1. Gallery Walk Directions
Look at information from the 4 empires you did not work on
Take notes (brief, to the point, bullets) on:
Leader (Head) – list each and 1 achievement
Art, Architecture, Tech Advances (hands) – 3 achievements
Choose 2 other topics – 1 achievement from each
Notes will be collected as a quiz grade

2. Classical Civilizations
Basic Introduction

4. Persia In the Fertile Crescent - 539 BC to 465 BC
Generally, rulers showed tolerance toward conquered peoples as they expanded the empire.
Darius created economic links in the empire by using a single coinage, common weights and measures and a money economy.

6. Alexander the Great
able to conquer Persia because Persia was no longer a great power
encouraged blending Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern cultures
greatest achievement = spreading Greek culture into the new areas and cities

8. The Roman Empire
Caesar’s conquest of Gaul and gaining land for the Roman Republic led him to challenge the Senate.
Roman Roads carried culture, ideas, messengers, and officials throughout the empire.
Emperors try to prevent decline by: moving the capital to Constantinople, making people stay in the same jobs as their fathers, and dividing the empire.

10. The Han Dynasty
Shi Huangdi unified China by imposing strict laws, burning books, giving land to peasants, and creating a system of weights and measures
Peasant revolts over taxes and debt led to the overthrow of the emperor and dynasty
Any Chinese person could take the Civil Service Exam but mostly the wealthy could afford the required schooling.
Han China technology included: scientific texts, paper made from wood pulp, and suspension bridges

12. The Gupta Empire
Chandragupta Maurya created a bureaucracy to accomplish government tasks
Women had much freedom at the beginning of the empire and few rights and many restrictions at the end
Gupta cultural achievements included religious schools and the system of numerals used today

13. They all fall down ….
Persians- weak leadership leads to Alexander the Great taking over
Alexander the Great – weak leadership after Alexander’s death leads to dividing the empire into 3 parts
Rome – Fell into disrepair and native groups began to take control of their lands again
Gupta – overthrown after years of weak rulers, civil war, and foreign invaders
Han – peasant revolts overthrew leaders after years of poor rule, high taxes, and disrepair

14. What do the declines of the empires have in common
What do the declines of the empires have in common? Why do you think this was the case?
Do you think the size of the empire played a role in its ultimate downfall? Why or why not?