Some competing theories of the?

Question

I need to compare and contrast the origins of urban civilization in two regions as was as include evidence with at least three competing theories of the origins of civilization for a paper. I'm not exactly clear on what this is looking for. Can someone give me some examples of competing theories of the origins of civilization?

Answer 1

The civilization that Eternal speaks happened in the Middle East and domesticated grains have been found to have originated in that area.  Another reason for civilization is trade and the empires in East Africa started for this reason.  Hunting groups located in some areas because of the available resources such as type of rock (tools) and gems that could be traded. Another reason would be location. Riverside and seaside locations provide enough food with little effort. The Nile delta would fit this.  So agriculture (fertile land), tradable resources, and location near easy food source could all be the cause of a civilization.  As real estate people say location, location, location.

Answer 2

i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Seek out Jared Diamiond's book "Guns, Germs and Steel."

Answer 4

Chole,

1. I was going to pass on this one since you gave sparse info for us to work with.  

However, I read a couple of things "eternal" wrote and wish to challenge a couple of them.

The modern human animal learned to eat fruit and seeds and grasses long before the end of the last glaciation of our current ice age. That was only about 10 to 12,000 years past. Our appendix, a vestigial organ, was essentially for the digestion of grass and raw flora. It was certainly a vestige 13,000 years ago.

Our digestive tract, like that of our cousins, the other primates, is designed for ripe fruit and grains, not flesh, like most predators.

2. Agriculture was almost certainly invented by

the human female,

all the anthropological evidence points to this conclusion.

The male of the species does not hesitate to take credit for anything found to be desirable or productive. This same gender, in which I count myself, will be nowhere to be found when things turn nasty.

Someone said, "success has a thousand parents, failure is an orphan".

Answer 5

Civilization comes from the Latin 'civilis', meaning 'city'...

Prior to about 10,000 years ago, virtually all humans were nomadic Hunter/Gatherers!

After the ice from the last Glacial Maximum began to melt in Europe, there were less food sources, many extinct species of game, and smaller herds to follow!

Humans watched hoofed animals eat the grasses. Grass gone to seed contains berries of grain. Humans tried them, and they weren't so bad. Then, someone discovered that like fruit & nuts, when the seeds were planted, they would grow into more grasses, specifically wheat & barley!

This was how agriculture was born, which led to the ability to store food for more than one season. Storing food, allowed us to remain in the same place, and build permanent housing. This is how architecture was born, which led to engineering & sanitation!

So cities came about, near where fresh sweet water flowed into the ocean, such as the Nile, Mesopotamia and the Indus River Valley, all because of the advent of agriculture, which was increased by well designed irrigation practices!