When man stopped hunting and gathering and began
producing food civilizations developed after they had cities with governments,
division of labor, writing, calendars, and advanced technology. Then
these civilizations became complicated systems and they all have political,
social, cultural, educational, and economic systems of some type.
The system approach studies how these interact and create change or stablity
once the civilization can be identified.
Civilization
(later develop into empires, kingdoms, city-states, and eventually nations/countries)
back to unit 1
who, what, why, when and where and how
I. Political (Power)
A. Who is in control?(generally speaking not a name)
1. Name and define the type of government they have(What)
2. Why does it work?(why)
B. How did they get control?
1. List significant rulers and their accomplishments(Who)
C. How do they keep control?
1. What is the structure of their military?
a. Describe significant battles
2. How long did they stay in control?(When)
II. Social (Relationships)
A. What is the class structure?
1. What role or need do they fill for the civilization?
2. Who is in the upper class?
3. Why do people regard them more than others?
B. What family structure do they have?
1. What is the role of women/wife?
2. What is the role of men/husband?
C. What education system do they have that maintains this class structure?
1. Who is educated ?
2. What is most emphasized in the educational process?
III. Culture (Way of life)
A. What is most important in the civilization or what do they "value"?
1. Who is the keeper of the culture?
B. What are the cultural activities of the civilization?
1. How do they reflect the values of the civilization?
C. What do they produce that maintains(keeps it going) their culture?
1. Describe the new technology or advancements
D. What type of religion or explanation of the purpose of life do they
have?
1. Which God or Gods do they worship?
IV. Economic (Production)
A. What is their major economic activity?
1. How do they maintain their civilization?
B. Who does the labor?
1. How do they profit?
C. Who owns the means of production?
1. How do they profit?
V. Education (Transfer and Maintain Civilization)
A. How are the values of the civilization transmitted?
1. Is this process formal or informal?
B. Who are the philosophers or teachers of the values
1. What values are they teaching?
Geography or environmental conditions impact each of these systems as well
as technological advancements that assist the civilization in overcoming
its environment.
System
a set or arrangement of things so related or connected as to form a unity
or organic whole.
a set of facts, principles rules classified or arranged in a regular
orderly form so as to show a logical plan linking the various parts.
an established way of doing something a method.
Relationships
(What link should be made between events?)
Hierarchy (top, bottom)
Dominance (more, less, better, best)
Stratification (which layer is thicker, thinner)
Univocal Determination (what motivates)
Circular Causality (cause effect, cause effect)
Spectrum (one extreme or the other)
See also
System Matching
System Listing
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Killeen Harker
Heights Connections
Unit 1 - Pre-History
& Ancient Civilizations