Final answer:
The characteristics of early civilizations include settlements, animal domestication, and agricultural development. Civilizations such as Jomon and Mesopotamia benefitted from geographic conditions like water access. The textbook aims to challenge Eurocentric stereotypes and recognizes civilizations for their social, cultural, and technological advancements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Early Civilizations
When attempting to match the characteristics to the correct civilization, we must understand that early civilizations had commonalities such as settlements, domestication of animals, and agricultural development. These were essential due to the shift from a nomadic lifestyle, which allowed for stable communities and the growth of civilization. The geographic locations of the first four civilizations, which included the Jomon and Mesopotamia, had certain advantages, such as access to water resources, which facilitated sustainable farming and support for larger populations.
However, the simplistic criterion that separates civilizations from agrarian societies has been subjected to criticism. It stems from earlier Eurocentric and ethnocentric biases that graded societies on a scale of 'civilized' or 'savage' based on their resemblance to European practices. Despite this, a more nuanced understanding of what constitutes a civilization has emerged. A civilization has been characterized by social development, sustainable agriculture, government organization, technological innovation, and rich cultural practices, transcending the simplistic dichotomies of the past.
Our textbook challenges the stereotypes perpetuated by traditional history narratives, highlighting the diversity of civilizations which encompassed artists, engineers, laborers, religious personnel, political leaders, and farmers, with each civilization leaving its own distinct impact, especially in the domain of art and religion. Moreover, contemporary understanding of civilizations now focuses more on their intrinsic qualities rather than external perceptions.