Early Civilizations
Near what natural feature did the first civilizations appear?
Near large rivers
What does "Mesopotamia" mean?
"in the middle of rivers"
What did the floods of the Nile leave behind?
Fertile black mud
Were Mesopotamians and Egyptians monotheistic or polytheistic?
Polytheistic
Name two river civilizations
Any two: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China
What rivers (2) were important in Mesopotamia
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Name one important Mesopotamian city-state
Ur or Uruk
Who unified Upper and Lower Egypt?
Menes
Who was the main Egyptian sun god?
Ra (or Amun-Ra)
Which writing system belonged to Egypt
Hieroglyphic writing
What river was essential for Ancient Egypt?
Nile River
What was the first large empire in Mesopotamia?
Akkadian Empire
What were the three main stages of Egyptian history?
Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom
Which Egyptian god judged people after death?
Osiris
Which civilization invented cuneiform writing?
Mesopotamia
Why was writing important in early civilizations?
It helped record taxes, trade, and population information
What were Mesopotamian temples called?
What time were the pyramids of Giza built during?
The Old Kingdom
Why did Egyptians mummify bodies?
To preserve them for the afterlife
Explain why rivers were important for civilizations
Rivers provided water, fertile land, food, transport, and helped agriculture grow
What were the first two types of writing?
Cuneiform and hieroglyphic writing
Name one important invention in Mesopotamian architecture
Arch or vault
Name one famous pharaoh from the New Kingdom
Akhenaten or Ramses II
Name three types of Egyptian tombs
Mastabas, pyramids, and hypogea
Compare Mesopotamia and Egypt. Give ONE similarity and ONE difference.
Possible Answer: