Document Question: "How does historians' use of the term "civilization" differ from popular usage? How do you use it?"
First off, Google Dictionary's definition of civilization is:
"the stage of human social development and organization that is considered most advanced"
I feel like the term and meaning of "civilization" has changed many times throughout history until now. It can also be used in several different ways. Society in general keeps molding and changing which affects its views and perspectives. Due to all these different leaders throughout time and the type of leadership they choose to express.
Historians' use of the term "civilization" differs from popular usage by using the term in a way that helped evolved and shaped the definition itself. For example, in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, civilization was just starting to form. Existentially, with technology, socially and during their migration all took a part on how and what civilization was back then. Historians would strongly view it as societies' culture and technology, developing-- the discover stage.
The popular usage is how I would use the term "civilization." Whenever I would hear the word or even see it in textbooks, I think of the meaning as quite straight-forward. Civil, civilized, civilians, ... civilization. I wish I knew more (in-depth) of the basics and terms of history than what I do know. Though I am learning more and more about it during each class period, (woo-hoo)!
