Name _____________________________________________________ Date ____________________

What Does It Mean to

be Civilized?
-----------------------------

White House State Dining Room, www.whitehouse.gov, circa 2007, Public Domain

When we refer to someone as being “civilized,” what do we mean? What is a

civilization? In this DBQ, you will explore the meaning of the word civilization as you
learn about early civilizations in America and determine what characteristics make a
person or group of people “civilized.”

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What You Should Know…

There are currently more than 500 million people living in North America. There
was a time, though, when humans did not inhabit the continent at all! There is still a
debate about just how long ago the first people came to the continents of North and
South America, but many experts agree that this occurred over 20,000 years ago. Before
then, the human population was mostly centered in Asia and Africa.

One popular theory of how people came to North America is that during an ice
age, much of the oceans’ water froze and the sea levels dropped. When this happened,
theoretically, land was revealed that connected Asia to North America. This land is
referred to as Beringia, and it is believed that it allowed people to cross over. Since the
people of the time had no written records, scientists and archaeologists must use bones
and artifacts found in the ground to learn more about how the people lived and how
they came to be in North America.

Map of eastern Russian and Alaska with a light brown border depicting Beringia, National Park Service, Public Domain, www.nps.gov

It is important to understand that the people who crossed the land bridge to
come to North America were not looking for adventure or a new land to call their own.
Most likely, they were just following herds of mammoths. People of this time were
trying to survive, and they had no permanent homes or farms. Small groups of people
would follow their food source from place to place, hunting as they needed and
gathering edible food along the way. Staying alive was a full-time job, and it would
have been necessary for these people to simply keep moving south along with the
animals.

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Check for Understanding…

1. Describe how the first people might have come to live in North America.

2. Why is this considered a theory?

3. How did scientists come up with this theory?

4. What was life like for the people approximately 20,000 years ago?

5. Briefly define the following words:

a. Inhabit

b. Theory

c. Archaeologist

d. Artifact

e. Edible

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Unpack the Prompt…
Based in the sources in this DBQ and your understanding of history, determine which
characteristic defines a civilization and explain your reasoning.
1. Restate the question to prepare for your response.

2. Based on what you already know, what are some possible answers? (Make
predictions)

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Source 1 The End of Dinner, by Jules-Alexandre Grun, 1913

Public Domain

1. What evidence do you see of civilization in this painting?

2. How is life different for these people than it was for those who crossed Beringia?

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Source 2 The Maya

Approximately 4,000 years ago, the Maya territory stretched from southern Mexico
to Central America. The people in this area found that the warm climate made
plants grow quickly, and they learned that it was possible to remain in one place as
long as you could grow your own food. They also realized that having so much food
meant they needed a way to store it, so they figured out how to make pottery out of
clay. Once the people were no longer hunting and following animals all day, they
had time left over for other things. As this civilization progressed, social classes
emerged with a king, wealthy citizens, a middle class, and a lower class. People held
jobs as merchants, priests, and soldiers, and artisans made their creations just
because they wanted something beautiful. Around 2,000 years ago, some cities grew
to about 120,000 people. We know this because the Maya had a sophisticated writing
system that allowed the people to record information.

Photograph of the Castillo at Chichen Itza, by Teoberto Maler, 1892, Public Domain

3. What was the effect of the Maya learning to plant crops?

4. What was the effect of the Maya learning to write?

5. Based on the photograph, do you think the Maya still lived in the area in the
1800s?

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Source 3 The Inca

Some experts believe there was a time when the Inca may have been the largest empire
in the world. During their height in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Inca expanded to
include people of many languages. This civilization was located on the western side of
South America, and the Inca appeared to be an advanced people. However, they did
not have wheels, use animals to move heavy items, or even write. They did, though,
barter for goods and services, pay taxes, build large monuments out of stone, and keep
records of their vast population. Since there was no system for writing, such records
were instead kept through an elaborate system of knotted ropes.

Photograph of Inca Quipu, 15th century

6. What “typical” characteristics of advanced people did the Inca not possess?

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Source 4 The Aztec

Mexico City sits on what was once Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital founded by the
Mexica in 1325. The Mexica were warriors who formed alliances with neighboring city-
states and used their strength to help gain more territory. Under Montezuma I, taxes
were raised and schools were built. These schools differed in their instruction, with
some students learning religion, some warfare, and others learning a craft.

The Aztec people were organized by social class, with a nobility that could own land,
hold government positions, and serve as military leaders. Lower class citizens might be
farmers or craftsmen who would barter their goods in the marketplace. Women in this
society could own property and work outside of the home if they chose.

In 1521, the city of Tenochtitlan was destroyed by Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes’
army, and the Aztecs were conquered.

To the right is a photograph of Mexican President

Porfirio Díaz in 1910 at the National Museum of
Anthropology with the Aztec Sun Stone. It is believed
that the Aztecs created this sculpture in the early
1500s, but there are still questions as to its purpose.
Some believe it is a calendar, while others believe it
has political or religious meaning.

7. How were the Aztecs similar to people today?

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Source 5 Mississipppians
The Mississippians were a Native American civilization that existed primarily in the
Mississippi River Valley from about 800 CE to 1600 CE. Known for their mound-
building, the Mississippians were skilled architects who also built houses and temples
without the use of stone. Many of these structures would sit on top of the mounds. The
Mississippians grew and bartered corn, made pottery, and were known to use copper in
important religious and decorative items. However, there is no sign of written records.
Today, we can see evidence of the Mississippian culture in the many mounds that still
exist and have been preserved.

Photograph of Monks Mound in Illinois

8. If you were to compare the Mississipian culture to the Inca, Maya, and Aztecs,
which would you say it was most similar to? Why?

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Source 6 Map of North and South America

9. Find and label the general location of the Inca, Maya, Aztec, and Mississippian
civilizations. (Hint: You may have to compare this map to other maps)

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Writing Your Social Studies Extended Response

Begin with a valid claim:

Restate and answer the question:

Support your claim with details from the sources and explain how your
sources support the claim and answer the question (might need more than
one paragraph):

Based on Source ____,

According to Source ____,
I think Source ____ supports my response because
Source ____ states
Source ____ shows

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