Agriculture marked a dramatic change in how people lived together. They began dwelling in larger, more organized communities, such as farming villages and towns. From some of these settlements, cities gradually emerged, forming the backdrop of a more complex way of life civilization.
Over the centuries, people settled in stable communities that were based on agriculture Villages grow into cities Better technology meant larger harvests. Larger harvest meant bigger populations. Bigger populations meant more complex social relationships To produce more food they builded complex irrigation systems. The food surplus freed some people to pursue other jobs. Among them the traders who exchange the goods produced by the new jobs.
The wheel and the sail were two inventions that allowed people to travel faster. Villages grow into cities A more prosperous economy meant a define system of social classes. Religion became more organized. As populations grew, common spiritual values became lasting religious traditions.
One of the first civilizations arose in Sumer. Sumer was located in Mesopotamia, a region that is part of modern Iraq. How Civilization Develops
Advanced Cities.! One of the key differences from an village is that a city is a center of trade for a larger area. How Civilization Develops A civilization is often defined as a complex culture with five characteristics: Improved Technology.! New tools and techniques are always needed to solve problems that emerge when large groups of people live together. Specialized Workers.! Because of the surplus some people became expert at different jobs. Some will become artisans who will help cities become centers of trade.! Complex institutions.! Long-lasting patterns of organization in a community! such as government, religion, and the economy. Record Keeping.! As societies became more complex people recognized the need to keep records. Sumerian scribes invented a system of writing called cuneiform.
How Civilization Develops Around 3000 B.C., Sumerian scribes or professional record keepers invented a system of writing called cuneiform, meaning wedge-shaped. Thus, the beginning of civilization in Sumer also signaled the beginning of written history.
Ur, one of the earliest cities in Sumer, stood on the banks of the Euphrates River in what is now southern Iraq. Some 30,000 people once lived in this ancient city. Civilization Emerges in Ur It was a flourishing urban civilization. People lived in well-defined social classes. Rulers, as well as priests and priestesses, wielded great power. Wealthy merchants profited from foreign trade. Artists and artisans created lavish jewelry, musical instruments, and gold daggers.
Outside the mud-brick walls surrounding Ur, ox-driven plows cultivate the fields. Civilization Emerges in Ur Irrigation provided Ur with food surpluses, which keep the economy thriving.
Civilization Emerges in Ur A broad dirt road leads from the fields to the city s wall. people live in windowless, onestory, box- like houses packed tightly along the street.
The narrow streets open into a broad avenue where merchants squat under awnings and trade farmers crops and artisans crafts. Civilization Emerges in Ur Coins are not used to make purchases because money has not yet been invented. They use barter instead.
Farther down the main avenue stands Ur s tallest and most important building: the temple. Civilization Emerges in Ur This pyramid-shaped monument is called a ziggurat which means mountain of god.
An early city, such as Ur, represents a model of civilizations that continued to arise throughout history. While the Sumerians were advancing their culture, civilizations were developing in Egypt, China, and elsewhere in Asia.
S U M M A R I Z I N G People settled in stable communities that were based on agriculture A civilization is often defined as a complex culture with five characteristics: The beginning of civilization in Sumer also signaled the beginning of written history. Larger harvest meant bigger populations. 1. Advanced cities! 2. Specialized workers! 3. Complex Institutions! 4. Record keeping! 5. New Technology One of the earliest cities in Sumer was Ur. Bigger populations meant more complex social relationships One of the first civilizations arose in Sumer, in Mesopotamia. Civilizations were developing in Egypt, China, and elsewhere in Asia.