1. Civilizations through the Classical Period
First Wave—River Valley
Second Wave—Roman, Persian, Indian, Chinese
Third Wave—Arab, Mongol and Inca

2. Continuties Monarchs continued to rule most of the new civilizations
Men continued to dominate women
A sharp divide between the elite and everyone else persisted almost everywhere as did the practice of slavery
No technological breakthrough such as the Neolithic Revolution occurred as landowning elites had little incentive to innovate, for they benefited enormously from taking the surplus that the peasant farmers produced
Nor would peasant farmers have any reason to invest effort in creating new forms of production when they knew full well that any gains they might generate would be seized by their social superiors.
Merchants, who were often the risk takers, might have encouraged innovations but they were dominated by powerful states and were viewed with suspicion and condescension by the more prestigious social groups.

3. Changes Population grew
Growing size of states or empires that structured civilizations dwarfed the city-states of Mesopotamia
Rise and fall of empires represented changes to the people who experienced them
Great philosophical and religious systems emerged
China was source of technological change which flowed to the West
Bellows, silk-handling machinery, wheelbarrow, better harness for draft animals, crossbow, iron casting, gunpowder, magnetic compass, paper, printer, porcelain
India pioneered the crystallization of sugar and techniques for manufacturing of cotton textiles
Roman achievements in construction and engineering as well as glass-blowing
More dense and widespread networks of communication and exchange connected many of the world’s people
Long-distance trade routes represented trans-regional interaction exchanged goods as well as ideas [religion]
Spread of diseases

5. Forced Migration of Jews Created Diaspora Communities