A Glimpse of History – Early Civilization

The study of history is useful to us because it gives us knowledge of the past, helps us understand the present, and enables us to foresee the future. The study of history makes us appreciate the failures and success of man as he builds the civilization of the world, and it develops in us certain ideals, habits, and attitudes, which makes us understand men and events for our personal well beings as well as for the greatest good of the greatest number.

Our knowledge of history is derived from oral traditions, relics, and written records.

The progress of man passed through different stages, from the lowest stage of savagery and barbarism to civilization. These stages of development are reflected by, and named after, the tools, which he has used. Thus, these stages are named the Old Stone Age, New Stone Age, and the Age of Metals.

The progress made by man as slow and irregular. Man’s progress shows how he has steadily gained control of the gifts and forces of nature.

Culture is the result of man’s efforts to satisfy his wishes, needs, and desires. Culture grows through inventions. It mat be spread through contact with others, colonization, travel, adventure, and conquest.

Man is superior to animals because of his special mental powers. He has certain advantages over other creatures.

Man has laid the foundation of civilization in politics, economics, religions, education, philosophy, and art.

The peoples of the Ancient East improved their ways of living and built great civilizations. The peoples that built these civilizations were the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Hebrews, the Persians, the Hindus, the Japanese, and the Chinese.

We owe the peoples of the ancient East and the Far East the beginnings and rudiments of our civilization. We ought to remember the development of nations, development of governments, development of religion, development of literature, development of arts, development of sciences, development of communication, development of economic life, and the development of education.

The culture and civilization of the peoples of the ancient East and Far East were spread through conquests and commerce.

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