A civilization is an advanced stage of human society that includes a high level of organization and comfort as well as complex systems for food, transportation, art, religion, and technology. It is also a cultural group, including people who share the same values and beliefs about what is important in life. Civilization can refer to a single culture or to a collection of cultures that have influenced each other through trade, contact, and war.
One of the most important characteristics of a civilization is its ability to develop and use writing. This allows citizens and leaders to keep track of things, including laws, taxes, and other important information. It also means that ideas can be shared more easily, which can lead to new ways of thinking and living.
Other key features of civilization are jobs that specialize in specific tasks, social stratification, organized religion, and the development of complex tools and technologies. Civilizations are also characterized by the ability to transport goods and ideas, which can bring new technologies from one culture to another. The ability to travel by ship and air has enabled modern civilizations to become more connected with each other.
The word “civilization” comes from the Latin civis, which means “citizen.” Civilization is a process that moves people beyond a basic hunter-gatherer lifestyle into a society in which they live with a certain level of comfort and organization. The goal is to create a stable and sustainable environment in which people can focus on other things besides finding food, shelter, and security.
Many prehistoric societies developed into what we now call civilizations. From the semi-nomadic foragers who created the stone pillars at Gobekli Tepe 11,000 years ago to the city-dwelling but non-literate Jomon people of Japan and the Mesoamerican Olmec, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, these early societies all had some of the same characteristics.
These included the development of agriculture, urbanization (the establishment of cities), the development of complex systems of government, the creation and use of writing, and a division of people into classes based on their income and type of work.
A civilization needs a way to manage its population, so it usually has some form of organized religion and a system for keeping track of information, such as laws and taxes. Civilizations need a way to move goods and ideas around the world, so they often have extensive trade networks.
The most advanced civilizations are those that have a large number of people and the means to support them. Cities are a common feature of these civilizations, and they usually have special areas that are reserved for the elite class of religious and political leaders and for people who do the most important work. The other essential aspect of a civilization is that it has the ability to grow and produce more than it consumes, so that the community can sustain itself and continue to develop and improve.