Ancient World History Recap Mr. Webster’s Class

Ancient World History Textbook Assignment For this assignment, I have paired you into small groups where you must read through a designated section of your textbook and present your findings to the class. Each group should mention the major points of the section you have been assigned (without going into too much detail). Your group should also create and present some sort of visual aid and/or script that complements your findings. Each person in the group needs to participate in both the research and presentation portion of the assignment.

Ancient World History Textbook Assignment This assignment will be worth 20 points, and I will be grading will be as follows: Accuracy of Content – 5 points Creativity of Presentation / Visual Aid – 5 points Participation – 5 points Presentation Notes – 5 points *** Please note that during presentations, each student will be taking notes at his/her desk. ***

Prehistory About 5,000 years ago, people in different parts of the world began keeping written records. The invention and use of writing marked the beginning of recorded history. The long period of time before people invented writing is known as prehistory.

The Paleolithic and Neolithic Periods Scholars have divided prehistory into two different eras. They call the long period from at least 2 million B.C. to about 10,000 B.C. the Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic Period. They refer to the period from about 10,000 B.C. to the end of prehistory as the New Stone Age, or Neolithic Period.

Homo Sapiens Scientists generally agree that homo sapiens, the group to which modern humans belong, emerged between 100,000 to 250,000 years ago. Early modern humans were nomads, or people who moved from place to place to find food. At some point, early modern humans developed spoken language, which allowed them to better cooperate with each other.

The Neolithic Period The Neolithic Period began around 10,000 B.C., when humans learned to farm. Farming allowed people to remain in one place throughout the year. These early farmers were the first humans to domesticate plants and animals. Most ancient people were polytheistic, believing in many gods.

Sumer A civilization is a complex, highly organized social order. It is generally agreed that Sumer was the world’s first civilization, emerging around 3300 B.C. Sumer was located in southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). Sumerians invented the earliest known writing, known as cuneiform.

Babylon In time, the Sumerian civilization was conquered and went into decline. Around 1790 B.C., Hammurabi, king of Babylon, brought much of Mesopotamia under his control. Hammurabi’s most lasting contribution was his publication of a set of laws known as Hammurabi’s Code.

Persian Empire In 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Persian armies of Cyrus the Great. In its day, the Persian Empire was the largest empire the world had yet seen. Darius I, Persian emperor from 522 B.C. to 486 B.C., created an early form of money economy by encouraging the use of coins.

Phoenicians The Phoenicians were a civilization that occupied a string a cities along an area that is now Lebanon and Syria. The Phoenicians gained fame as both sailors and traders, and they traded with people all around the Mediterranean. One of the most significant contributions by the Phoenicians was their alphabet.

Egypt The civilization of ancient Egypt developed along the Nile River. Egyptian kings were known as pharaohs, and Egyptians believed each pharaoh was a god. Egyptians believed in an afterlife, and built pyramids to serve as tombs for their dead rulers. The Egyptians also built the world’s first monumental sculpture, the Great Sphinx.

Israelites The Israelites differed from other ancient peoples in that they were monotheistic, believing in one God. They recorded events and laws in the Torah, their most sacred text. Abraham is considered the father of the Israelite people. King David united the Israelites into a single nation, although they would eventually be conquered by more powerful peoples.

Hinduism and Buddhism Hinduism and Buddhism both emerged in ancient India. Hinduism grew out of the overlapping beliefs of the diverse groups who settled India. Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One.” Missionaries and merchants spread Buddhism throughout Asia.

Ancient China Chinese civilization developed around its network of rivers. Confucianism emerged in China around 500 B.C, and is based on the teachings of Confucius. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, oversaw construction of the Great Wall of China, and was buried alongside his Terracotta Army. The ancient Chinese were also the first people to make silk.

Ancient Greece Greek civilization developed around many small city-states, cut off from one another by mountains or water. In 338 B.C., King Philip II of Macedonia brought all of Greece under his control. It was under the leadership of Alexander (Philip’s son) that the Greek Empire reached its greatest extent.

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. Alexander was never defeated in battle and is widely considered one of history’s most successful commanders. Alexander’s most lasting achievement was the spread of Greek culture throughout his empire.

The First Americans Most scholars believe the first people arrived in the Americas around 12,000 years ago. It is generally agreed that the first Americans came from Asia and entered through Alaska. During the Ice Age, enormous amounts of water froze into thick ice sheets that the sea level dropped and exposed a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska.

Mesoamerica The earliest civilizations in the Americas developed in Mesoamerica (present-day Mexico and Central America). In Mesoamerica, the most important crop was maize, or corn. The first American civilization was that of the Olmecs, who resided in present-day Mexico from about 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C.

Native American Empires Mayan civilization flourished from around 250 to 900, and the Mayans are still remembered for their calendar and numeric system. The Aztec Empire originated in 1325 with the founding of the their capital city, Tenochtitlan (present- day Mexico City). The most power civilization in South America was that of the Inca, whose capital city was Cuzco.