The term civilization refers to a certain level of human culture and organization that is considered a step beyond the primitive, chaotic, and animalistic lifestyles of hunter-gatherers. Civilization is seen as the opposite of barbarism and can be found everywhere on Earth in varying forms. A civilization may be defined as a community that has mastered the development of agriculture, cities, writing, mathematics, government, art, music, education, and religion.
Most early civilizations grew out of agrarian communities. They had developed farming techniques to produce enough food for themselves and a surplus to sell or trade. These agrarian communities were also the first to develop permanent settlements such as towns and villages. As they became more sedentary, the people of these communities formed a social hierarchy where certain members had more power or status than others. These members of the society specialized in different jobs, such as farmers, pottery makers, and weavers. Some people even became priests and performed religious ceremonies for the whole society.
A stable food supply was important for developing a civilization. The first agrarian societies around the world relied on water for their farming, and this meant that the communities needed to be located near a river or stream. Rivers provided a constant source of freshwater for agriculture, and they allowed for water-based transportation for long distances. Farming also required the development of domesticated animals which made labor much easier and faster.
Once a dependable food supply was established, a city could be built to allow for a growing population. The first cities were usually built by a river and often on a mound or hill for easy access to water and protection from enemies. City-building was a huge accomplishment for humans, and it allowed for the production of more complex, durable goods. Pottery replaced the use of animal-skin gourds, and cloth could be woven from wool and flax.
The growth of a city and the need to protect a growing population led to the establishment of governments. Governments regulated human activity, organized armies, and enforced laws to maintain peace among citizens. They also used their wealth to build temples, palaces, and other impressive structures that were part of their civilization.
Many civilizations went unrecognized up through the 20th century because they did not fit the prevailing definition of what constitutes a civilization. The Inca, for example, were a highly advanced civilization that did not develop a written language and, like other ancient North American cultures, relied on agriculture for its survival. It is only recently that more information has become available about these and other ancient civilizations, and we are beginning to understand them as a new chapter in the human story. We are learning more about how civilizations evolved in Africa, Asia, and South America, as well as the Middle East, and we are discovering that there were a variety of ways that they developed. In the future, we may be able to learn more about how these civilizations came to be and why they eventually collapsed.