the established government, there must laws and rules of conduct for the people to follow. In regards to protection or expansion, a military is also necessary. A civilization will not last without a military defense system.
Thirdly, the role of an effective economic system within a civilization is crucial to its survival. A civilization consists of what could be a large population. The economic system must be able to produce and distribute basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter. There must also be a form of currency or barter in place. Ideally, physical currency is better than bartering but civilizations will learn and advance through time.
No civilization would be a civilization without some sort of social structure, if nothing was in place, it would most likely be a madhouse. A social structure allows for people to hold different positions and places in society. It is what separates the high, middle, and low. This is something we have seen from the beginning with Kings and Pharaohs. Not everyone in society will be equal in regards to economic or educational status, this is a method of dividing the
classes. Lastly, some of the more significant characteristics a civilization must have is a religious world view and an artistic endeavor. A religious system will provide the people with an understanding of their world, Gods, set of beliefs, and a place of worship. Another significant characteristic of a civilization would be having an artistic endeavor. This is important because it provides the people with a method of expressing themselves through art, music, theater, drama, or architecture. An artistic endeavor shows the rest of the world what is and was important to that particular civilization at the time. It provides insight into the culture. Considering the fact that humans have a common ancestry with some animals throughout history, what makes humans different. I think the most significant aspect of civilization separating us from animals is the fact that we have a sense of artistic endeavor. Comparing all other characteristics of a civilization between humans and animal, all are present within communities of animals. They may not be as advanced or effective as we have, but they are still present. All except an artistic endeavor. Humans have mastered methods of expressing themselves in art, architecture, music, and theater. This has gone above and beyond anything animals have done. At some point in history, animals did not evolve as we did. In my opinion, humans are the most innovative creatures in the world. We continuously advanced and continue to do so.
...can be classified, as the most civilized is Phaeacians because they work to better their environment, they are producers. They know about aesthetic and art. They give importance to cleanliness. They are hospitable and pious. They have man made structures. They have democratic and tolerant in their own way.
Webster's online dictionary defines civilization as "a society in an advanced state of social development". Without the restraints of society, the behaviour of people will regress to their savage beginnings, due to the fact that one's need for survival will overpower all other impulses. The descent into savagery, man's inherent desire to survive over anything else, and the need for civilization and order shows how society unnaturally holds everyone together. Society artificially bonds everything together by imposing rules and structures and without the reminders of civilization and its conventions the savagery of human nature emerges.
Around 3500 B.C.E to 3000 B.C.E., civilizations emerged in many places. Egypt and Mesoamerica are distinctive two of them. Considering the different aspects of civilization, historians can find some same characteristics and differences which are valuable for historians to understand civilization in-depth.
The ancient civilizations were different compared to the Europeans. There were many tribes such as the Mayans, Aztec, and the Incas. In addition, the ancient civilizations dressed differently by wearing fur and often times cool clothing depending on the weather. Europeans dressed in a full body clothing unlike the ancient civilizations. Many ancient civilizations had their cultures and beliefs. For example, the Aztecs followed the legend that whoever an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus was; that would be their new home. Unlike Europeans, where ever there was rich agriculture and a vivid future; that was their go to plac...
Civilization in a Brave New World The dictionary defines civilized as "advanced in social customs, art, and culture." and science and the world. " The keyword here is social customs. A person's idea of what is civilized relative to his culture.
Furthermore into his argument, Huntington explains what attributes constitute a civilization. He proposes that civilizations share basic commonalities that have been established over time, and are unlikely to change quickly. These include history, language, religion, and customs plus other basic characteristics that all members of that division strongly identify with. Civilizations could be large or small, and could overlap creating sub-civilizations. The broadest level of identification that one identifies with is a civilization, and as individuals reformulate their values and identities, then civilizations adapt and shift.
Philosophers have struggled with determining the proper role of government. In the absence of government and laws, people could do whatever they wanted, and some of them would try to slaughter others and steal their property. This is the state called anarchy. People have realized that the safety of the people and the country would be in jeopardy in such a state. Thus, it is necessary for a country to have a government and/or ruler. However, a ruler must not have absolute power nor lack authority. But the protection of the people and the country alone is not enough for a country to prosper. The property and the natural rights of the people and the government must also be protected. Thus, the proper role of government is to protect the people’s natural rights, their property, and the people themselves.
What makes a society civilization and they are government, religion, social classes, writing, culture, cities, job specialization, and currency got all of that from "8-19-16 What makes a civilization a civilization." Like the Tinges- Euphrates is the land
All the way from the start of civilization through to the Early Christianity there has been a pantheon of; destruction, recognition, wars, cultural diffusion, religious breakthroughs, laws that have been established, kings and queens crowned and dethroned. The Mesopotamian Civilization it was the land between two rivers the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers that civilization first began.
Many great empires have existed over the course of human history. From Greece, with its treasure trove of brilliant philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, to the Mongols and their fearsome warrior culture, each empire has made its mark in its own way. There is no denying that. The real intriguing question, one that has not been asked enough, is whether or not all of these empires are truly civilizations, in every sense of the word. For a society to be truly civilized there must be a capital city, an effective system of government, an ability to defend themselves if need be, many different possible occupations, good engineers to design buildings, roads, and weapons, and a culture which promotes civilized behavior and discourages the killing
A government was required to lead the people and aid in organizing a city. City governments were far more powerful than the council of elders and local chiefs of farming villages. At first, Priest probably had the greatest. In time, warrior kings came to power as chief political leaders. They soon set themselves up as the chief hereditary ruler and passed their power from father to son. Governments soon became more complex as rulers issued laws, collected taxes, and organizes systems of defense. To enforce order, rulers relied on royal officials. Over time, government bureaucracies evolved. Almost always rulers claimed their power came from god or divine right. These rulers then gained religious power as well.
The Mayan Civilization was a very well developed civilization. Their way of life and how they survived is remarkable. The Mayans created several things that we use today. This civilization started small and expanded to a culture that still exists. The Mayans had strong beliefs in their gods.
social system that must be met for the system to survive and the corresponding structures that
For thousands of years, people all over the world have developed, progressed, and eventually formed civilizations. A civilization is a community characterized by elements such as a system of writing, a development of social classes, and cities. Early civilizations such as ancient Greece, classical Rome, Mesopotamia, and classical China have made many contributions to society that still affect people in the modern world. The inventions, progress, and contributions of the people of these ancient civilizations and others have shaped the world that we all live in today.
A Civilization is a group of people who work together. Therefore, what it means to be civilized is having a well organized, behaved, and ordered society. However, there are different, controversial strategies used to achieve an orderly civilization. So, being civilized can be positive or negative depending on how order is achieved. For example, a civilization can include a fair democracy where everyone is able to vote and participate in the government. In addition, there is equality among the citizens and everyone shares the same rights. In contrast, being civilized could mean having a harsh dictator control the civilization. There is still a well-organized and behaved society, but that is accomplished out of fear and there is no equality. The pros of a civilization are that the economy generally is very strong and functions well, infrastructure is constantly being improved, and the society itself continues to grow and accomplish new things. Cons of a civilization, especially a civilization that is lead by a dictator, is that citizens may not all be equal, or share the same rights, and there may be forced labor. Ralph and Piggy in Lord of the Flies are considered civilized because both use tools of civilization, contribute to maintaining a well organized civilization by using their knowledge and leadership skills, and stay innocent/ not let