What Are Six Characteristics of a Civilization?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 31, 2020

The six characteristics of civilization include large population centers, monumental architecture, written language, systems for declaring territories, division of labor and social classes. The exact aspects of these characteristics vary based on each civilization, which make them each unique.

When people first began to develop and establish urban settlements, they created civilizations, which are defined as a complex way of life for a group of people. The first civilizations were developed in Mesopotamia, which is now called Iraq and Egypt.

The various characteristics of a civilization, such as its large population centers and division of labor and social classes, create a unique culture that varies from civilization to civilization.