1. Protective Environment: The protective environment theory basically states that cultures expand because they are safe and their basic needs are all met. By safe, the geography around them helps them, not hurt them. An example of the geography helping is when a culture like China has the Pacific Ocean to the east of them. For thousands of years, the Pacific Ocean worked as a buffer so people could not sail over it and attack China.
An example of geography hurting a culture is in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia has two main rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. These rivers are unpredictable, meaning they flood at any time during the year, and the flood levels are never consistant. This means that people could be flooded and killed at any time. When a culture must worry about survival, they focus all of their energy on that, not advancing.
By basic needs, they are fed and protected from the environment. By well fed, there is plenty of food available. The possiblity of famine and crop destruction is very, very minimal. By protected, they are able to work with nature to their benefit. Egypt was like this because the Nile river was predictable. They could plant crops and harvest rather easily. This gave them more time on other hobbies and endeavors, which in turn helped them develop.
2. Survival: Survival is directly opposite of protective environment. Survival development states that a culture advances because the threat of death and destruction is alway lingering. If they don't adapt and get better, they will be attacked and dominated.
Even in the world today, many of our best advancements were created under stressfull times of war. Nuclear energy was a direct result of nuclear testing during WW II. Other minor advancements were made in the same way. Most of our inventions are made out of neccesity, not curiosity. In the ancient world example is Greece. The city-states of Greece were periodically at war with each other. The people of these Greek city-states had to develop weapons to defend themselves from their aggressive neighbors.
3. Combine: This theory is really a combination of the above theories. A society advances when it is safe, and also when it is defended well. It will not advance unless both parts are met. This theory is not used for classroom arguements. Typically, the development of a area into a civilization is very long.
4. No Real Reason: This theory basically says that societies will advance no matter what. Mankind is too intelligent to stay the same, or go backwards. Society will advance regardless of the circumstances or situation. It is their destiny
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