How Would You Go About Formulating a Definition of Civilization

question 10

Essay

How would you go about formulating a definition of civilization? What elements are essential to civilized life and what sort of things would you consider desirable but not essential for your definition? Can warlike peoples be considered civilized? Give historical examples to illustrate your point.

---

Definitions:

Iroquois Confederacy

A coalition of Native American tribes primarily located in what is now New York State, historically known for their political union and influence.

Predestination

A theological doctrine that all events have been willed by God, particularly relating to the fate of the soul after death, found in various religious traditions.

New Amsterdam

The 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that later became New York City after being taken by the English.

Slave Trade

The historical practice of buying, selling, and transporting enslaved individuals, especially prevalent in the Atlantic world from the 16th to the 19th century.