Civilization: Which Aspects Define
Alex Hummel
World Civilization 1
Midterm Paper
Civilization is a word that cannot be used too loosely. How then, is civilization defined? It is difficult to define in one word or phrase because a complex society or “civilization” depends on many different aspects. There are characteristics of a civilization that are more essential than others, some of which may be more important to one group than to another. However, a definition for civilization can be narrowed down to a few fundamental aspects that are necessary for one to exist. For a complex society to exist, it must have means to provide for a growing population. Acquiring resources is vital for a civilization to flourish. Next, the earliest civilizations all seemed to have a need for an organized administration system. In a society with a growing population and expanding territories, we can see the need for a hierarchical government to keep them operating. By comparing the earliest civilized societies, we can determine which features set them apart from so called “barbarian societies” and why the need to become civilized arose. The birth of primary urbanization happened first in Mesopotamia. It makes sense to look for characteristics from Sumerian society because they are considered the “cradle of civilization.” Mesopotamia lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which provide the life giving water that helped transform simple villages to complex cities. The most basic unit in any society is the people and people need to eat. The development of agriculture was the major key for promoting civilized life. The previous methods of hunting and gathering became inefficient to support a large number of individuals. We now see the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, not only for the water they carry but also for the influence that they had on the people. The unpredictability of the floods forced Sumerians to develop an extensive network of irrigation ditches to survive.
World Civilization 1
Midterm Paper
Civilization is a word that cannot be used too loosely. How then, is civilization defined? It is difficult to define in one word or phrase because a complex society or “civilization” depends on many different aspects. There are characteristics of a civilization that are more essential than others, some of which may be more important to one group than to another. However, a definition for civilization can be narrowed down to a few fundamental aspects that are necessary for one to exist. For a complex society to exist, it must have means to provide for a growing population. Acquiring resources is vital for a civilization to flourish. Next, the earliest civilizations all seemed to have a need for an organized administration system. In a society with a growing population and expanding territories, we can see the need for a hierarchical government to keep them operating. By comparing the earliest civilized societies, we can determine which features set them apart from so called “barbarian societies” and why the need to become civilized arose. The birth of primary urbanization happened first in Mesopotamia. It makes sense to look for characteristics from Sumerian society because they are considered the “cradle of civilization.” Mesopotamia lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which provide the life giving water that helped transform simple villages to complex cities. The most basic unit in any society is the people and people need to eat. The development of agriculture was the major key for promoting civilized life. The previous methods of hunting and gathering became inefficient to support a large number of individuals. We now see the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, not only for the water they carry but also for the influence that they had on the people. The unpredictability of the floods forced Sumerians to develop an extensive network of irrigation ditches to survive.