A brief introduction to what civilization means, how change is measured in civilization, and the limits of civilization.

1. Heritage of the West
Introduction to the study of
civilization and history

2. Introduction to the study of
civilization
• What is civilization? Civilization
means…
• What are the indicators of the
development, growth, and evolution of
civilization?
• What, if any, are the limits of civilization?

3. Civilization means…
• cities
• organization
• writing

4. New York City

6. Scribes were educated in the art of handwriting
and copying laws, decrees, and other official
records.
(L) An Egyptian scribe would have been trained to write hieroglyphics;
(R) A European scribe at work.

7. The indicators of the development, growth, and evolution of
civilization include…
cultural, economic, political, social, and
technological change.

8. The limits of civilization are:
• class, or caste, distinctions
• sex differences
• social anxiety due to the restraints
placed on individuals in increasingly
complex social units

9. What is history?
Is history an art or a science? Why?
What do historians do?
What methods do historians use in history?
What is the purpose of history?

10. What is history?
According to R.G. Collingwood, history is
the science of attempting to find things out
about past human actions for the purpose
of human self-fulfillment. This process is
achieved through studying and interpreting
documents, or things existing here and
now.