Cuyahoga Valley Civilization
As a recent import into the US from the Indus Valley Civilization (2600-1900 BC) area , I was wondering whether the lessons from ancient river valley civilizations can be used to analyze the rise and fall of Cuyahoga Valley Civilization (Read Cleveland in particular). The ancient river valley civilizations where the first forms of organized settlement in the homo sapien history, harnassed benefits of river for transportation, trade and attracting new people and enlarge the settlements. Apart from organizing agriculture the ancient river valley civilizations is where the metal forming took root ( The story sounds too familiat to Cleveland) and the metals were used to strengthen the civilization's power, they also developed arts, literature and laid the foundation for modern science. Alas, but all the ancient civilizations collapsed undertheir own weight.
Cleveland reflects the characterisics of ancient river valley civilizations, therefore it begs the question "is decay inevitable"?
Probably, modern river valley civiizations will not go away , because of increased collective memory, but continue beyond their heydays with the benefit of reflected glory of their past. There is no precedent of river valley civilizations regaining the past glory, but those where the days without Tax Abatements and Economic Development Organizations. So there is a strong need to ask what is the common thread in the DNA of river valley civilizations and how it can be maipulated using modern knowledge, to return to former glory.
Any Comments ?
Comments
But continue beyond their heydays with the benefit of reflected glory of their past.