Rivers & Geography
Why did many of the world's earliest civilizations settle close to rivers?
Rivers provided water and fertile soil that helped people grow crops.
What does monotheism mean?
Belief in one God
What religion developed in ancient India and remains closely connected to Indian civilization?
Hinduism
What type of writing system did the Sumerians develop?
Cuneiform
What major change allowed humans to stop constantly moving in search of food and begin living in one place?
Farming/agriculture.
Name the major river associated with Ancient Egypt.
The Nile River.
What does polytheism mean?
Belief in many gods.
What religious practice involving deceased family members was important in early Chinese society?
Ancestor worship
Which ancient ruler is connected to a famous written set of laws and punishments?
Hammurabi
What major historical change led people to establish permanent settlements?
The Neolithic Revolution
What important geographic feature did Mesopotamia and Egypt have in common that helped both farming and trade?
Both developed near major rivers.
Were Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians generally monotheistic or polytheistic?
Polytheistic.
What feature of Indus River Valley cities shows that they were carefully planned?
Their planned cities and drainage systems.
What was the main purpose of Hammurabi's Code in Babylonian society?
To establish laws and penalties for people who broke them.
As Jewish communities moved into different regions during the Diaspora, what happened to their religious beliefs?
Jewish beliefs spread to different regions.
How was the flooding of the Nile different from the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates?
The Nile flooded more predictably.
Why is Abraham important to the history of the Hebrew people and monotheism?
He is considered a leader/patriarch of the Hebrew people.
How did mountains and other natural barriers affect Ancient China's development?
They helped isolate China from other civilizations.
The Persian Empire was extremely large. What officials governed its different provinces?
Satraps
What important religious idea introduced by the Hebrews influenced later belief systems?
Ethical monotheism
The Huang He and Indus Rivers helped two different civilizations develop. What major benefit did both rivers provide?
They supported agriculture and the growth of early civilizations.
What major religious idea connects Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?
Belief in one God
Besides exchanging physical products, what else could spread between India and China along ancient trade routes?
Ideas and culture
Explain how dividing Persia into provinces helped Persian rulers control such a large empire.
Provinces allowed local officials, called satraps, to govern different areas for the central ruler.
Chinese rulers claimed they had divine approval to rule. What was this idea called?
What is the Mandate of Heaven?