The document discusses early civilizations and their political, social, and economic characteristics. It notes that the earliest civilizations developed along river valleys in Mesopotamia and Egypt due to water and fertile soil for agriculture. It discusses important finds like the Rosetta Stone that helped scholars translate hieroglyphics. Political structures included hereditary rulers like dynasties and kings. Economically, metal tools and trade increased surpluses and specialization. Early states organized the first governments and legal codes.

2. 1. Where are the earliest civilizations located?
2. When did these early civilizations exist?
3. Why did ancient civilizations develop in river
valleys?
4. List 3 major river valley civilizations.
5. Name the two rivers that are in Mesopotamia?

4.  In 1799, Napoleon’s army
found the Rosetta Stone.
 The Rosetta stone is a stone
slab that translated
Hieroglyphics into Greek
 Scholars were able to
translate prayers, hymns,
magic formulas, and
records.

5. Political, Social, Economic

7.  Heredity of Rulers
 Dynasties (China,
Egypt)
 Generations of the same
family rule over a single
territory
 Kings (Mesopotamia)
 One supreme ruler.
 Pharaohs (Egypt)
 A divine ruler. Part God.

10.  Use of metal (bronze then iron) for tools and weapons
made work and hunting more efficient.
 Metal can be sold, traded, used to create a surpluses.

11.  The invention of tools like plows and irrigation led to
an agricultural surplus.

12.  Increased trade along rivers and seas (Phoenicians)

15.  World’s first states
 City-States
 Kingdoms
 Empires
 Can also be considered
an economic pattern.

16.  Centralized government
 Often based on religious authority (Social too!)

17.  Written Law Codes
 10 Commandments (Hebrews)
 Hammurabi’s Code (Mesopotamia)

18.  With a partner, read the 10
commandments and
Hammurabi’s Code.
 Look for similarities and
differences.
 Write a paragraph stating
whether or not you believe
that Moses was inspired by
Hammurabi (site evidence)