Ancient Civilizations Flashcards
Where is Mesopotamia located?
Between Tigris and Euphrates
What is Mesopotamia known as?
Cradle of Civilization
Why was Mesopotamia ideal for agriculture?
Fertile land from river flooding
Who were the Sumerians?
Earliest known civilization
Around what year were the Sumerians active?
3500 BCE
What city-states did the Sumerians develop?
Ur, Uruk, Lagash
Who founded the Akkadian Empire?
Sargon of Akkad
When was the Akkadian Empire founded?
around 2334 BCE
What is the significance of the Babylonian Empire?
Hammurabi’s law code
Who was the king of the Babylonian Empire?
King Hammurabi
What system of writing was invented?
Cuneiform
What did cuneiform begin as?
Pictographs
What number system did Mesopotamians develop?
Base-60
Why do we have 60 seconds in a minute?
Base-60 number system
How many degrees are in a circle according to the Mesopotamian system?
360 degrees
What type of beliefs did they follow?
Polytheistic
Name a god associated with the sky.
Anu
What were ziggurats?
Religious centers
What did ziggurats connect?
Heavens and earth
What is the Code of Hammurabi?
Legal code
What principle did the law code establish?
An eye for an eye
What aspects of daily life did the law code cover?
Property rights, family law, trade
What are the levels of the social hierarchy?
Nobles, commoners, slaves
Who were at the top of the social hierarchy?
Priests and kings
What technological innovation was developed for agriculture?
Irrigation systems
What flooding issue did irrigation systems control?
River flooding
What metal was used for tools and weapons in Mesopotamia?
Bronze
What significant invention is attributed to Mesopotamia?
The wheel
What agricultural tools did Mesopotamians develop?
Early plows
Which groups frequently invaded Mesopotamia?
Assyrians, Persians, Alexander
What advancements from Mesopotamia influenced later civilizations?
Writing, law, urbanization
Where is Ancient Egypt located?
Along the Nile River
What created fertile land for agriculture in Ancient Egypt?
Predictable flooding
What are the two divisions of Ancient Egypt?
Upper and Lower Egypt
What period is known as the ‘Age of the Pyramids’?
Old Kingdom
When did the Old Kingdom occur?
c. 2686–2181 BCE
What was marked by a strong centralized monarchy?
Old Kingdom
What significant construction occurred during the Old Kingdom?
Great Pyramids at Giza
What period is known as the Middle Kingdom?
c. 2055–1650 BCE
What characterizes the Middle Kingdom?
Reunification, prosperity
What was the New Kingdom period?
c. 1550–1070 BCE
What is referred to as the ‘Imperial Age’?
New Kingdom
What were Pharaohs considered?
Kings and gods
What significant construction occurred during the New Kingdom?
Karnak and Abu Simbel
Who was Ramses II?
Great military leader and builder
Who was Hatshepsut?
Female pharaoh who expanded trade
What is Tutankhamun known for?
Intact tomb discovered
What type of government did ancient Egypt have?
Highly centralized theocracy
What was the role of the pharaoh?
Held ultimate power
What did ancient Egyptians practice for the afterlife?
Mummification
Who were some major gods worshiped in ancient Egypt?
Ra, Osiris, Isis
What is the purpose of the ‘Book of the Dead’?
Navigate the afterlife
What writing system did ancient Egyptians develop?
Hieroglyphics
What are some monumental structures known from ancient Egypt?
Pyramids, temples, obelisks
What medical advancements did ancient Egyptians achieve?
Early medicine and surgery
What calendar system did ancient Egyptians develop?
Lunar and solar cycles
What is the hierarchy of the ancient Egyptian society?
Pharaoh, nobles, priests, scribes, artisans, peasants
What were the main crops in the ancient Egyptian economy?
Wheat and barley
What resources did ancient Egypt trade for?
Gold, ivory, cedar wood
Which regions did ancient Egypt engage in extensive trade with?
Nubia and Levant
How did ancient Egypt expand its influence?
Military conquests
During which period did Egypt notably expand its influence?
New Kingdom
Who did the Egyptians fight against?
Hittites and Nubians
What marked the decline of Egypt?
Internal strife and invasions
Who conquered Egypt after its decline?
Alexander the Great and Rome
What is one cultural impact of ancient Egypt?
Art and architecture
What preserves information about ancient Egyptian culture?
Archaeological remains
Where was the Indus Valley Civilization located?
Northwestern South Asia
What are the two most well-known cities of the Indus Valley Civilization?
Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
What years did the Indus Valley Civilization flourish?
2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
During what phase did the Indus Valley Civilization reach its peak?
Mature Harappan phase
What caused the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?
Climate change, river drying
What was notable about the city layout in urban planning?
grid-pattern streets, drainage
What standard building material was used for houses?
fired-brick
Name a large public work feature in Mohenjo-Daro.
Great Bath
What indicates a complex social structure in public works?
granaries, assembly halls
What crops were grown?
Wheat, barley, peas, cotton
What advanced technique was used in agriculture?
Irrigation
Which distant region was engaged in trade?
Mesopotamia
What goods were traded?
Beads, metals, pottery, textiles
What type of society is suggested?
Egalitarian
What does the society lack evidence of?
Powerful ruling class
What crafts were highly skilled?
Bead-making, metallurgy, pottery, textiles
What is the status of the Indus script?
Undeciphered
How many symbols does the Indus script consist of?
Over 400
Where has the Indus script been found?
Seals, pottery, artifacts
What was a primary use of seals in the Indus Valley?
Identification and trade
What did seals feature?
Animals, script, patterns
What type of early religion is indicated in the Indus Valley?
Early forms of Hinduism
What animal was worshiped in the Indus Valley?
Bull
What figure is possibly associated with early Indus religion?
Mother goddess
