Agriculture

• One of the most important signs of civilization is the growing of crops. Unlike hunter-gathers, those growing crops could stay in one place, rather than having to follow food sources. Along with agriculture, people also began domesticating animals as sources of food and to aid in agriculture production. People growing their own food often used and invented tools to aid the process; before long, they could produce food in large quantities and at a fast rate of production. This freed up time to do more than pursue food for survival. People could now turn their creative minds to other pursuits -- simple and complex.
  
  

Urban Development

• It's no coincidence that the earliest civilizations were near water. Crops and domesticated animals need water, but water also serves other important purposes. Water also allowed for easy travel. With the surplus of food, however, small farming villages attracted new comers and quickly grew into cities. With more people came the need to plan and organize society and distribute resources efficiently. This includes central governments and public works such as bridges, roadways and public building to facilitate organization and movement of a complex society.
  
  

Economics

• These new burgeoning populaces often produced more food than they could consume or store without spoiling. Waterways became an important source of travel outside the city as well. As urban development took root, leaders of these ancient civilizations began looking beyond their cities for other resources that may help them improve and sustain their new way of life. They quickly discovered they could get scarce resources through the trading of their own surplus resources through bartering. Economics began to take root at the beginning of civilization. As people mastered how to attend to basic needs, trading became more centered on meeting the wants of this newfound lifestyle.
  
  

Education and Literacy

• What began as a more systematic way for people to pool together cooperative efforts to meet basic survival needs quickly evolved into understanding the world around them and using it to their advantage. As society grew more complex, organization and communication became more important. As a consequence, writing took root. Writing allowed societies to store knowledge and refer to it when required. For example, they would write down laws to aid in the distribution of justice in society. People also began to ponder everything -- from why humans exist to why rain fell at one time of the year, but not at another. As such, this led to two more important signs of civilization.
  
  

Organized Religion

• With natural human curiosity, some people began asking serious questions about humanity's place in the world and sometimes, even the universe. These questions often resulted in explanations rooted in the spiritual sense, spurring the development of religion. Such religions offered more organization to society as well as a grasp of the world around them. Religion in the philosophical context is often viewed as the foundation of science. It has the same basic questions, explored with different methodologies.
  
  

Technological Advancements

• Others were not so concerned with why humans existed or where humans came from but how to best utilize resources and time efficiently to further the progress of society and civilization. Such reflections quickly led to developments such as the wheel, irrigation ditches, better tools, management systems and legal systems. Technological advancement from the beginning served as a mainstay for civilization that reigns supreme today.