Final answer:
Civilization began with the shift to agriculture in early Mesopotamia during the Neolithic Revolution, leading to urban societies and the Sumerian civilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The birth of civilization is generally attributed to the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture in early Mesopotamia. This major shift, known as the Neolithic Revolution, allowed for the establishment of settled communities and a surplus of food production, which led to larger populations and a system of specialization. Notably, by around 4500 BCE, societies began the transformation from small villages to sizeable urban centers with the emergence of the Sumerian civilization, who by the fourth millennium BCE developed vast cities that laid the groundwork for Western Civilization.