Civilization Which Aspects Define - 1491 Words

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 â€Å"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†¦show more content†¦Kings considered themselves as gods and took the position to create justice and order. As stated earlier, writing may not be essential for civilization but it defiantly gives us evidence of a civilization by providing a written record. Egypt too created and in dependent writing system called hieroglyphics. It is similar to Mesopotamian cuneiform but it is unique enough to be considered independent. Some scholars believe that hieroglyphics may even predate cuneiform. Egypt and Mesopotamia possess similar characteristics for civilization and it is amazing how different the two cultures are. To contrast Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations, we take a look at West Africa and the Niger River Valley. The Niger River Valley may have become civilized much later than Mesopotamia and Egypt. Because of this the first cities of West Africa were thought to be trade centers. Archeologists once thought that trade had originally brought cities to West Africa and outsiders had introduced city building. However, upon further investigation, this viewpoint is challenged. Technology was much more advanced by the time African cities were constructed. Iron smelting had been developed and introduced to the people of the region. The Bantu people of lo wer Niger had begun giving up nomadic herding and are responsible for spreading their knowledge of agriculture to the tip of South Africa. It appears that the Bantu people had not built cities but someone mustShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between China And The United States1386 Words   |  6 Pagestheory of the â€Å"clash of civilizations† through cultural divisions in the context of the increasing global conflict between China and The United States. In essence, the â€Å"clash of civilizations† between China and the United States will be primarily based on the problem of cultural hegemony in the 21st century struggle for global dominance between these two modern nation states. Huntington’s theory provides ample evidence of the growing clash of religious cultural values, which are often based on theRead MoreThe Role Of Monastic And The Problem Of Christian Conversions For Pagan Societies1286 Words   |  6 Pagesthe problems of monastic issues in preservatio n of roman civilization and the problem of Christian conversions for pagan societies in Europe during the early Medieval period of Europe. The purpose of European monasteries was to act in accordance with the Church of Rome’s policy to preserve Roman traditions in government and Christian practices in primarily pagan tribal communities. During this time, the primary writings of St. Benedict define the purpose of the monastery to spread Christianity as aRead More Autonomy and Responsibility in Nazi Germany1435 Words   |  6 Pagesfinding their rights in society has played a major role, especially in the Nazi ideology. 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In general, the idea of property is the question of the political thought and conceptualizedRead MoreConstruction And Environmental Performance Of A Typical Mesopotamian Palace And A Roman Peristyle House1515 Words   |  7 Pagesaforementioned aspects of the house types, it necessitates first to define the terms under which the comparisons are made. Considering the era in question, 10000BC until 550AD, it seems incomprehensible, whilst appreciating similarities due to influence of climate, geographical location and peoples of the area, not to expect differences in the design. Here I use the definition of design as an image created to communicate the appearance and function of a building, due to the advancement of civilization in thatRead MoreGlobalization Is Not Single But Plural1358 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"globalization can be defined as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa.† Roland Robertson â€Å"globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of the consciousness of the world as a whole.† David Held â€Å"globalization may be thought of as a process which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations