CHARACTERISTICS OF

CIVILIZATIONS
 WHAT IS A CIVILIZATION?

A civilization is an advanced state of human society.

There are 7 characteristics that define a
civilization.
Stable food supply - Social structure
System of government - Religious system
Highly developed culture - Advances in technology
Written language

Be careful to not associate civilization with civilized

and everyone else as barbarians or primitives.
 WHAT MAKES CIVILIZATIONS
DIFFERENT?
1. An advanced state of
human society, in which
a high level of culture,
science, industry, and
government has been
reached.
2. A civilization is a large
group of people who
share a single culture,
live, and work together.
3. Each civilization has
certain things in
common
 STABLE FOOD SUPPLY
1.People need enough
food!
2.Inventions like irrigation,
farming tools, and new
crops help civilizations
create a food surplus.
a) Surplus: more of a resource
than can be used
3.A surplus allows only a
portion of a population
Why is this to farm, allowing the
rest of the population to
Important? take other jobs.
 SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
1. A governments job is to
make peoples life
orderly.
2. The government
creates & enforces laws,
collects taxes, and build
public works (sewers,
parks, roads, etc.)
3. In the ancient world,
most civilizations were How does the
ruled by kings.
a) Kingdoms are dynasties government
rule is passed from father
to son (usually)
help you?
 SOCIAL STRUCTURE
1. Social structures
includes different
jobs and social levels.
2. Different classes in
society, such as
priests, merchants,
artists, and farmers.
3. Usually represented
by a social pyramid
What is the social a) Highest-ranked group
structure at the top, but is the
pyramid at smallest piece in size
 WRITING
1. Writing is the use of
written words to express
ideas or opinions
2. Before writing, any ideas
could only spread by
what people said.
3. The written language
allows the laws, ideas,
and words of a
civilization to spread
beyond a citys walls.
What would your a) This also allowed later
civilizations to study the
life be like without past the birth of history.
 CULTURE
1. The beliefs and
behaviors of a
society.
2. Culture gives a
civilization its
flavor; it makes
it unique.
3. Includes things What is a piece of
like art, music, culture that is present
food, and clothing.in our lives?
 TECHNOLOGY
1. Creating new
technologies makes life
easier.
a) Any tool or invention
not just electronic ones!
2. Creating new
technologies helps
civilizations advance
themselves
3. Without new
What is an advance technology, civilizations
go stale and are
in overtaken by others.
 RELIGION
1. All civilizations have
some form of a belief
system.
2. Many ancient
civilizations were
polytheistic
A. Polytheistic: worshipping
many different gods.
3. People tried to please
their gods to bring
What is religions
good crops, protect
from disaster, and
role in
settle arguments. society today?
 WHAT IS A CIVILIZATION

Each of these steps is a valuable piece of a

civilization.

Working in groups of 3, you will each have

a poster for one of the key characters.
Must include:
Characteristic
Definition
Big Picture that describes the characteristic