INTRO
How do we define civilization?
Peoples typically try to make sure their definition of civilization included those who were like
them and excluded those who were not (often along racist/ethnocentric lines)
The Crouse definition: Civilization is what is produced by a large, cooperating group over a long
period of time. Everything we consider civilization is developed under these conditions.
Civilization tends to move along the following path:
1. High Intensity Agriculture
2. Regular surpluses of agricultural products
3. Specialization of labor
4. Increases and improvements of physical products
5. Civilization
Civilization begins approximately 6000 BCE.
DIALECTICS
Dialectics: the art of logical thinking through structures. All dialectics have outlines.
Alce’s Dialectical: Humans don’t change unless a problem bothers someone enough to do something
about it.
ProblemStruggleChangeStructurePowerCorruption
Problems cause people to struggle
Struggle results in change
Changes stay in place with structure
When things have structure, they have power
Power corrupts almost always
Corruption leads back to problems
At any point in the cycle, people can go back to step one (problem).
SUMERIA
Located in the Mesopotamian Valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, part of the Fertile
Crescent.
An area controlled by a dynasty from Sumer (a city-state roughly the size of Easton). One of the earliest
city-states, responsible for the invention of kingship (passing rule to family members) and the earliest
form of writing (logographic). Sumeria was a relatively peaceful society.
We know this much about Sumer because it existed in an area that was good for preservation and
,discovery.
Dynasty: A family of related rulers
Ziggurat: An artificial mountain temple
“You need peace to make money. War is expensive. There are few lasting accomplishments in conquest
societies.”
Akkad (Akkadians)
The Akkadians were the first conquest society in Mesopotamia. Led by Sargon, they conquered Sumer
and began the second dynasty of Sumeria. The Akkadians had few other achievements.
Sumerians regained power and began the third Sumerian dynasty; the third Sumerian dynasty peters
out over time.
3 ½ KINDS OF WRITING
3,500 BCE: Logographic writing: One symbol for every word or idea. Created by Sumerians
2,500 BCE: Syllabic writing: One symbol for every syllable. Created by Sumerians
1,500 BCE Alphabetic writing: Created by the Phoenicians
1400s CE: Hangul: The ½ kind of writing. A mixture of alphabetic and syllabic writing created in Korea.
Considered the most advanced kind of written language to date and continues to evolve.
Cuneiform: A kind of writing made by using a stick with a large and small end to make large and small
characters. Syllabic writing.
Mayans also had early logographic writing (balam) that grew into syllabic writing, but this has been
traditionally discredited as “primitive.”
Writing was originally used as a reminder of a thought rather than the whole thought
The shortest alphabet in the world is the Hawai’ian alphabet; the language uses repeating sounds.
Nonverbal language typically changes more than verbal language.
BABYLONIANS (2200 BCE-1700 BCE)
Used cuneiform, similar to Sumerians
Long distance trade
Created law, math, time
Six (6) was the sacred number; math and time were based on multiples of six. We still use the time
system today.
, Maps were made in circles based on the number of the gods (6) and the number of the humans (10) for
22
360°. Shipping pots were made in cones using circle math and Babylonian pi ( )
7
Hammurabi’s Code
1700s BCE: King Hammurabi codifies the law. Laws previously had been written and rewritten often,
causing conflicting laws. Hammurabi rewrote the law to be simpler, more organized, and not conflict
with itself.
Law was published and carved into stele (pillars of rock). Steles were placed at the entrance of major
towns.
EGYPTIANS (3500 BCE-700s CE)
Egypt begins as Nile Valley city-states, moving to two kingdoms, eventually becoming one empire
under a Pharaoh. Egyptians believed all of the universe had both a spiritual and material reality.
Egypt’s big four:
1. Nile Management
2. Continuity/ change
3. Maat
4. Cycles
Bonus: Taxation through labor
Nile management: living successfully with the Nile
Over a quarter of African water, sewage, and debris flow out through the Nile, and it floods regularly. It
was crucial for Egyptians to communicate and understand what was happening in other parts of the
river to manage. Messages were sent downriver via hollowed-out logs.
Records of weather were kept over thousands of years, resulting in highly accurate predictions. Some
Egyptians claimed to be able to predict floods down to the hour.
When a flood was predicted, the government announced dates for those living close to the river to
move out and come back to work the fields.
Some farmers made frame houses of reeds that could be disassembled and moved during flood times.
Egypt becomes wealthy from a strong understanding of agriculture.
Continuity/Change
Egypt was conquered multiple times, but conquerors typically assimilated to Egyptian culture. This kept
Egyptian culture dominant for four thousand years.
Maat
Concept of the necessary truth; the absolute truth can be harmful, but some things need to be known. A
guiding principle of Egypt. Telling the necessary truth was seen as an exercise of the heart, and untold
truths made the heart heavier. On death, Anubis would weigh the heart against the truth that should’ve
been told in life. If the heart was too heavy Anubis would eat it and the soul would be unaware for
How do we define civilization?
Peoples typically try to make sure their definition of civilization included those who were like
them and excluded those who were not (often along racist/ethnocentric lines)
The Crouse definition: Civilization is what is produced by a large, cooperating group over a long
period of time. Everything we consider civilization is developed under these conditions.
Civilization tends to move along the following path:
1. High Intensity Agriculture
2. Regular surpluses of agricultural products
3. Specialization of labor
4. Increases and improvements of physical products
5. Civilization
Civilization begins approximately 6000 BCE.
DIALECTICS
Dialectics: the art of logical thinking through structures. All dialectics have outlines.
Alce’s Dialectical: Humans don’t change unless a problem bothers someone enough to do something
about it.
ProblemStruggleChangeStructurePowerCorruption
Problems cause people to struggle
Struggle results in change
Changes stay in place with structure
When things have structure, they have power
Power corrupts almost always
Corruption leads back to problems
At any point in the cycle, people can go back to step one (problem).
SUMERIA
Located in the Mesopotamian Valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, part of the Fertile
Crescent.
An area controlled by a dynasty from Sumer (a city-state roughly the size of Easton). One of the earliest
city-states, responsible for the invention of kingship (passing rule to family members) and the earliest
form of writing (logographic). Sumeria was a relatively peaceful society.
We know this much about Sumer because it existed in an area that was good for preservation and
,discovery.
Dynasty: A family of related rulers
Ziggurat: An artificial mountain temple
“You need peace to make money. War is expensive. There are few lasting accomplishments in conquest
societies.”
Akkad (Akkadians)
The Akkadians were the first conquest society in Mesopotamia. Led by Sargon, they conquered Sumer
and began the second dynasty of Sumeria. The Akkadians had few other achievements.
Sumerians regained power and began the third Sumerian dynasty; the third Sumerian dynasty peters
out over time.
3 ½ KINDS OF WRITING
3,500 BCE: Logographic writing: One symbol for every word or idea. Created by Sumerians
2,500 BCE: Syllabic writing: One symbol for every syllable. Created by Sumerians
1,500 BCE Alphabetic writing: Created by the Phoenicians
1400s CE: Hangul: The ½ kind of writing. A mixture of alphabetic and syllabic writing created in Korea.
Considered the most advanced kind of written language to date and continues to evolve.
Cuneiform: A kind of writing made by using a stick with a large and small end to make large and small
characters. Syllabic writing.
Mayans also had early logographic writing (balam) that grew into syllabic writing, but this has been
traditionally discredited as “primitive.”
Writing was originally used as a reminder of a thought rather than the whole thought
The shortest alphabet in the world is the Hawai’ian alphabet; the language uses repeating sounds.
Nonverbal language typically changes more than verbal language.
BABYLONIANS (2200 BCE-1700 BCE)
Used cuneiform, similar to Sumerians
Long distance trade
Created law, math, time
Six (6) was the sacred number; math and time were based on multiples of six. We still use the time
system today.
, Maps were made in circles based on the number of the gods (6) and the number of the humans (10) for
22
360°. Shipping pots were made in cones using circle math and Babylonian pi ( )
7
Hammurabi’s Code
1700s BCE: King Hammurabi codifies the law. Laws previously had been written and rewritten often,
causing conflicting laws. Hammurabi rewrote the law to be simpler, more organized, and not conflict
with itself.
Law was published and carved into stele (pillars of rock). Steles were placed at the entrance of major
towns.
EGYPTIANS (3500 BCE-700s CE)
Egypt begins as Nile Valley city-states, moving to two kingdoms, eventually becoming one empire
under a Pharaoh. Egyptians believed all of the universe had both a spiritual and material reality.
Egypt’s big four:
1. Nile Management
2. Continuity/ change
3. Maat
4. Cycles
Bonus: Taxation through labor
Nile management: living successfully with the Nile
Over a quarter of African water, sewage, and debris flow out through the Nile, and it floods regularly. It
was crucial for Egyptians to communicate and understand what was happening in other parts of the
river to manage. Messages were sent downriver via hollowed-out logs.
Records of weather were kept over thousands of years, resulting in highly accurate predictions. Some
Egyptians claimed to be able to predict floods down to the hour.
When a flood was predicted, the government announced dates for those living close to the river to
move out and come back to work the fields.
Some farmers made frame houses of reeds that could be disassembled and moved during flood times.
Egypt becomes wealthy from a strong understanding of agriculture.
Continuity/Change
Egypt was conquered multiple times, but conquerors typically assimilated to Egyptian culture. This kept
Egyptian culture dominant for four thousand years.
Maat
Concept of the necessary truth; the absolute truth can be harmful, but some things need to be known. A
guiding principle of Egypt. Telling the necessary truth was seen as an exercise of the heart, and untold
truths made the heart heavier. On death, Anubis would weigh the heart against the truth that should’ve
been told in life. If the heart was too heavy Anubis would eat it and the soul would be unaware for
