The First Civilizations
Culture & Civilization in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian Society
Politics & Society in Egypt
Egyptian Culture
100
Who was the most powerful person in river civilizations?
the king
100
What was writing in Mesopotamia called?
cuneiform writing
100
Who were the privileged groups in Mesopotamian society?
The aristocracy, priests, and civil servants
100
What were the two capital cities in Egypt?
Memphis and Thebes
100
What does 'polytheistic' mean?
to worship many gods
200
When did writing appear?
over 5000 years ago
200
What were ziggurats?
Stepped pyramids used as temples
200
Who controlled religious rituals?
Priests
200
What happened to the Nile River every year?
It rose and flooded the area, leaving fertile lands.
200
Name (3) important Egyptian gods.
the Sun (Ra, Amun, or Atum); Isis; Osiris; Horus
300
The first great civilizations appeared around what geographical features?
Rivers
300
What is the meaning of the word 'Mesopotamia'?
Between rivers
300
Which group wasn't free and had no rights?
Slaves
300
What did pharaohs do?
They passed laws, ruled the country, owned most of the land, controlled trade and lead the armies.
300
What where three types of tombs in Ancient Egypt?
mastaba, pyramid, and hypogeum
400
How was society organized in the river civilizations?
It was hierarchical, or divided in distinct groups.
400
What elements and materials were commonly used in Mesopotamian architecture?
arches, vaults, and adobe
400
Who owned most of the land and occupied the highest government positions?
The aristocracy
400
What rights did women have in Ancient Egypt that other women in Antiquity did not have?
They could inherit and own property and get divorced.
400
What was most Egyptian art related to? Where was it found?
Most art had a religious meaning and found in temples and tombs.
500
Name the civilizations that grew around these rivers: the Indus River; the Yellow and Blue Rivers; the Tigris and Euphrates; and the Nile River.
Indus River - India; the Yellow and Blue Rivers - China; the Tigris and Euphrates - Mesopotamia; and the Nile River - Egypt
500
Who attended schools? Who was prohibited from attending school?
Scribes, scholars, scientists, and theologians attended school. Girls were prohibited from attending school.
500
Name some special tasks that civil servants could do (4).
Read, write, count, register laws, and do commercial transactions
500
Name (3) pharaohs of the New Kingdom of Egypt.
Thutmose I, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Ramesses II
500
DAILY DOUBLE How did the Egyptians prepare their dead for the afterlife?
A dead body was dried to make a mummy, which was put in a sarcophagus. Then the sarcophagus was put into a tomb with the necessary things for the afterlife, like food, jewels, or statues of servants.
M
e
n
u