The document provides an overview of early river valley civilizations between 3500 BC and 450 BC, including: 1) River valley civilizations like those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China developed advanced societies with centralized governments, writing systems, and technologies due to challenges of living near rivers. 2) In Mesopotamia, Sumerian city-states organized along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to overcome flooding and defend themselves, influencing later civilizations. Along the Nile, Egyptian civilization united under pharaohs who ruled as gods. 3) The Indus Valley developed planned cities with sophisticated sewage, while river dynasties

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CHAPTER
Early River Valley
2 Civilizations, 3500 B.C.–450 B.C.
Chapter Overview
Time Line
MAP SECTION 1 City-States in Mesopotamia
SECTION 2 Pyramids on the Nile
SECTION 3 Planned Cities on the Indus
SECTION 4 River Dynasties in China
Visual Summary

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CHAPTER
Early River Valley
2 Civilizations, 3500 B.C.–450 B.C.
Chapter Overview
The river valley civilizations develop from
small farming villages. The civilizations
create laws, centralized governments,
writing systems, and advanced
technologies. The process of trade
spreads new ideas to and from these
civilizations.

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CHAPTER
Early River Valley
2 Civilizations, 3500 B.C.–450 B.C.
Time Line
3000 B.C. City-states form in 1792 B.C. Hammurabi 1027 B.C. Zhou
Sumer, Mesopotamia. develops code of laws for dynasty forms in
Babylonian Empire. China.
3500 B.C. 450 B.C.
2660 B.C. Egypt’s Old 1550 B.C. Indus
Kingdom develops. Valley civilization
declines.

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1 City-States in
Mesopotamia
MAP
Key Idea
Working together to overcome environmental
challenges leads to the development of
centralized government and cities in
Mesopotamia. The Sumerian civilization
influences later civilizations.
Overview Assessment

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1 City-States in
Mesopotamia
MAP
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • Fertile Crescent
• silt
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • irrigation
The earliest
The development of this • city-state
civilization in Asia
civilization reflects a
arose in • dynasty
pattern that has
Mesopotamia and
occurred repeatedly • cultural diffusion
organized into city-
throughout history.
states. • polytheism
• empire
• Hammurabi
Assessment

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1 City-States in
Mesopotamia
MAP
Section 1 Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your
thoughts. List three environmental challenges the
Sumerians faced and their solutions to these
challenges.
Challenges Solution
unpredictable flooding irrigation
defenselessness walled cities
limited resources trade
continued . . .

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1 City-States in
Mesopotamia
MAP
Section 1 Assessment
2. What advantages did living in cities offer the people
of ancient Mesopotamia? Do modern cities offer any
of the same advantages? THINK ABOUT
• characteristics of Sumer’s city-states
• characteristics of Sumer’s economy and society
• development of organized government
ANSWER
Possible Opportunity for wealth; diversity of work available;
Responses: government that promotes laws, manages
economy, and provides assistance; better housing;
city walls and armies for protection; proximity to
temple; more social contact. Cities today offer many
continued . . .
of these advantages.

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1 City-States in
Mesopotamia
MAP
Section 1 Assessment
3. Do you think that living in a river valley with
little rainfall helped or hurt the development of
civilization in Mesopotamia? Explain your
response.
ANSWER
Possible It helped, because the Sumerians had to
Response: develop the technology and organization to get
water to the fields. This led to the development
of organized government.
End of Section 1

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2 Pyramids on the Nile
Key Idea
Egyptian civilization develops along the Nile River.
Upper and lower Egypt are united into a kingdom and
ruled by pharaohs, who are believed to be gods.
Egyptian customs for preparing and burying the
bodies of the dead include mummification and
burying pharaohs in pyramids.
Overview Assessment

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2 Pyramids on the Nile
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • cataract
• delta
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • Menes
Along the Nile River, Many of the monuments built • pharaoh
civilization emerged by the Egyptians stand as a
in Egypt and became • theocracy
testament to their ancient
united into a kingdom civilization. • pyramid
ruled by pharaohs.
• mummification
• hieroglyphics
• papyrus
Assessment

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2 Pyramids on the Nile
Section 2 Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your
thoughts. Give four examples of Egyptian
achievements.
Mummification
Pyramids Hieroglyphics
Egyptian Achievements
Advances in Written
medicine Calendar numbers
continued . . .

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2 Pyramids on the Nile
Section 2 Assessment
2. Three natural features determined the boundaries of
ancient Egyptian civilization: the Nile River, the First
Cataract, and the surrounding desert. In your
judgment, which of these features was most important
to Egypt’s history?
ANSWER
Possible • The Nile River—it provided fertile soil, a
Responses: predictable growing season, and easy
transportation within Egypt.
• The First Cataract—it presented an obstacle to
trade
and communication with peoples on the upper
Nile. End of Section 2

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3 Planned Cities
on the Indus
Key Idea
The Indus Valley people build planned cities with
sophisticated sewage and plumbing systems.
Archaeological evidence suggests the Indus
civilization is stable and prosperous. Indus Valley
culture ends mysteriously.
Overview Assessment

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3 Planned Cities
on the Indus
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • subcontinent
• monsoon
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW
The first Indian The culture of India
civilization built well- today has its roots in the
planned cities on the civilization of the early
banks of the Indus Indus cities.
River.
Assessment

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3 Planned Cities
on the Indus
Section 3 Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your
thoughts. List the environmental conditions faced
by the people of the Indus Valley. For each one,
explain whether the condition was a benefit or a
drawback.
Environmental Condition Benefit or Drawback
(-) too little rain
monsoons
(-) too much rain
(+) spread deposits of rich soil over wide area
floods
(-) unpredictable
high mountains (+) natural barrier helped protect against invasion
large desert (+) natural barrier helped protect against invasion
continued . . .

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3 Planned Cities
on the Indus
Section 3 Assessment
2. What evidence has led historians to the following
beliefs about Indus civilization?
(a) The cities were run by a strong central
government.
(b) Indus people carried on trade with Sumer.
(c) Society was generally peaceful and stable.
ANSWER
(a) Planned cities, uniform buildings, sanitation
systems
(b) Indus seals found in Mesopotamia
(c) Uniform housing, children’s toys, few weapons
End of Section
3

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4 River Dynasties
in China
Key Idea
Ancient Chinese civilization is ruled by powerful
family dynasties. Just rulers are believed to have
divine approval. In Chinese culture, family is
central to society and religion. Improvements are
made in technology and trade. Feudalism is
established.
Overview Assessment

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4 River Dynasties
in China
TERMS & NAMES
Overview • loess
• oracle bone
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW • Mandate of Heaven
The early rulers The culture that took • dynastic cycle
introduced ideas root during ancient times
about government and still affects Chinese • feudalism
society that shaped ways of life today.
Chinese civilization.
Assessment

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4 River Dynasties
in China
Section 4 Assessment
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your thoughts.
List the major developments in the early Chinese
dynasties.
Event One Event Three Event Five
Xia is the first Shang Zhou are first
Chinese develop to control by
dynasty. writing. feudalism.
Event Two Event Four
Shang Zhou claim
develop first Mandate of
cities. Heaven.
continued . . .

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4 River Dynasties
in China
Section 4 Assessment
2. The group was often more important than the
individual in Chinese culture. In your judgment, what
are the benefits and drawbacks of this belief? THINK
ABOUT
• family roles
• the characteristics of a ruler
• role of spirit gods
ANSWER
Possible • Benefits—family cares for elderly, less government
Responses: money spent on social programs, respect for
deceased family members/gods
• Drawbacks—less time for individuals to pursue
interests, difficult to break away when family or ruler
continued . . .
is unjust

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4 River Dynasties
in China
Section 4 Assessment
3. Do you think that the Zhou Dynasty’s downfall
resulted because of their method of control? Why or
why not? THINK ABOUT
• feudalism
• the large division of rich and poor
• the vast controlled lands
• the noble-king relationship
ANSWER
Possible • Yes—great distance between ruler and ruled, lords were
Responses:
greedy, chaotic warfare
• No—the Zhou ruled successfully for 300 years. Their
downfall wasn’t because of feudalism but because
invaders killed the backbone of the dynasty, the Zhouof Section 4
End
monarchy.