Final answer:
Religion predates the formation of human civilization by existing in various forms of spirituality and religious expression among pre-civilized humans. As civilizations developed, these practices evolved into organized religions that were integral to societies' social and political structures. The emergence of monotheism during the Early Urban Phase of history significantly influenced the course of subsequent events.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religion has indeed played a crucial role in the development and the shaping of human civilizations. The relationship between the beginning of human civilization and religion is that while human civilization is roughly 10,000 years old, there is evidence that forms of spirituality or religion existed even earlier among modern humans. All known human societies have featured some form of religious beliefs or spirituality, which were means to make sense of the world around them.
Archaeological findings suggest that various forms of religious expression, such as ritual objects, ceremonial burial sites, and cave paintings, predate the earliest human civilizations, indicating that pre-civilized humans also engaged in what can be considered religious or spiritual practices. As human societies evolved, these spiritual practices likely became more complex and organized, eventually evolving into the structured religions that were intertwined with the social and political fabric of the early urbanized societies.
As we delve into the Early Urban Phase of human history, the development of monotheism marked a significant change in religious thought, which has had a lasting impact on the course of history. Therefore, it's clear that the emergence of religion is a deep-rooted, universal feature of human society that has influenced human culture and civilizations since their inception.