Civilization is the term historians and anthropologists use to describe advanced states of human society containing highly developed forms of government, culture, industry, and common social norms. Civilizations can be found throughout history and around the world, with most originating in river valleys and developing intricate cultures, state-based decision making structures, and a range of manufactures and arts including writing, architecture, music, and organized religion.
The development of civilizations marks a milestone in human evolution, and the word itself evokes the idea of a more orderly and peaceful society. It is also an important concept to understand because it provides a framework for understanding how societies evolve and grow, enabling us to identify the societal trends that shape our modern world.
In general, the first civilizations appear to have grown out of hunter-gatherer bands that became semi-permanent and then permanent communities when they settled into an agrarian lifestyle. As these groups grew larger, they needed a system of shared decision making to manage the increased complexity of their lives. This led to the emergence of the first empires, which later spawned the Middle Ages and eventually modern nation-states.
A central feature of these early civilizations was the division of people into classes based on their income and type of work performed. While the division was not arbitrary, many scholars believe it was the result of people seeking power and wealth in exchange for specialized occupations, leadership, and protection. It is also possible that this division was the result of a need to support large, dense populations.
All modern and ancient civilizations rely on some form of government administration, bureaucracy, and law. These systems are the foundation of civilization, ensuring that the citizens get the services they need and that the leaders do not engage in illegal or immoral activities. They also help to regulate the economy, and protect the population from invaders and natural disasters.
The earliest civilizations appear to have developed in river valleys because the fertile landscapes offered opportunities for agricultural manipulation and storage, as well as water management. This enabled people to provide themselves with food on a regular basis rather than scrounging for it on a daily basis. The development of farming also allowed these communities to grow and thrive, which helped them create more complex societies with a wide variety of manufactured goods and artistic expressions.
These complex societies are often referred to as civilizations, although they do not always contain the core elements of a civilization defined by historians and anthropologists. Some of the most complex societies, such as the Inca of Peru, were not considered to be civilized because they lacked a written language and had no formal religion. These societies, however, did have highly centralized governments and extensive infrastructure. Regardless of what criteria we use to define civilizations, it is important to remember that they are products of their own time and place. The modern world, for example, consists of countries that were once ruled by empires that drew arbitrary lines on maps based on European geopolitics and not preexisting ethnic groupings.