Yes, in general it is true that an important characteristic of civilization is economic activity, since without economic activity it is impossible to trade and grow the economy to the extent that people can develop new skills and trades.
<span>Overcrowding, garbage in the streets, sewage overflowing, disease like cholera rampant and high crime rates. </span>
The settlements served as 1. Trading posts 2. As central government centers
The settlements formed important commercial centers whereby the trading of good would be carried out. They were also used as administrative posts by the government to carry out its functions
could you give some context
A secular leader can be any leader that does not allow the church to interfere with the business of the country. Secularization is separating the church from the state, so a secular American leader can be pretty much anyone from recent history like Obama, or Bush, or Reagan, or even Kennedy who although sometimes attacked for his Catholicism, was still secular and did not mix his beliefs with the state.
