The document defines a civilization as an advanced society that exhibits five key elements: centralized government, organized religion, job specialization and social classes, arts/architecture/infrastructure, and writing. It provides examples of each element from American civilization, such as the federal government in Washington D.C., Christianity and other religions, specialized jobs and social classes, famous architecture and public works, and use of the English language. The document is intended to teach students the characteristics of civilizations.

1. WHAT IS A CIVILIZATION?
Be sure to take notes on your What
is a Civilization? Note sheet.

2. What is a society?
• A group of people living together, dependent on one
another, is a society.
• There are no other requirements to make a society.
• We are not studying societies in class this year.
• We are studying civilizations.
• Civilizations are a society in an advanced state of social
development.
• What do we mean when we say an advanced state of
social development?
• There are 5 Key Elements that make a society advanced
enough to be considered a civilization.

3. Centralized Government
•A person or
group of
people who
make and
enforce laws in
a society.

4. What does Centralized mean?
•Power must be concentrated in a
central location and in the hands of a
relatively small group of people.
•In the United States, power is
centralized in Washington, DC in the
hands of the President, Congress, the
Supreme Court and their
representatives.

5. Organized Religion
• A belief in some
sort of higher
being or beings. It
must be
organized, which
means that there
are specific rules
and requirements
for worshipping.
(Clockwise from upper left) Islam,
Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity,
Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism

6. Cults
Not Organized Religion

7. Job Specialization and Social
Classes
• Job Specialization is
when the members
of a society have
specific jobs to do
and are not
expected or
required to do
every job necessary
to survive.
•Social classes
are ways in
which people
are divided
based on their
social,
economic, or
educational
status.

8. Arts, Architecture, and
Infrastructure
• Arts are a way that a
society expresses its
values and beliefs in
a creative way such
as
painting, dancing, or
playing music.
• Architecture
describes the ability
of a society to design
and build large
structures.
• Infrastructure are
structures created by
a government for the
good of the common
people, such as
schools, roads, or
parks.

9. Writing
•A method
of using
symbols to
keep
records.

10. 5 Key Elements of Civilization
•Centralized Government
•Organized Religion
•Job Specialization and Social
Classes
•Arts, Architecture, and
Infrastructure
•Writing

11. Review
•The Five Key Elements of Civilization
are: Centralized Government,
Organized Religion, Job Specialization
and Social Classes, Arts, Architecture,
and Infrastructure, and Writing. In at
least 5 sentences answer the
following question. How are the Five
Key Elements found in American
civilization?

12. The 5 Key Elements
and the U.S.
•Centralized
Government
• Type: Republic
• Federal Government
centralized in
Washington, DC
• States governed
from their individual
capitals
• Counties, cities, and
towns governed
locally

13. The 5 Key Elements
and the U.S.
•Organized
Religion
• Main type:
Christianity
(Catholicism and
Protestantism)
• Other types:
Judaism, Islam,
Buddhism,
Hinduism, Sikhism,
and many others

14. The 5 Key Elements
and the U.S.
•Job
Specialization
and Social
Classes
• Job Specialization: American
jobs are specialized. Primary
focus of many jobs is in the
areas of technology and the
service industries.
• Social Classes: American
society is broken into Upper
Class, Middle Class, and
Lower Class

15. The 5 Key Elements
and the U.S.
•Arts,
Architecture,
Infrastucture
• Arts: Many styles of paintings
and sculpture. American
music styles include Rock and
Roll, Hip Hop, Jazz, Blues,
Country.
• Architecture: Famous
architecture includes Empire
State Building, White House,
Golden Gate Bridge
• Famous Public Works include
Smithsonian Museums and
Yellowstone Park

16. The 5 Key Elements
and the U.S.
•Writing
• Americans use the
English language to write.
• Famous documents
include the Constitution
and Declaration of
Independence.
• The US has newspapers,
magazines, literature,
and internet writers.

17. Assessment
1. Name your civilization.
2. Tell where your civilization was or is located.
3. Tell the years of your civilization’s existence.
4. Describe the style of government for your civilization.
5. Describe the religious views of your civilization.
6. Describe the specialized jobs in your civilization and
how society is split up.
7. Describe the styles of art, the types of structures that
are built, and the kinds of infrastructure projects that
are made in your civilization.
8. Describe or show the style of writing used in your
civilization.

18. Help for your Civilization
CreationTypes of major world
religions
• Christianity
• Judaism
• Islam
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Taoism
• Sikhism
Types of Government
•Republic
•Direct
Democracy
•Oligarchy
•Monarchy
•Dictatorship