Notes on the Beginning of Civilization

1. Way back in pre-history, in the Stone Age (there are three: Paleolithic (old stone age), Mesolithic (middle stone age), Neolithic (new stone age) people were hunter-gatherers. This is nomadic culture, they were nomads.
2. As the metholithic turned into the Neolithic, archeological evidence was found of people planting crops, staying in one location, and domesticating animals. People settled into villages, domesticated animals, starting to make sculpture, etc. Dogs were first domesticated and were domesticated for food. They soon found they were better companions for hunting and protection.
3. The first city we have is the city of Jericho. A "tell" looks like a hill, it has been buried by time. Jericho was the first city that was every developed.
4. When people moved into cities, people moved northwest to go closer to water. Water is the single major reason why a given city is in a given place.
5. Whenever you look at old cities that have been around for a long, they are all cities based around ports. It is the same way in the ancient world.
6. In nomadic societies, the faster better stronger hunters are the ones who get the animals. You can trade things in order to get what you need, such as food. Trade develops, one of the first things that happen when people settle in cities. People also start to specialize in what they do.
7. Problems are worked out by laws and a legal system. Once people settle in one place, all of these things can develop.
8. The city of Ur was the city of the Goddess Nanna. She was a Sumerian moon god. In Ur, there was a great Ziggurat. It was a temple and massive building. When people settle down, they start to build temples. There are set practices and beliefs in an organized religion which was created.
9. These are all aspects of culture.