The Beginnings of CivilizationsChapter 1 – Section 3

Section 3

Advantages people gained from settling down in one place

Growth of early cities

How the first civilizations formed and spread

Advantages of Settled Life Farming much harder than hunting-

gathering, but…. Farming offered far greater rewards

Steady supply of food year around Surplus – more than what is needed

Required irrigation – supplying land with water from another place using a network of canals

Advantages of Settled Life Population increase 10,000 years ago, population 5 million –

number of people living in Minnesota today 7,000 years ago, population increased to

20 million Why?

Advancements of Settlements Stone Age Farming Settlements lasted for

many centuries Eventually, settlements grew into towns Surplus of food allowed for other lifestyles

Artisan – worker who is especially skilled in crafting items by hand (baskets, leather goods, tools, pottery, cloth)

Growth of Cities

Cities more likely to develop where resources plentiful fertile soil drinking water materials for

Earliest ancient cities along large rivers in Asia, Africa, Europe Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, Huang, Indus

Growth of Cities larger than settlements public buildings surplus grain storage buildings for worship buying/selling goods Result = new occupations

Governments Form

Kept order in society Provided services Settled disputes Managed public buildings Oversaw irrigation projects.

First Civilizations

Civilization – a society that has cities, a

central government run by official leaders, and workers who specialist in various vocations

The Bronze Age 6000 B.C., artisans discovered that melting

a certain rock at high temperatures, would separate the metal copper from the rock

3000 B.C, artisans learned that mixing copper with tin would make a mixture called bronze

Discovery marked the beginning of The Bronze Age

The Bronze Age

Bronze much harder than copper

Used to make durable, long-lasting items Weapons, tools, helmets, shields

Spread of Trade & Ideas Traders took pottery, tools, weapons,

baskets, cloth, spices to faraway cities and traded for other goods

3500 B.C, wheel and axel invented Facilitated increased trade via land

Trade over water developed Merchant ships carried goods, ideas and

cultures from one soceity to another

Social Classes Develop Increased trade brought prosperity Social classes – a group of people having

similar backgrounds, incomes and ways of living1. King

2. Priests

3. Nobles (government/military officials)

4. Artisans, traders, merchants

5. Common workers/farmers

6. Slaves