Civilization
Indiana World History Standards
SS.WH.1 2007 - Beginnings of Human Society and the Development of Cultural Hearths
Students will examine the lives of people during the beginnings of human society.
SS.WH.1.1 2007
Trace the approximate chronology and territorial range of early human communities, and analyze the
processes that led to their development.
SS.WH.1.2 2007
Describe types of evidence and methods of investigation by which scholars have reconstructed the early
history of domestication, agricultural settlement and cultural development.
SS.WH.1.3 2007
Describe social, cultural and economic characteristics of large agricultural settlements on the basis of
evidence gathered by archaeologists.
Today’s Objectives
- To understand life in early times
- To understand how life changes as civilizations develop
- To understand the requirements of a civilization
4
• When does history start?
→ Invention & use of writing marked the beginning of history
…prior to this change is referred to as prehistory
→In order to understand the people who lived during prehistory
(anthropology)
…the study of their material remains (archaeology) is
necessary
• When everything changed…
→ Paleolithic Period: Early people were nomads and survived
in small groups by hunting & gathering food (??? to 10,000 BC)
→ Neolithic Period: People began to domesticate their own food
and stay in the same place (10,000 BC until the 17th century)
…known as the Neolithic Revolution (people will live the same
way until the Industrial Revolution)
…allows the first civilizations to form
Crash Course: “Agricultural Revolution”
• Requirements of a Civilization
→ In order for a group of people to become a civilization, they
must meet the following 8 requirements
-government
-religion
-job specialization
-social classes
-art & architecture -cities (most important)
-public works
-writing
→ The sum of these requirements becomes the culture of
a civilization
• Cultural Diffusion
→ Spread of ideas, customs and technology occurs in 3 ways:
1) Migration
2) Trade (exchange of goods & services)
3) Warfare
→ As ancient rulers gained more power, they conquered
territories beyond the boundaries of their cities
…leading to the first empires which aids in cultural diffusion
(see 1, 2, and 3 above)
Essential Questions
(Your answer needs 3 examples/points/etc)
Describe the process of cultural diffusion.
Target Questions
(Underline your answer in your notes)
• What was prehistory?
• What was the Neolithic Revolution?
• What is the most important requirement of a civilization?
• What was cultural diffusion?
Required Reading Question(s)
(Complete sentences)
1) Why did civilizations develop in river valleys?
2) What roles did governments play in early civilizations?