Understanding Culture,

Society and Politics

Quarter 1 – Module 4: WEEK 4

Significance of Cultural, Social,
Political and Economic Symbols
and Practices
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is

here to help you master the nature of Understanding Culture
Society and Politics. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many
different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse
vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard
sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be changed
to correspond with the textbook you are now using. The module is about the
significance of cultural, social, political and economic symbols and practices
(MELC 4).
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Identify the human origins and the capacity for culture
2. Determine the role of culture in human adaptation
3. Explain processes of cultural and sociopolitical evolution
4. Analyze the key features of interrelationships of biological, cultural and
socio-political processes in human evolution that can still be used and
developed

What I Know

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. The cultural evolution of man has three remarkable Era. Which of the
following has the correct order of era?
a. Age of Metal, Neolithic Period, Paleolithic Period
b. Neolithic Period, Paleolithic Period, Age of Metal
c. Paleolithic Period, Age of Metal, Neolithic Period
d. Palaeolithic Period, Neolithic Period, Age of Metal

2. In the early stage, human move from one place to another. As they
transform and adapt their environment, they learn to have
permanent settlement. What period did the permanent settlement of
human occur?
A. Age of Bronze
B. Age of Copper
C. Neolithic Period
D. Palaeolithic Period
3. Each era has a significant cultural development such as the use of fire
in Paleolithic period, the domestication of plants and animals in the
Neolithic Period, and the use of metal in the age of Metal. What is the
other term for the Age of Metal?
A. Agricultural Revolution B. Metal Civilization
C. Stone Revolution
D. Rise of Civilization

4. In the Neolithic period, the Cro Magnon disappeared and the new
people who were considered the modern men appeared, which of the
following were the accomplishments of human during this period?
A. Live in a cave
B. Used unpolished stone tools
C. Used metals to upgrade tools
D. Domesticated plants and animals

5. There were three metals distinguished in the Age of Metals. Which of

the following was the first known metal in this period?
A. Aluminum
B. Bronze
C. Copper
D. Iron
6. Which of the following events DOES NOT occur during Neolithic
Revolution?
A. Way of living changed from hunting and gathering to agriculture
B. Increase in population
C. Fishing is the only way to live
D. Learned to create crafts as pottery and weaving
7. The most obvious material symbols of ancient state societies is
________.
A. Stone tablets
B. Monumental works
C. Pyramids
D. Irrigation canals
8. What is the earliest writing form in the world which was developed in
Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago?
A. Cuneiform
B. Hieroglyphics
C. Clay-tablet symbology
D. Runes
9. In the type of political ruling, it refers to the series of rulers descending
from a singlefamily line.
A. dynasty
B. monarchy
C. democracy
D. oligarchy
10. In Mesopotamian culture, the ancient Egypt is one of the most
important civilizations in history. When it is said to have emerged?
A. 2,000 years old
B. 3,000 years old
C. 4, 000 years old
D.5, 000 years old
11. In the history of European exploration, when was the Spanish global
power started?
A. 1492
B. 1500
C. 1896
1345
D.
12. Which treaty ends the World War I and breaks several multi-rational
empires?
A. Treaty of Saint-Germain en Laye
B. Treaty of Versailles
C. Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
D. Faisal-Weizmann agreement
13. What form of democracy do the Philippines have?
Representative democracy
A.
B. Constitutional democracy
C. Direct democracy
D. a and b
14. In the types on government, which of the following does not describe
democracy?
A. Transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy B.
From an authoritarian political system to a semi democracy
C. From semi authoritarian political system to a democratic political
system
D. From semi authoritarian political system to a semi democratic
political system
 15. Democracy is the generally known as the government of the people;
moreover, the Participatory democracy is best defined
as__________________.
A. Direct individual participation by citizen in political decisions that
affect their daily living
B. Limited political participation by a small group that make and
influence political decision
C. Non-government interest groups influence political decision
through lobbying and donations
D. A system where citizens choose government representatives among
their citizens

Guide Questions:

In two to three sentences, explain how our cultural and sociopolitical ways
has changed over the years? Answer:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________ _________________________________________________________

What is It

In this part of your journey, we provide something for you to read to deepen
your understanding

HUMAN CULTURAL EVOLUTION

It is a saying that “human has no contentment”. As the environment changes,

we continuously grow and find ways to make maximize our effort as we live.
It is very evident in the different stages of human cultural evolution:
Palaeolithic Period, Neolithic Period, and Age of Metal.

The term “Palaeolithic” was coined by archaeologist John Lubbock in 1865.

It is derived the from Greek word, palaios, which means "old"; and, lithos,
"stone", In short, the Palaeolithic Period, which happened 2.5 million years
ago, is also known as "Old Stone Age".

In the Palaeolithic period, the Earth was extremely cold and ocean levels were
much lower than they are now. Due to the cold climate, much of the Stone
Age is also called the Ice Age.

During these years, people were nomads and able to use simple tools and
weapons made of unpolished stone. The caves served as their shelter.
Similarly, this was the time when people discovered to use the fire,
through the use of stone, for their protection against cold temperature and to
cook their own food.
Human beings in this time were grouped together in small societies such
as bands, and subsisted by gathering plants and fishing, hunting or
scavenging wild animals. Also in this era, according to study of Dr. Jesus T.
Peralta of NCCA, respect is given to age, and individual prowess and ability
are recognized. There are no leaders that could be said to be above everybody
else and whose commands are obeyed without question. In some cases, one
who is known for good decisions is consulted when a problem arises; or
wellknown hunter will be asked to lead a hunting group.

Likewise, the term “Neolithic” also comes from the same archaeologist and
from the Greek word “neo” which means new and “lithos” meaning stone or
in short, the “New Stone Age” which was happened for about 10,000 B.C. In
this period, the Cro Magnon disappeared and the new people who are
considered the modern man appeared.
The Neolithic Revolution is also called as the First Agricultural Revolution.
During this period, there was a wide-scale transition of many human cultures
from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to of agriculture and settlement kind
of society which eventually led to population increase. People depend on
domesticated plants and animals. They learned to create such crafts as
pottery and weaving. They likewise developed boat as means of transportation
and for fishing as well.

From being nomads during the early stage, human

began to develop a sedentary type of society of which
they built-up villages and towns.

Furthermore, they were never contented of their

accomplishments. They kept on discovering things
for their own convenience. So, they discovered
metals, and they gradually abandoned stone as the
basic element for their instrument and tools

This period was known as Age of Metals (4000 B.C – 1500 B.C). The
used of metal such as bronze, copper, and iron produced a new historical
development from the cradle civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia
including the India, and China which later spread throughout Asia.
There were three stages distinguished within this Age due to the different
types of metals that were used: The Copper Age, the Bronze Age and the
Iron Age; copper was the fir st known metal, it is of a low hardness and
it was used to make ornaments; bronze is an alloy of copper and tin and
it is harder and stronger than copper. Several eastern Mediterranean
peoples discovered this metallurgy and progressed rapidly.

During this age, agricultural tools were developed with bronze, such as
plows and sickles, military weapons like swords, spears and shields, as
well as household utensils like jars, bowls and cups. Likewise, a more
developed social, cultural, political, and economic system were
improved. Tribes, empires, and state were recognized at this point.

EARLY CIVILIZATION and RISE of the STATE

Ancient State and Civilization

One of the earliest states and civilizations was found in the Fertile Crescent
which is known as the Mesopotamian civilization. The word Mesopotamia is
a Greek word for “Land between two rivers” which is often referred to as the
cradle of civilization. It is the region of the Western Asia located between the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It is known as the Fertile Crescent where the
first evidence of agriculture was also found. Here the first human civilizations
were taking the earliest steps from hunter-gatherer society into settled
community.

Moreover, it is in Mesopotamia that the history writing appeared as early as

over 5,000 years ago. This invention was so important that it marks the end
of the Prehistory, and the beginning of history. One of the first writing
systems, the Cuneiform, is one of the most important civilizations in the
history of Mesopotamian culture.
Every city in Mesopotamia had its own government, rulers, warriors, patron
god, and functioned like an independent country. Mesopotamian cities were
Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagesh. There is a temple at the center of each city called a
ziggurat (a massive, tiered, pyramid-shaped structure).

There was also what we called Mesopotamian warrior-gods (2.400-2.500 B.C.)

who govern and protect the people under its government. Military
commanders eventually became monarch creating a new structure of
government called a Dynasty. It is a series of rulers descending from a
singlefamily line. The Akkadian Empire lasted about 200 years. In the year
2350– 2150 B.C, Babylonian Empire overtook Sumerians around 2000 B.C.,
and they built capital, the Babylon, on Euphrates River.

Another ancient states and civilizations was the Egyptian civilization. It

emerged more than 5,000 years ago along the River Nile in the north-east of
Africa. The Ancient Egyptians lived near the River Nile because of its fertile
land suitable for growing crops and domestication of animals. Each year,
water from the Nile rose and flooded the area. When the water went back, it
left mud that made the fields fertile.

Egyptians called their king a pharaoh. The pharaoh was all- powerful: He
passed laws, He ruled the country, He owned most of the land, and He
controlled trade and led the armies. Egyptians believed that the pharaohs
were gods.

Modern State and Civilization

In the European continent, several states and civilization grew tremendously

over centuries. In England, around 1500s, most of the people lived in small
villages. They paid tithes to their feudal landlords. Henry VII won the War of
the Roses in England, which led into what is known as the Tudor dynasty,
and begun the development of the English nation-state.

In Spain in the year 1492, Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella took
Spain back from the Muslim. It became the era of Spain as a global power.

In France, Louis XIV of France created an absolute monarchy. France became

the dominant power in Europe. When The French Revolution broke out, it
created the modern French nation-state, which sparked nationalism around
Europe.
In 1914, when various nation-states started to claim their power and
superiority over all the nations in the world, the World War I begun until
1918. In 1919, Treaty of Versailles ended the World War I. It divided several
multinational empires that led to the creation of several new nationstates.

In 1939, the World War II started until 1945. The end of World War II led to
the formation of United Nations in 1945.

The State of the People: Democratic State

In the recent decade after the two World Wars, people are becoming more
active in their government and state affairs, in which people become the
source of political power and government rules. This evolution in the
government is known as the process of democratization, or simply democracy
– the rule of the people.

Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime,

including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It
may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a
transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or
transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic political
system. What is a democracy?

Moreover, a democracy is a form of government where the citizens of the

nation have the power to vote. There are several different types of
democracies; (1) a representative democracy is a system where citizens
choose government representatives among their citizens, (2) direct democracy
is when the citizens form a governing body and vote directly on issues, (3)
constitutional democracy limits the powers of government through the
nation’s constitution.

Assessment

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen

letter on a separate sheet of paper.
1. During the earliest stage of human cultural evolution, people were
nomadic, so they hunt and gather foods. As they learn to make a
sedentary lifestyle in the Neolithic period.
Which statement tells the accomplishment of human in the Neolithic
period?
A. Live in a cave
B. Used unpolished stone tools
C. Used metals to upgrade tools
D. Domesticate plants and animals
2. The Age of Metal produced a new historical development from the cradle
civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia including the India, and
China which later on spread throughout Asia. Which type of metal were
the earliest known by human?
A. Aluminum
B. Bronze
C. Copper
D. Iron
3. There are three notable stages in the human cultural evolution. Which
statement tells the correct timeline of these evolutions?
A. Age of Metal, Neolithic Period, Paleolithic Period
B. Neolithic Period, Paleolithic Period, Age of Metal
C. Paleolithic Period, Age of Metal, Neolithic Period
D. Paleolithic Period, Neolithic Period, Age of Metal
4. From being nomads during the early stage, human began to developed
a sedentary type of society of which they built-up villages and towns. In
which era has these evolutions happens?
A. Age of Bronze
B. Age of Copper
C. Neolithic Period
D. Paleolithic Period
5. The most significant evolution in Paleolithic period is when people
discovered the use of fire. In the Neolithic period is when human learned
to domesticate plants and animals, which is known to be the First
Agricultural Revolution. In the Age of Metal is the discovery of people in
using metal as their tools, thus, the Age of Metal is identified as:
A. Agricultural Revolution
B. Metal Civilization
C. Stone Revolution
D. Rise of Civilization
6. How were the first modern humans (Homo sapiens) different from any
other hominid species?
 A. They lived outside of Africa
B. They had large brains
C. They used and controlled fire
D. They used symbolic thought
7. In the history of human social evolution, what group of people was
skillful at hunting and butchering animals?
A. Australopithecus
B. Home erectus
C. Homo habilis
D. Homo sapien

8. In the history of human civilization in which people started to develop

their society, where did the world’s first Civilization develop?
A. Mesopotamia
B. Crete
C. Egypt
D. Eastern China

9. From the different kind of government in various societies, what is a

form of government where the citizens of the nation have the power to
vote?
A. Aristocracy
B. Bureaucracy
C.Democracy D. Capitalism
10. In the context of European historical society, which of the following
DOES NOT happened during pre -1500’s?
A. Henry VII wins the War of the Roses in England, begins the Tudor
dynasty, and starts the development of the English nation-state.
B. The era of Spain as a global power begins.
C. The hundred year’s war started.
D. The French Revolution
11. In the history of war, the nations started to claim their power and
supremacy over the nations. Which treaty ends the World War I and
breaks several multi-rational empires?
A. Treaty of Saint-Germain en Laye
B. Treaty of Versailles C. Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine
D. Faisal-Weizmann agreement
12. Democracy is a type of government in which the people elect their leader
in the government position. Direct democracy is the system in which...
A. Citizens choose their representatives in free and fair elections.
B. Citizens are allowed to debate with their representatives in open
public meetings.
C. Citizens represent themselves in the decision-making process.
D. Senior political leaders are known as 'Directors'.
13. Which statement most accurately describes how geography affected the
growth of the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia? A. River
valleys provided rich soil to grow plentiful crops.
B. Large deserts provided many mineral deposits.
C. Access to the Atlantic Ocean provided trade routes.
D. Lage Savannah areas provided protection from invaders.
14. Which geographic feature was common to the development of
civilizations in ancient Egypt, China, India, and Mesopotamia?
A. river valleys
B. rain forests
C. deserts
D. mountains
15. In the context of ancient civilization, which factor led to the development
of civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia?
A. political harmony
B. favorable geography
C. religious differences
D. universal education