3. The first civilisations
What are the people in this painting doing?
What other economic activities did people in the first civilisations do?
4. Mesopotamia
Name three Mesopotamian kingdoms.
Why did Mesopotamian civilisation emerge in this region?
5. The history of Mesopotamia
What do you know about the Sumerians?
How did Sumerian rule end?
6. Life and culture in Mesopotamia
Where did Mesopotamian people live?
What activities are the Mesopotamian people in the image doing?
7. Mesopotamian society
Which social groups appear in each level of the painting?
What do you think life was like for each of these social groups?
8. Religion
What can you see in the image?
What were the religious beliefs of the Mesopotamians?
9. Architecture and art
Describe what you see in the image?
What other types of buildings did the Mespotamians build?
10. Ancient Egypt
Why was the Nile so important for Ancient Egyptians?
What were the differences between Upper and Lower Egypt?
11. Ancient Egyptian history
What did the Ancient Egyptians use pyramids for?
In which period of Ancient Egyptian history were the Giza pyramids built?
12. Ancient Egyptian history
In which period of Ancient Egyptian history did Ramesses III rule?
What were the characteristics of this period?
13. Life and culture in Ancient Egypt
What activities are the people in the image doing?
Which different social groups can you see in the image?
14. Women in Ancient Egypt
What rights did Ancient Egyptian women have?
Which social group do you think the women in the image belonged to?
15. Architecture and art
Which parts of the temple can you see in this image?
What was the function of each of these parts?
16. What have we learned?
The birth of
the first
civilisations
The birth of
the first
civilisations
The first cities and two great civilisations
emerged: Egypt and Mesopotamia
The institutions of government and public
administration appeared
Mesopotamia
It developed beside the rivers Tigris and Euphrates
Formed by the regions of: Assyria, Akkad, Sumer
Society: the king, and his family, the ruling caste, other free people and slaves
They were polytheists and believed in life after death
They built palaces, temples and ziggurats with adobe
17. What have we learned?
EEggyypptt
It grew up beside the River Nile
History: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom and the Late
Period
They worked in agriculture, livestock, craftwork and trade
Society: the pharaoh (god and king at the same time), the ruling caste, other free
people and slaves
They were polytheists and believed in life after death
They constructed temples and tombs (mastabas, pyramids and hypogea)
Editor's Notes
Suggested questions and discussion starters:
Which country do you think these sculptures are from?
Who do you think the man on the left was?
How long ago do you think these sculptures were produced?
What other things did Ancient Egypt build or make?
