Final answer:
Chiefdoms are centered around the power of the chief who holds political, economic, religious, and military authority, leading to social stratification based on lineage and wealth. Classes in chiefdoms are often divided by kinship, with a 'royal lineage' typically at the top, perpetuated through hereditary leaders.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chiefdom-Level Societies and Social Stratification
Chiefdoms are societies with a political organization that is centered around the leadership of chiefs. In these societies, the chief simultaneously holds economic, political, religious, and military power. This creates a system where social groups are ranked according to wealth and power, leading to social stratification. The emergence of chiefdoms is typically linked to the development of agricultural surplus, which allows some members of society to accumulate more resources than others.
Classes in chiefdom-level societies are typically divided along lines of kinship and lineage, with the ruling class often being part of a 'royal lineage'. The chief, as the leader, may have responsibilities like managing infrastructure such as roads and irrigation, organizing defense, and performing important communal rituals. Over time, these leadership roles tend to become hereditary, cementing the class division even further.
Examples of chiefdoms include the historical societies of Polynesia and certain chiefdoms in Africa before colonization, both of which had complex hierarchies and systems of tribute that supported the chief's status and power.