Why Civilizations Rise and Fall

0:00Why do great civilizations rise, and why do they later fall?

0:05Every civilization began with small farming villages.

0:09Over hundreds of years, some villages grew into cities and empires, and we call this the rise.

0:17At its height, a civilization had cities, a government, writing, and people with special jobs.

0:24First, rich farmland and fresh water gave extra food, so more people could live together.

0:31Trade brought wealth and new ideas from other lands.

0:35Strong leaders and laws kept order and organized big projects, like canals and walls.

0:42New tools and ideas, such as metal tools and writing, helped people do more.

0:48But no civilization lasted forever, and sooner or later each one weakened, which we call the fall.

0:56Drought, floods or worn-out soil led to poor harvests and hunger.

1:02War and invasion by outsiders destroyed cities and cut off trade.

1:08Disease spread quickly through crowded cities and killed many people.

1:13Weak rulers and fighting inside split the civilization apart.

1:18Often several of these struck at once, and cities emptied until only ruins were left.

1:25Rome grew from a small town, about 750 BCE, into a huge empire by about 100 CE, and its western empire ended in 476 CE.

1:37Trade and strong laws helped Rome grow.

1:41Later, invasions and fighting inside weakened its western empire.

1:46Civilizations rise when food, trade, leaders and ideas build up, and fall when those things break down.