Collapse of Civilizations Essay -- essays research papers

The factors that lead to the collapse of civilizations are almost directly related to those that composed it. Archaeologists characterize collapse by a number of elements, some of which we lease evidence for, others we do not. Most archaeologists are unsure of exactly what ca aimd the spill of most civilizations in the ancient world, in so far there are legion(predicate) clues to some of the events that could involve contributed. The collapse of the ancient Roman Empire, the Mesoamerican Mayan, and the Egyptian cultures will be discussed in the following paragraphs, with a focus on the uniqueness of each. Collapse is in quotations because its definition when applied to civilizations is often debated. Merriam-Websters collegiate dictionary states 1 to fall or shrink in concert abruptly and completely fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure 2 to pay down 3 to cave or fall in or give way4 to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth(predicate)5 to break down in snappy energy, stamina, or self-abnegation through exhaustion or disease especially to fall bewildered or unconscious6 to fold down into a more compact shape Although this definition can vaguely describe the overall fall of most civilizations, the actual details are more finite. oneness such event would be an environmental change. Archaeologists use this as a reason for the even off of civilizations often because it fits so well into any situation. A terrifying earthquake, a change in flow of a vital river, and a volcanic eruption are examples of what could have happened to abruptly demise a civilization. Another reason might be over use of natural resources. As civilizations grew, the need for more resources increased. They could not grow large food to support the growing population, and as a result swop networks fell apart, people began to starve, and large epidemics spread. Also many of these civilizations based everything on ideol ogy. They believe that their rulers were gods on earth, so when these devastating things started happening, they lost faith in their ruler. Building temples, making statues of their kings, redistributing their goods, and the following of rulers all ceased. The accumulation of all these factors resulted in decline.For a long item of time, the Mayan civilization was assumed to ha... ...n 1163 B.C., Egypt entered a period of slow decline (Scarre 1997116). Pharaohs became less powerful, and their prestige dwindled. Hungry soldiers were terrorizing the community, while tomb robbers were raiding the pyramids for resources that were very much needed. They had buried their pharaohs with food, goods and jewelry, all of which were needed to forbear the civilization in tact. They had built too many pyramids, and there were setbacks in Asia which corrupted trade. People did not understand why the pharaohs could not specialize the problems that were going on. They viewed them as gods and lo st trust and faith. Egypt fell apart as these things culminated with damage of belief in the pharaohs. These three civilizations all had a decline that can not be totally explained. Each unique yet similar in different ways. Both the Egyptian and Mayan civilization seemed to have declined because of agricultural and ideological reasons, and all three had to do with a prejudice of power and trust in rulers. There are many factors that create a civilization or empire and make it powerful. The corruption and loss of these same factors is what leads to the decline of an otherwise successful civilization.