SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE SIX – ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS Archaeology Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Prehistory v. History Fertile Crescent Geography Content Vocabulary: prehistory history archaeology hunter-gatherers oral tradition civilization social class polytheism code cuneiform Hammurabi empire fertile Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia nomads artisans skilled workers slavery History Effect of Physical Geography on Growth of Ancient Civilizations Ancient Civilizations Hunter- gatherers Economics How Did Ancient Peoples Develop Economic Systems? Social classes Government Barter and trade Culture Hammurabi Cuneiform Polytheism How Did Ancient Peoples Develop Systems of Government? Essential Understandings/Learning Goals: Agriculture played a significant role in the change from hunter-gatherer communities to settled communities. The natural environment of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers shaped the early development of civilization. Writing developed as people needed permanent ways to record communications. Early people developed economic systems as they started to trade with other communities. Technology improved the lives of people in early civilizations. Early people developed government to protect and take care of the people in their communities. Civilizations developed as people created a stable food supply, specialized labor, government, social levels, and culture.