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A 3 page paper which examines in what ways the development of the four-river valley civilizations differs from that of Greece and Rome. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: TG15_TGoldciv.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
name implies, these were civilizations (actually, settlements would a more accurate description) that developed along four major river tributaries. Because of the plentiful water, agriculture became the dominant vocation,
and in all four regions, agrarian societies began to emerge (Wood, 2005). Each region had its own unique characteristics. For example, Mesopotamia was known for its elaborate written
language of cuneiform script onto clay tablets; Egypt became known for its hieroglyphics and spiritual belief in the afterlife; in India, strong class (or caste) social distinctions; and in China,
a strong patriarchal culture evolved, in which women were second-class citizens, usually concubines (Wood, 2005). Nevertheless, there were similarities in terms of development that defined the four-river valley
civilizations. First, because of the emphasis upon agriculture, they were "not highly urbanized" (Cowgill, 2004, p. 525). Everything centered on farming and social classes were essentially comprised of:
1) free land-owning class; 2) dependent farmers and artisans; 3) slaves for domestic service (could purchase freedom) (Wood, 2005). Social inequality became the standard, and class distinctions soon identified
the many different groups (Wood, 2005). Also, there was a greater emphasis upon written language that seemed to vary from one region to another. The Mesopotamians produced The
Epic of Gilgamesh entirely in cuneiform while the Egyptian hieroglyphics on pyramids were considered both literature and art. The legal structure of the four-valley area was based primarily upon
Hammurabis Code, which featured lex talionis or a law of retaliation that had more to do with protection from outsiders than for disciplining law breakers within (Wood, 2005). Religion
was predominantly polytheistic, with god representing provisions that would make the seasonal harvests more bountiful. Finally, there was a system of government that became increasingly centralized with the passage
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