<aside> 💡 From this lesson, you must know…
Big Question: What are the eight defining characteristics of civilization?
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Cities were and still are the beating hearts of civilization.
Large settlements provide a space for work, trade, and the exchange of ideas.
In ancient cities like Uruk, Babylon, and Lagash, people lived, worked, and traded.
Early civilizations built large construction projects, which involved the organization of labor and resources.
Monumental architecture was often created for political reasons, religious purposes, or to assert a people’s legacy.
The pyramids of Egypt, for example, were monuments to deceased rulers. The ziggurats of Mesopotamia were platforms for temples.
All civilizations created new forms of technology as society advanced and new solutions were needed.
Religion is a set of beliefs involving worship and deities. Most early civilizations were polytheistic (belief in more than one god).
As less people had to be involved in agriculture, early civilization allowed for people to develop and contribute important skills to society.
Civilizations must have writing in order to keep records of taxes, laws, or trade.
Early writing systems were created using pictographs (simple drawings that look like the item being represented)
Cities grew and societies grew to incorporate social hierarchy. Social status was tied to job specialization and/or enslavement.
Social classes are groups of people that occupy different levels of society.
Social hierarchy, writing, religion, specialized job, and complex projects made government necessary.
Governments were led either by a single ruler or by a religious leader and to maintain order and establish laws.