Ancient Mesopotamia
Ancient Egypt & Kush
Ancient India & China
Ancient Greece & Rome
World Religions
100
The name "Mesopotamia" means "land between" these two rivers.
What are the Tigris and Euphrates?
100
This river flooded every year, leaving behind rich, fertile soil that allowed Egyptian civilization to thrive.
What is the Nile River?
100
The earliest Indian civilization developed along this river in present-day Pakistan.
What is the Indus River?
100
Athens is credited with creating this form of government in which citizens could vote directly on laws and policies.
What is democracy (direct democracy)?
100
This religion, founded by Siddhartha Gautama in ancient India, teaches that following the Eightfold Path leads to the end of suffering.
What is Buddhism?
200
This wedge-shaped writing system was developed by the Sumerians and is one of the earliest forms of writing.
What is cuneiform?
200
This Egyptian writing system used thousands of picture and sound symbols carved into temples and monuments.
What are hieroglyphics?
200
This rigid social class system in ancient India divided people into groups based on birth, with the Brahmins (priests) at the top.
What is the caste system?
200
This military-focused Greek city-state was known for its warrior culture and was Athens' main rival.
What is Sparta?
200
This ancient religion of India includes beliefs in karma, dharma, and reincarnation and is one of the oldest religions still practiced today.
What is Hinduism?
300
This Babylonian king created one of the first written sets of laws, which were carved into a large stone pillar.
Who is Hammurabi?
300
Around 3100 BCE, this king united Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom.
Who is Narmer (also accepted: Menes)?
300
This Chinese emperor ordered the construction of a massive wall to keep out northern invaders, and he unified weights, measures, and writing across China.
Who is Qin Shi Huang (Shi Huangdi)?
300
This Macedonian conqueror spread Greek culture across a vast empire stretching from Egypt to India by the age of 30.
Who is Alexander the Great?
300
This monotheistic religion, one of the oldest in the world, traces its origins to Abraham and the covenant with God. Its teachings are found in the Torah.
What is Judaism?
400
These massive, stepped temple towers were the center of religious life in Sumerian city-states.
What are ziggurats?
400
This African kingdom south of Egypt along the Nile eventually conquered Egypt around 700 BCE before being pushed out by the Assyrians.
What is Kush (Nubia)?
400
This ancient trade route connected China to the Mediterranean, allowing the exchange of goods like silk, spices, and ideas across thousands of miles.
What is the Silk Road?
400
This roughly 200-year period of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire began under Emperor Augustus.
What is the Pax Romana?
400
This religion began in the Roman province of Judea, based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, and eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
What is Christianity?
500
This region of Mesopotamia, shaped like a crescent moon, was known for its rich soil and is sometimes called the "cradle of civilization."
What is the Fertile Crescent?
500
This reed plant that grew along the Nile was used by Egyptians to make an early form of paper, as well as baskets, sandals, and rafts.
What is papyrus?
500
This Chinese dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) expanded trade along the Silk Road, improved government through a civil service exam, and invented paper.
What is the Han Dynasty?
500
Rome's government changed from a monarchy to this type of government, in which elected officials called senators and consuls represented the people.
What is a republic?
500
This Chinese philosophy, based on the teachings of Kongzi (Master Kong), emphasized respect for elders, family loyalty, and proper behavior to create social harmony.
What is Confucianism?