The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-05-28
CHAPTER X.
LOWER CIVILIZATION.
Lower or hand-tool age.

The lower age of civilization begins with the an
pearance OF the phonetic alphabet evolved
cut OF herogypos used by the Babylonians and Httes
as early two thousand years B. C*) It was further
developed and made practical by the Phoenicians
IN their commercial relations with other nations The
alphabet evolved in response to commercial neces
slty 1t was the logical outgrowth of the commercial de-
mand Tor accurate means of communication and record
OF business transactions The Phoencans were one Of thn
tlst great maritime powers of the world and therefore
IN the greatest need of written communications
The tools in general were but an evolution of those
used In upper barbsrism and met the reouiremtnts Of
the Industrial needs Of that age 1t was during this age
that the water wheel as source of power was first
developed, by the Greeks in the time of Hesod Chm
powder made its appearance about the year 600 A. D.
IN China but was suppressed account of its great
destuctVlty 1t was invented in Europe about two hun
dred years later The fire was the logical result Of
the Invention Of gunpowder This weapon has plaved
prominent part in the making of history
Steel was developed to high degree of perfection
IN damascus, due to- the liberation Of slaves under the
Solonlc Law. In preSoonc days the slave having mo
nope in the world did not mingle his thought with his
abor with the result that industry did not keep pace
with the MILITARY needs Of the master in repeng bar
Daan INVASION IL was agreed among the rulers of the
primitive empires of Italy, Greece Rome and Egypt
that higher technical skill in the industrial arts was
needed 1t was Socn who suggested the idea of berat
tiS d cerIan pOftrOn on the slaves and giving them
limited privileges based upon the degree of perfection
IN the industrial arts attained by them***)
Out of the Solonic Law evolved the primitive labor
union that became the ckbone of Ancient Civilizations
Damascus steel was direct product of the unions
operating under the Solonic Law*s'D
1t is customary with writer's on the economic inter
probation of history to place the beginning of civilization
at the time Of the appearance of the alphabet
zatlon at the time Of the appearance of the alphabet
Civilization really began with the inauguration of the
Soonc Law. 1t is this law that gave to the masters
form in which they could use their economic power to
coerce not only the physical but also the mental re-
sources OF their slaves. Physical violence can drive
slave to his task but required another form to make him
think about the Improvement of his task This was found
in the system of rewards and mmunites under the So
Ionic Law
Transportation in lower civilization was slight
Improvement that of upper barbarism especially
in water transportation The bremes and trremes now
supplanted the fomer slavepropeed galeys the only
difference being i'm the number of slaves and oars
The subsistence shelter and clothing of lower civil
zaton practically the same as in the age of upper
barbarsm. There few additional fabrics and con-
vences due TO the further development of the tools of
production.
Aryan man, during the age of lower civilization ex
tended his range from the Himalayas to Iceland, from