Social Studies 1: Rise of Civilizations

Question 1

Meaning of civilization

Answer 1

A complex society that has cities, a well organized government, and workers with specialized jobs

Question 2

Meaning of resource

Answer 2

A supply of something that can be used as needed

Question 3

Meaning of religion

Answer 3

People’s beliefs and practices about the existence, nature and worship of god or gods

Question 4

Meaning of social class

Answer 4

Group of people living in similar economic conditions

Question 5

True of false: the rise of early civilization depended on the creation of a food surplus

Answer 5

True

Question 6

What is an important factor in creating a food surplus?

Answer 6

It depended on the ability of people to manage their resources well

Question 7

What are some of the important types of resources that people needed in early times? Why?

Answer 7

Fertile soil, fresh water, seeds.

These are the basics to produce food, when there was adequate labor and tools, and also a level of planning and organization to manage these resources.

Question 8

If you are an archeologist and you discovered an ancient civilization, what might be evidence of food surplus?

Answer 8

Some examples might be:

• Storage containers for food
• Storage containers for seeds
• Tools for farming
• Methods that were used to preserve food such as cold storage and pickling food
• Evidence of organized government
• Growing populations

Question 9

Where were some of the earliest civilizations?

Answer 9

Early civilizations existed in different parts of the world including some that were near rivers:

• Southwest Asia (Sumer)
• Near the river Nile in Northeastern Africa (Mesopotamia, or Egypt)
• Near the Indus River in South Asia (India)
• Huang River in China

Question 10

Why were some early civilizations near major rivers?

Answer 10

Rivers provided fresh water and fertile soil (when rivers flooded), which were important resources to produce food

Question 11

What are examples of early civilizations that were not near rivers? How did they manage resources without access to rivers?

Answer 11

Greek civilizations were in Europe and on islands, which are not near rivers

They built irrigation systems, and cut down trees and burned them to create fertile soil for farming and to build houses, temples and markets

Question 12

What are the 8 basic features of most early civilizations?

Answer 12

1. Cities
2. Organized government
3. Established religion
4. Job specialization
5. Social classes
6. Public works
7. Arts and architecture
8. A system of writing

Question 13

How did cities come into being?

Answer 13

Food surplus led to population growth, as small villages grew into cities which became the center of religion, government and culture

Question 14

Why is government an important part of early civilizations?

Answer 14

Governments organized people to manage resources and train armies to protect themselves

Question 15

How was religion a part of the lives of people in ancient times?

Answer 15

They believed that gods/goddesses controlled most events in their lives including weather, crops, disasters, life and death, and even who were their kings and queens.

Religion also gave people a set of beliefs about how to live their lives and how to behave towards one another.

Question 16

Why were art and architecture an important feature of civilizations?

Answer 16

Creating art is an indication that people’s basic needs for food were satisfied, and they could participate in activities such as music, painting and literature to enrich people’s lives beyond simply surviving.

They are also related to social classes, as wealthy people in higher social classes could afford expensive luxury items that were beautiful.

Architecture is related to public works such as temples for religion and palaces for rulers.

Question 17

Why is job specialization an important feature of civilizations?

Answer 17

It allowed people to develop different talents and skills besides farming, so that complex societies and civilizations could be developed and maintained.

Question 18

What are social classes?

In ancient civilizations, which people were at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom of society?

Answer 18

Social classes are groups of people that occupied different ranks in society.

Priests and rulers tend to be at the top of social classes - they held power, wealth and status.

Farmer, workers and merchants tend to in the middle.

At the bottom were poor people and slaves.

Question 19

Why are public works a feature of ancient civilizations?

Answer 19

Projects such as roads, water systems, city walls and grain storage were expensive and time consuming (and sometimes dangerous) to build, but were important to the survival of civilizations.

So the fact that public works existed indicates that there was organized government that could organize workers to work for the greater good.

Question 20

Why is a system of writing important to civilizations?

Answer 20

Writing is a way to communicate and preserve information such as weather, harvests, rules and laws, and religious beliefs and practices, which are all important in the development and growth of civilizations.

Question 21

What do you think might happen to a civilization if it ran short of resources?

Answer 21

Cooperation and social structure will break down, as people start to compete for limited resources.

Those who are poor and have fewer resources might start to become jealous of the rich and powerful, including their priests and rulers.

There might be loss of faith in government, when resources are not well managed.

Population will no longer grow due to food shortages.

A weakened civilization and government might be attacked by more powerful civilizations.

All of these could mean a breakdown and decline of a civilization.