PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART

1&2)

LESSON CULTURAL AND SOCIOPOLITICAL

2 EVOLUTION
Social
scientists assert that human beings are social beings where they are developing culture as they respond to
the challenges and influences of their environment. Throughout the time, culture is being developed and
transformed in societies.

Different transformations in the cultural and sociopolitical aspects produce major level of
developments and changes to the people. This can be considered as revolution in the growth of the society
where human beings have its main role.

In this lesson, we will study how the development in sociocultural and political evolution affect the
society and their way of living. Several views will explain how the early institutions have developed over the
years.

 What’s In
In the previous lesson, we learned that human biological and cultural evolution were explained by
different theorists and researchers. Through the different studies, we were able to see how the scientist view
the evolution of human which was illustrated through the Hominids. The study of biological and cultural
evolution of the humans are significant in understanding its origin.

In addition, the theories and hypotheses were all made by anthropologists, naturalists, geologists,
archaeologists, and paleoanthropologists based on the gathered evidences through observation, artifacts, and
fossils. These proofs were preserved and exhibited in different museums where people can visit and
appreciate its value to the heritage and human history.

But, the patterns of human growth and development were not mentioned in the search for the origin of
human. This is because there is another evolution that took place in the development of societies. Have you
ever wonder what is the life of our ancestors during their time? Their life has something to with what we have
today. How did societies transform through time? What are the significant developments that happen as
societies, culture, and political development evolve?

 What’s New
Analyze the photo below and answer the questions that follow.
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)

1. What is the difference between the pre-industrial to the post-industrial revolution?

2. What are the changes that you can observed among the different stages from the first to last?

 What is It
The Evolution of Sociocultural and Political Institutions

In the 19th century, the anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan came up with an evolutionary scheme
that divided history into three stages of development: savagery, barbarism, and civilization. This view is an
example of how the society has development and transformed throughout time. People continuously learned
new knowledge and skills which they made useful as they live their life.

On the other side, an American Sociologist Gerhard Lenski argued that human society undergoes
transformation and evolution and in the process develops technological advancement where societies were
categorize in different types which is according to their level of development.

Hunting and Gathering Societies

The earliest societies were composed of hunting-gathering groups. Hunting-gathering groups are
considered as the oldest and most basic way of survival. Men are tasked to hunt large animals while women
were in-charged of gathering plants and vegetation for food. These societies were commonly known as
nomads or the people who fixed habitation or shelter.

Most of the time nomadic societies live in caves or underground houses covered by tree branches.
Leadership is according to abilities like intelligence and strength and based on sex, age, and division of labor.
These groups are usually led by a priest because they believe that spirits live in the world.

Horticultural and Pastoral Societies

Horticultural and pastoral societies are larger than hunting-gathering societies. Horticultural societies
produce simple hand tools to grow crops using hoes to create holes for seed planting. In this society, there is
a surplus of food because they are able to keep their crops grow in the same location unlike the hunting-
gathering societies. The surplus allows its members to trade their extra food to other societies.

On the other side, pastoral societies raise livestock animals where they also use it as major source of
food and means of transportation if possible. These societies were developed in dry regions where growing of
crops is not possible in their land.

Pastoralists are also called as animal herders because of the resources that can be provided by their livestock
animals.

In these societies, there is no equal social relations because land and animal wealth leads to disputes
where some of its members are acting as privileged among others because of the surplus of resources.

Agricultural Societies and Neolithic Revolution

Agricultural societies are the beginning of the major sociocultural and economic development
because people began to farm and domesticate animals. Cultivating wheat, barley, peas, rice and millet
became their form of subsistence.

Animal domestication provided important contributions to the Neolithic people for they began to
produce cultivation tools and developed farming skills that can sustain a population with a thousand of people.
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)
This is when plow and wheel was invented in the Middle East and it eventually spread to other parts of the
world where it became known as Neolithic Revolution. Meat of domesticated animals like sheep, goats, cattle,
and pigs became additional sources of nutrition to the Neolithic people. Skins of these animals also turned
into a source of clothing while the horns and bones of it were utilized in making utensils. Animal manure was
used as fertilizer for soil cultivation.

The developed technology in farming led into the development of agriculture in the world and it also
led into social inequality because some farmers happened to be slaves while the land owners acted as elites
of the society.

Industrial Societies

The Industrial Revolution began in Europe during the late 18th century where new sources of energy
were discovered, advanced forms of technology were applied, and more machineries were invented. These
changes were made possible because of the factory machineries which is used for production and
manufacturing.

People began to leave their farm land to work in urban areas where factories are located. The birth of
industrial societies begin to consume most of the world’s resources because these resources – especially the
natural – are the life of the factories to continue their production of goods.

Post-Industrial Societies

Post-Industrial Society is the start of information technology age where development of computers
became the trend. This revolution replaced machines as the primary source of economic development. Use of
information technology applications pave a way for computers to rise for the information revolution.

During this era, there is a significant increase in profession and technical workers and a decline
number of skilled and semiskilled workers. Computer literacy and application of computer software became a
job qualification and education became a basis of social mobility.

Communication infrastructure turned out to be the focus of development. Inventions and innovations
increase in number because of technological advancement

Political Evolution

Political evolution explains the ideas about the origin and nature of society, the formation of the state,
and the views about law, governance and citizenship (Atienza, et.al, 2016). The early civilization showed the
political evolution in the society because of the developments that happen on a particular time.

There are four major civilizations who became well-known in the world: (1) Sumerian of West Asia; (2)
Indus Valley of India; (3) Shang of China; and (4) Egyptian along the Nile River. These civilizations are
considered as cradle of civilization that influenced the other societies. Below are their important
characteristics according to Contreras, et.al. (2016): (1) developed and highly advanced cities; (2) well-
defined city centers; (3) complex and systematic institutions; (4) organized and centralized system of
government; (5) formalized and complex form of religion; (6) job specialization; (7) development of social
classes; (8) implementation of large-scale public works and infrastructures; (9) advance technology; (10)
system of writing and recording; and (11) detailed forms of arts and architecture.

The said civilizations have well organized form of government and leaders are powerful enough to
govern their citizens. Political leaders of the early civilization were also tasked to craft and implement laws,
impose justice and punishment, collect taxes, and sometimes as religious leaders too. Below is a table
presenting the different political systems of the four major civilizations:
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)

Social Class Sumerian Egyptian Indus Valley Shang

Political leader
and the Priests and
Pharaoh Brahmin King Priest
highest social Royalty
class
Government
officials,
Wealthy Soldiers, Kshatriyas Working class
Other social merchants, scribes, Vaisyas (farmers,
classes Ordinary merchants, Sudras craftsmen,
workers craftsman, Pariah soldiers)
peasants,
slaves

 What’s More
What are the major characteristics and developments of the different stages of societies?
Write down at least two characteristics for each by filling up the table below.

STAGES CHARACTERISTICS

Hunting and Gathering

Horticultural

Pastoral

Agricultural

Industrial

Post-Industrial

Political evolution in the

four major civilizations
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)

 What I Have Learned

Let us identify what you have learned from the lesson by filling in the blanks with the correct
words or phrases.

The earliest societies were composed of (1) ____________________ groups. These societies were
commonly known as (2) ____________________ or the people who fixed habitation or shelter. (3)
____________________ is according to abilities like intelligence and strength and based on sex, age, and
division of labor.

In horticultural societies, there is a (4) ____________________ of food because they are able to keep
their crops grow in the same location which allows its members to trade their extra food to other societies.
Pastoral societies, on the other hand, raise (5)____________________ animals where growing of crops is not
possible because they lived in dry regions. Pastoralists are also called as animal (6) ____________________
because of the resources that can be provided by their animals.

Neolithic Revolution is the birth of the new agricultural technological inventions: (7)
____________________ and (8) ____________________ where it helps the farmers in cultivating the land
for farming. The Industrial Revolution began in (9)____________________ where factory machineries are the
major technologies used for production and manufacturing. Post-Industrial Society is the
start of (10)____________________ age where development of computers became the
trend.

The (11) ____________________ showed the political evolution in the society because of the
developments that happen on a particular time. There are four major civilizations who became well-known in
the world: (12) ____________________ of West Asia; (13) ____________________ of India; (14)
____________________ of China; and (11) ____________________ along the Nile River.

 Assessment
Read and analyze the following statements. From the given choices, choose the letter of the
correct answer and write it on the space provided.

1. What is the correct order of evolutionary scheme according to Lewis Henry Morgan?
a. civilization, savagery, barbarism
b. barbarism, civilization, savagery
c. savagery, barbarism, civilization

2. Why is it that hunting-gathering groups were known as nomads?

a. because they don’t have permanent habituation
b. because they are fun of hunting large animals
c. because they have division of labor

3. Most of the time nomadic societies live in the following except for what?
a. underground houses
b. caves
c. rivers

4. Leadership of hunting-gathering societies is according to abilities the following activities except what?
a. strength
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)
b. resources
c. age

5. The following are examples of livestock animals except for what?

a. fish
b. sheep
c. chicken

6. There is no equal social relations in this society because land and animal wealth lead to disputes.
a. pastoral
b. horticultural
c. both A and B

7. The following developments happened in Neolithic Revolution except for what?

a. animal domestication
b. surplus of food
c. cultivation of rice

8. During the industrial revolution, the following where invented except for?
a. new sources of energy
b. machineries
c. computers

9. Factory machineries in the industrial revolution are used for what?

a. production
b. manufacturing
c. skill learning

10. What is the focus of development in the post-industrial society?

a. communication
b. invention
c. education

11. During the post-industrial society, what is the basis of social mobility?
a. communication
b. invention
c. education

12. The following are political leaders and the highest social class in during the early civilizations except
for what?
a. Brahmin
b. Queen
c. Priest

13. Between Sumerians and Egyptians, who is their common member of social class?
a. workers
b. merchants
c. craftsman

14. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the cradle of civilization?

a. new cooking tools

b. complex religion
c. system of writing

15. Political leaders of the early civilization were also tasked to do the following except for?
a. conduct marriage
PCNHS – SHS QUARTER I
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY AND POLITICSMODULE 3 (PART
1&2)
b. collect taxes
d. implement laws