[英语学习]A_Brief_History_of_Western_Civilization.pptVIP

A Brief History of Western Civilization Western Civilization: A Brief History, Jackson J. Spielvogel, Beijing University Press, Beijing 2009 Textbook A Brief History of Western Civilization: the Unfinished Legacy, Mark Kishlansky, Patrick Geary, and Patricia O’Brien, China Renmin University Press, Beijing 2008 evergreenxisu@126.com xisu8765 Chapter One The First Civilization I. The Idea of Western Civilization 1. The West The West is an idea. The Ural Mountains – the theoretical boundary between East and West Originally, Europe -- central Greece the whole Greek mainland and the landmass to the north. Roman explorers carried Europe north and west to its modern boundaries. The West rerfers to the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America. 2. Civilization first emerged between 5000 and 6000 years ago when people began to live in organized community with distinct political, military, economic and social structures. a society or culture group defined as a complex society characterized by the practice of agriculture and settlement in towns and cities as a synonym for the broader term “culture” in both popular and academic circles. “the arts, customs, habits... beliefs, values, behavior and material habits that constitute a people’s way of life”. The concept of “civilization” is used as a synonym for “cultural (and often ethical) superiority of certain groups.” Civilization can mean “refinement of thought, manners, or taste”. 3.Western civilization C.E. ---- the Common Era/the Christian Era B.C.E. ---- before the Common Era B.C. ---- before Christ A.D.(anno Domini) ---- in the year of the Lord ca./circa ---- approximately The origins of Western civilization go back to the Mediterranean basin, including lands in North Africa and the Middle east, as well as Europe itself. We need to study the political, economic, social, military, cultural, intellectual, and religious aspects that make up the life of that civilizatio