Week 7-Sedentary Societies And Early States Flashcards
Domestication
Human interference with the reproduction of another species, resulting in those specific plants and animals becoming more useful to people and dependent on them.
Consequences (good and bad) of plant and animal domestication?
- increased/stabilized food supply
- less territory needed (at first)
- heavier toolkit
- concept of property
- permanent homes with storage
- nutrition/health changes
- high population densities
How do archaeologists think humans domesticated plants and animals?
- Ecological
- environment changing
- population pressure
- more people -> more food
- social complexity and competition
- power struggles
- storage
- storing food in case something happens
Major domesticated plants of the indigenous American societies
Beans, squash, maize, amaranth, gourds, sunflowers, cotton, potatoes
Ascribed status
Something you inherit from your parents
Achieved status
Social positions people obtain as the result of their own efforts
What are the major theories that attempt to explain why state societies develop?
State societies=civilizations
- Urban revolution
- specialists living in cities-> fed by agriculturalists->demand for more food->agriculture/Irrigation->more government to pick where things were built - Ecology and Irrigation
- early states in places with flood banks
- Technology and Trade
- have to organize to travel far distances - Warfare
- taking land to grow food least to war - Cultural systems
- all above theories together (not one singular)
Why state societies developed?
Urban revolution
Development of cities
Specialists->fed by agriculturists->demand for surplus of food->more food->need for government to pick and choose what and where things were built
Why state societies developed?
Ecology and Irrigation
Early states emerged in places with flood banks
More food->need for organized distribution
Why state societies developed?
Technology and trade
Have to organize to travel far distances for things you want/need
Why state societies developed?
Warfare
Taking more land to grow food leads to war
War created need for organization
Why state societies developed?
Cultural systems
A combination of all of the other theories of why state societies develop.
No one explanation
Social stratification
Societal ranking into a hierarchy based on wealth, power, and prestige
Occupational specialization
Specialization in various different occupations or in new social roles
Only in socially complex societies
Class
Ranked groups within a hierarchy whose membership is defined in terms of wealth, occupation, and other economic criteria.
