Part Introduction This part will cover the rise of the great civilizations of Asia, southern Europe, and the Americas and the major religions that arose with them. 1: Empires of India and China (600 B.C.−A.D. 550) 2: Ancient Greece (1750 B.C.−133 B.C.) 3: Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity (509 B.C.−A.D. 476) 4: Civilizations of the Americas (1400 B.C.−A.D. 1570)

Empires: Were built through conquest and ruled by emperors Were run by centralized bureaucracies Protected far-flung trade routes Built public works projects Sponsored the spread of religion In ancient times, cities and small countries combined to form empires.

Empires flourished in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The Maurya dynasty rose in India. Shi Huangdi unified eastern China. The Minoans and Mycenaeans preceded Greece. Under the Romans, Christianity emerged. The Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs appeared in America.

Empires of India and China (600 B.C.–A.D. 550.) Hindus hoped to achieve union with Brahman after being reincarnated, or reborn, many times. Empires in India and China spread Hinduism and Buddhism. Buddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, taught to avoid desire and to follow the Eightfold Path that led to nirvana, union with the universe. 4

Powerful empires ruled India. Chandragupta Maurya forged the first dynasty in 321 B.C.; his grandson Asoka converted to Buddhism, bringing peace and moral rule. India’s golden age was under the Gupta dynasty, which reunited India in A.D. 320. Caste rules governed every part of daily life.

The Chinese followed the teachings of Confucius and other philosophers. Hanfeizi taught Legalism, a belief that order came from strict laws and punishments. Confucius taught that harmony resulted from acceptance of one’s place in society, filial piety or respect for parents, concern for social order, and good government. Daoists opposed governments as unnatural and sought harmony with nature.

Shi Huangdi built the Great Wall. Under the Han, there were advances in government, trade, and technology. The Silk Road stretched for 4,000 miles, linking China and the Fertile Crescent. Shi Huangdi conquered the warring states of China after the fall of the Zhou dynasty, leading to the Han dynasty and China’s classical age.

Ancient Greece (1750 B.C.–A.D. 133.) The Mycenaeans replaced the Minoans; they are remembered for Homer’s epic poems and the Trojan War. It took time for the Greek city-states to unite after the fall of Mycenaean civilization. The seafaring Minoans from Crete traded throughout the Aegean; in around 1400 B.C. They disappeared.

On a hilltop stood the acropolis, or high city, with temples dedicated to the gods. On the lower ground stood the theater, public buildings, marketplace, and homes. After 750 B.C. the Greeks evolved a unique version of the city-state called the polis.

New forms of government developed. Power shifted from rule by a monarchy, to a land-owning aristocracy, and then to a small but powerful oligarchy from the business class. In Sparta, the military tradition left some women to run family estates, while Athens developed a direct democracy where a large number of men took part in the government.

The Greek city-states united to defeat Persia. Philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle developed new ideas about truth, reason, government, and justice. Greece set the standard for later cultures in art, architecture, drama, and poetry. The Greek city-states united to defeat Persia.

King Philip took control of all of Greece. His son Alexander conquered the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Hellenistic civilization combined Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian cultures. As the Greek city-states declined, the Hellenistic age began, led by Alexander of Macedonia.

Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity (509 B.C.–A.D. 476) Romans set up a republic. At first it was controlled by the patrician upper class, but later the plebeians or commoners could vote for senators. Rome began as a small city-state on the Tiber River.

This led to corruption and self-interest. In 31 B.C., Octavian came to power; he ushered in 500 years of the Roman empire. As Rome grew more powerful, wealth poured in. Octavian took the name Augustus and ruled as emperor with absolute power for 44 years.

Early Christians were persecuted, and seen as only a Jewish sect, but later Christianity became the religion of the empire. After Marcus Aurelius, Rome began a long decline. Rome itself was invaded in 476, but the empire split, surviving in the east as the Byzantine empire. Christianity arose with Jesus, who some saw as the messiah or savior.

Civilizations in the Americas (Prehistory–A.D. 1570) The first American civilization, the Olmec, lasted from 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C. It arose in the tropical forest along the Mexican Gulf Coast. The first nomadic hunters arrived in America about 10,000 years ago.

The Mayas cleared rainforest land in Central America. Society was divided into different social classes. Each city had its own ruling chief. There were pyramids and temples. The Maya had an advanced calendar and writing system.

The Aztecs conquered most of Mexico The Aztecs conquered most of Mexico. By 1500 their empire numbered over 30 million. The Aztecs gained wealth in tribute paid by conquered neighbors. A large priest class served their gods; one of their duties was to make sacrifices.

The emperor ruled a highly centralized government from the capital of Cuzco. There was an extensive and well-maintained system of roads. In the 1500s, civil war weakened the Incas, just as the Spanish were arriving. Around 1400 the Incas came out of the Andes to control an empire that stretched 2,000 miles.

North America had many different cultures. The Anasazi built large pueblos of stone and adobe bricks under tall cliffs. The Hopi and Pueblo Indians are their descendents. The mound builders of the Hopewell and later Mississippian cultures had extensive trade networks from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.

Variations in climate and resources led to great cultural diversity. The Inuit survived in the frozen tundra. In the Northwest, rich food sources allowed wealthy societies to emerge. In the Northeast the Iroquois groups formed the Five Nations. Member nations governed their own villages but met jointly in council to discuss larger issues.