1. Ancient Achievements:
Arts, Science & Infrastructure

2. What should I know about ancient achievements?
The priorities and cultural values of a civilization are reflected in their artistic and scientific achievements.
People TRANSFORM their culture through achievements that help them meet their needs and wants.

3. What should I know about ancient achievements?
The achievements of past civilizations continue to IMPACT and INFLUENCE the development of modern civilizations, like out own.
Primary sources provide historical perspective and first hand evidence of a civilization’s achievements and advancement.

4. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Art and literature reflect important cultural values such as:
religious beliefs
concepts of beauty
the importance of history
daily life

5. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Examples of how ancient art reflected RELIGIOUS BELIEFS include:
African masks
Greek & Roman temples and columns
Egyptian burial masks and tombs
Chines tombs & Terra Cotta soldiers
Indian Buddhist burial mounds

6. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Examples of how ancient art reflected concepts of beauty include:
The “Golden Age” of Greece – columns, statues, idealized human forms
Chinese crafts such as porcelain & silk

7. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Examples of how ancient art reflected the importance of history include:
Roman family history and records such as Roman busts and statues of ancestors & famous heroes
Egypt’s “Palette of Narmer” carved with the king’s battles and victories
Chinese crafts such as porcelain & silk were important to the economy

8. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Examples of how ancient art reflected the daily life include:
Roman family life such as wall paintings and mosaics at Pompeii.
Egypt’s tomb paintings
African jewelry

9. What should I know about ancient Art & Literature?
Literature expresses the most important aspects of its culture.
Examples of Literature in Ancient Civilizations:
Mesopotamia- The Epic of Gilgamesh
Greece- The Illiad, The Odessey, and Greek Philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

10. What should I know about ancient Science & Math?
Civilizations made advancements and developed inventions in medicine, math, astronomy and warfare to satisfy the need to improve their standard of living.

11. What should I know about ancient Science & Math?
1. Medicine: was used as a way to answer the questions of the unknown and bridge the gap between the gods and the real world.
Civilization Examples:
Islamic Empire -advanced surgeries, use of anesthesia, creation of medical encyclopedias
Rome -Galen studied and explained the circulatory and respiratory systems, importance of personal hygiene
India - Yoga developed to exercise the mind and body, wrote textbooks on the human body and cause of diseases
Egypt -advanced surgeries, treatment of wounds, understanding of diseases and herbal remedies

12. What should I know about ancient Science & Math?
2. Mathematics: was used to study relationships, patterns in life and
to calculate various aspects to perform tasks in every field.
Civilization Examples:
Mesopotamia - base-60 system used in time - 60 seconds/minute and in measurement - 360* in a circle. They also kept detailed records
Greece -Pythagoras studied the measurement of angles, Archimedes studied physics and the value of pi, Euclid studied and advanced the field of geometry
India - concept of zero, symbols for math operations
Egypt -standardized units of measurement
Islamic Empire -concepts of algebra, use of Arabic numerals still used today

13. What should I know about ancient Science & Math?
3. Astronomy: was used to observe and document changes in the world, Civilizations charted the stars, measured time, seasons and tracked natural phenomena. The measurement of time held both religious and practical uses.
Civilization Examples:
Egypt - tracking the solstices for growing seasons
India - heliocentric theory, understanding that the sun is a star
Maya - tracking constellations for growing seasons, ritual and solar calendars
Mesopotamia - tracking constellations for growing seasons
Islamic Empire - used to schedule religious festivals, determining latitude and longitude
China - followed a 12-month lunar calendar that was 365 days, tracked seasons with constellations

14. What should I know about ancient Science & Math?
4. Weaponry was used to advance the military and gain control over enemies and expand territory. Over time, many civilizations utilized metallurgy to create stronger weapons.
Civilization Examples:
China - invention of gunpowder, crossbow
Greece - phalanx fighting formation, trireme battleship
Rome - use of chariots, metallurgy: shields, swords, spears
Mesopotamia - use of bronze weapons, chariots

15. What should I know about Infrastructure ?
Infrastructure is the basic structures, facilities, and equipment a society needs to function and grow strong.
A society’s infrastructure is based upon its needs,, its geography, and its resources.

16. What should I know about Infrastructure ?
Types of Infrastructure & Where It Was Found:
Roads: Rome, the Inca’s
Bridges: Greece, Rome, China, the Inca’s
Canals: Mesopotamia, Aztecs, Egypt
Concrete: Rome
Water Systems: Rome, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley
Plumbing: Indus Valley