River valley civilisations
List the river valley civilisations
Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China
Who built the first city-states?
The sumerians.
Why was the Nile river Worshipped as a god?
Because it fertilized the land, was the main mean of transport and a source of fishing and hunting.
Describe the powers of the pharaoh (at least 4 characteristics).
He dictated the laws, ruled the country, controlled trade, owned most of the land, commanded the army, was considered a god, etc.
What type of religion did ancient Egypt worship?
Polytheistic
When and where writing was invented?
Mesopotamia, 3500 B. C.
Who founded the first Mesopotamian empire?
Around 2300 BC, the Akkadians, under King Sargon.
Who was the first pharaoh of both Upper and Lower Egypt?
Narmer
They enjoyed great social prestige just because their special skills.
Scribes
How were the Egyptian gods usually represented in art?
With a human body and an animal head.
Why did the rulers build monumental constructions?
The rulers built imposing buildings to demonstrate their power.
Who promulgated one of the first legal codes in history?
King Hammurabi, who founded the Babylonian Empire.
During what Kingdom were the pyramids of Giza?
Old Kingdom (3100-2050 BC)
What type of writing was used in Mesopotamia and Egypt?
Cuneiform (Mesopotamia) and Hyeroglyphic (Egypt)
Who was the god of mummy embalming?
Anubis
Name the three main features shared by river valley civilisations.
Monarchs with great political power, extremely hierarchical society and great architectural works.
Where did the Assyrian empire extend their conquests?
Egypt.
Two main characteristics of the Middle Kingdom (2050-1580 BC)
The power of the pharaoh increased.
There was also a great territorial expansion: Nubia, Lybia and Syria.
What made it possible to decipher hieroglyphics?
The discovery and decoding of the Rosetta stone.
Types of tombs in Ancient Egypt
Mastabas, pyramids and hypogeums.
Name the rivers asociated to each civilisation
Nile (Egypt), Euphrates and Tigirs (Mesopotamia), Indus (India), Huang-He (China)
Who defeated the Persian empire?
Alexander the Great in 334 BC
Who is the most famous female pharaoh of Egypt?
Hatshepsut
What is the Oldest Known Piece of Literature?
The Epic of Gilgamesh
What did Egyptians believe that after death their lives would be judged and measured in?
The heart was the key to the afterlife.