Notes on Civilization Period
1. Neolithic Age:
• People began living and working in groups.
• Society progressed, making life more comfortable.
• Advanced farming techniques led to more food production.
• People learned new crafts and skills.
• Discovery of copper and bronze sped up human progress.
2. Development of Trade and Urbanization:
• Trade developed as people exchanged goods.
• Traders and craftsmen started living near each other.
• Towns formed with clear boundaries and local administration.
• Towns shared cultural traditions like language and arts.
• The formation of towns and cities marked the start of urbanization.
3. Definition of Civilization:
• The word ‘civilization’ comes from the Latin word ‘civis,’ meaning
‘citizen.’
• Civilization means a complex society with organized life, government, law,
and advancements in science and arts.
• Many civilizations emerged during the Bronze Age along rivers.
Bronze Age Civilizations: River Settlements
4. Emergence of Civilizations:
• Four major civilizations: Mesopotamian (Euphrates and Tigris), Indus
Valley (River Indus), Egyptian (Nile Valley), and Chinese (Huang He and
Yangtze Kiang).
5. Civilizations developed in river valleys due to:
• Plenty of water.
• Fertile soil for crops.
• Rivers as a way to transport goods.
6. Mesopotamian Civilization:
• Location: Between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates in West Asia.
• ‘Mesopotamia’ means ‘land between two rivers.’
• Southern area called Sumer, with Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria to the north.
• Flourished from 5000 BCE to 2000 BCE.
• Fertile land attracted many people.
Key Features:
7. Town Planning:
• City of Ur had three areas: sacred area, walled city, and outer town.
• Sacred area had the Ziggurat (main temple), storehouse, and offices.
• Residential areas had narrow streets and central courtyards.
8. Architecture:
• Early buildings made of reeds and mud.
• Later buildings made with sun-dried and baked bricks.
• Developed columns, arches, and domes.
• Temples used for schools and trade centers.
9. Social Structure:
• Upper Class: King, royal family, priests.
• Middle Class: Farmers, artisans, traders.
• Lower Class: Slaves (prisoners of war).
10. Family Life:
• Society led by fathers, but women had some rights.
• Boys received education; girls learned dance and music.
11. Occupations:
• Agriculture: Main job, fertile soil, and irrigation.
• Domestication of Animals: Cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Art and Craft: Weaving, pottery, making metal items.
12. Trade and Commerce:
• Extra food led to trade with other cities.
• Bartered for timber, stone, wine, and metals.
• Extensive trade with the Indus Valley and Mediterranean countries.
13. Religion and Culture:
• Each city had a main god, worshiped natural forces.
• Kings were also priests, rituals led by priests.
• Belief in life after death.
14. Contributions to Modern World:
• Writing and Literature: Cuneiform script, clay tablets, Epic of Gilgamesh.
• Science and Mathematics: Number system based on 60, division of time.
• Technology: Invention of the wheel.
• Law: Code of Hammurabi, ‘eye for an eye’ rules.
15. Decline of Mesopotamian Civilization:
• Frequent flooding and poor irrigation made land infertile.
• River Euphrates changing course.
• Wars caused chaos.
• The civilization declined around 2000 BCE.
Textbook Question and Answers
1. Civilizations developed near rivers because rivers provided water for
farming and drinking, fertile soil for crops, easy trade routes, natural
protection, and opportunities for communities to grow.
2. In Mesopotamia, towns were planned with a sacred area containing a
Ziggurat, a walled city with narrow streets and houses, an outer town for
more homes and fields, and managed by priests and leaders who oversaw
activities in markets, squares, and temples.
3. Mesopotamians believed in many gods that represented natural forces, with
priests performing rituals in Ziggurats to please the gods and ensure good
fortune, while they also believed in life after death.
4. Mesopotamians developed writing called cuneiform, using wedge-shaped
marks on clay tablets to record laws, stories, and business transactions,
which helped preserve knowledge and communicate ideas.
5. Mesopotamians contributed to science and mathematics by developing a
number system, studying stars and predicting events like eclipses, inventing
tools such as the wheel and plow, and creating laws that governed their
society and paved the way for future civilizations.
