It makes cooperation amongst people and progresses possible. Shared Communication Ancient cuneiform.Īnother characteristic of civilizations is shared communication among people who live in the civilization. Today, examples of monuments include the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. These monuments have also become symbols of the civilizations they stood for. Some examples of monuments include the Egyptian Pyramids, the Greek Parthenon, and the Great Wall of China. Most historians agree that the framework for determining a monument changes based on the era. What determines a monument is questionable. They are one of the few remainders of civilizations of the past, and a clue to what their society might have looked like. Often these structures remain after civilizations have fallen. Monuments are long-lasting and intended to continue the legacy of civilization. Monuments Maya Pyramid of the Sun and Moon at Teotihuacan, Mexico.įrom churches to statues, all civilizations build monuments. The city’s merchants excavated and traded the obsidian in exchange for goods traded to Teotihuacan settlements. Around Teotihuacan, were deposits of obsidian, a rock used as a cutting tool. Trade also played a part in the city’s success. Farmers sold crops such as beans and corn to people in the city. This was the case for the development of the Mexican city of Teotihuacan. In fact, urban centers often depend on rural areas to survive and thrive.Īgricultural land around cities often allows urban areas to develop. Farmers, traders, and fishers often buy and sell goods traded to urban centers. Places outside urban centers are still included in civilization. While urban areas are a part of civilization, they are not the entirety of civilization. This explains why civilizations cannot be nomadic. Civilizations need the security of a sedentary community to develop and progress. Urbanization is the pillar the other four characteristics depend on to develop. Urbanization Hong Kong Downtown, Republic of China. Herodotus Herodotus was one of the greatest historians of his time. These characteristics include urbanization, monuments, shared communication, government, and the division of labor. However, anthropologists and researchers have come to understand civilization as a mature culture with certain characteristics. Hundreds of years later, the idea that civilizations possess qualities that make them superior still prevails. Barbarians were people who still used the bartering system. For example, civilized economies used a money system instead of bartering. One hundred years later, what defined a civilization was a set of behaviors. However, this definition and concept of what it means to be a civilization did not last. Herodotus, a Greek historian, and geographer made a distinction between barbaric non-Greeks and civilized Greeks. This idea is not new and dates to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the western view, a complex society is superior to others. When people refer to the term civilization, generally they are referring to a complex human society. Before understanding the characteristics of a civilization, learning the underlying history is important. Researchers have noted certain characteristics to define society and help us better understand how people live. Today civilizations are still viewed as complex human societies. The ancient Greeks and Romans saw civilization as superior, and those outside of civilization as barbaric. Generally, civilization is a complex, more advanced human society. Civilization comes from the Latin words civis, meaning citizen, and civitas, meaning city. Over the past several centuries, the concept of civilization has shifted. What does it mean to be a civilization? Depending on the people and the time period, the answer would be different. What Are the Key Components of Civilization?
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