Features of Civilization
Mr. McEntarfer * Global I * HSLPS
Aim: What are the basic features of
a civilization?
• Do Now: Copy in notes
• Civilization – A complex highly organized
social order
• Cities where the main feature of a
civilization. The first cities evolved along
______ valleys where fertile land created
a food surplus.
Ancient Civilizations (Map it)
What do all of these
civilizations have in
common?
Label your map
Early Civilizations
Label your map
Copy in notebook
Central
government
Cities
Traditional
economy
Organized
religion
CIVILIZATION
Social
classes
Specialized
jobs
Art and
architecture
Roads, bridges,
and other public
works
System of
writing
Organized Governments
• Early cities needed a strong government
to administer unity, protection, law, justice
and welfare.
• Early rulers had heredity rule. This meant
they inherited their status and claimed a
right from the gods to rule.
Activity
• How does our government provide the
following? Give examples
– Unity
– Protection
– Law
– Justice
– Welfare
The Pharaoh’s of Egypt
How did the
Pharaoh's of
Egypt rule?
Ziggurat at the City of Ur
What purpose do you think this structure served?
Complex Religions
• Most ancient people were polytheistic,
which means they believed in many gods
who controlled the forces of nature and
peoples lives.
Can you guess all the religions here?
What might they all have in common?
Job Specialization
• City people developed many new jobs with
many different skills. Cities needed
craftsmen, warriors, government officials,
priests and builders.
Social Classes
• In cities people were ranked according to
their jobs.
• Priests and nobles (top)
• merchants and artisans (middle)
• Farmers (near the bottom)
• Slaves (at the bottom)
Social Mobility –
Being able to move
between social
classes in one’s
lifetime.
Is it easy today to
move up the social
pyramid?
Art and Architecture
• The art and architecture of a civilization
expressed the values and beliefs of the
people that create them. Such monuments
reassure people of the power of their
government and religion
What value is
being expressed
in the Statue of
Liberty?
Public Works
• Keeping cities functioning required public
works like irrigation systems, roads,
bridges, defensive walls and in some
cases plumbing
What would life be
like in this city
without public
works?
Writing
• Writing was needed for record keeping
regarding taxes, trade, written laws and
calendars.
• Early writing was made up of pictograms
(simple drawings)
How are these writing
systems similar?
Summary Assessment
• What purpose does government serve in any organized
society?
• Religions around the world have similar beliefs and
values. How does religion contribute to an orderly
society?
• What different kinds of specialized jobs did civilized
people have?
• Who occupied the top, middle and lowest social classes
of ancient cities?
• What does art and architecture tell us about a society?
• What public works did ancient cities have?
• What kind of writing did early people have? What was
record keeping important?
Pompeii: A civilization preserved.
Why are there steps in the street?
Fast Food
Frozen in time