Civilizations first emerged along major river valleys, including in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians established the world's first empire and city-states, developing new technologies like bronze and influencing later cultures. Egypt saw the rise of powerful pharaohs and construction of pyramids under the Old Kingdom, as well as the development of Egyptian religion, social structure, and technology. Along the Indus River, the Indus Valley civilization constructed well-planned cities and established one of the world's earliest writing systems. China's Shang and Zhou dynasties were influenced by geography and established family, religious beliefs, and ideographic

1. EARLY RIVER VALLEY
CIVILIZATIONS
Chapter 2

2. CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Civilizations emerged and developed on fertile plains
in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China

3. 1. CITY-STATES IN
MESOPOTAMIA
Students should be able to describe how the earliest
civilization in Asia arose in Mesopotamia, organized
into city-states, and developed into the world’s first
empire.

4. 1. Summarize how geography affected culture in
the Fertile Crescent
2. Describe city-states and how other cultures
learned about them
3. Describe Sumerian religious beliefs, social
structure, and technology
4. Explain the influence of Sumer of later
civilizations

6. Bronze technology developed first in Sumeria, 3300 BCE

7. Sargon of Akkad unites Mesopotamia, 2350
BCE
Amorites form Babylonian Empire, ~2000 BCE
Hammurabi, ~1700 BCE
Hammurabi’s Code, 282 written laws

9. 2. PYRAMIDS ON THE NILE
Students should be able to analyze Egypt’s geography,
political structure, religion, technology, and culture.

10. Summarize how geography affected the
development of Egyptian culture
Explain the importance of pharaohs, pyramids,
and trade in the Old Kingdom
Describe ancient Egyptian religion, social
structure, and technology
Explain the shift from the Old Kingdom to the
New Kingdom

12. the crown of
Narmer

29. Old Kingdom ends, 2180 BCE
Middle Kingdom until 1640 BCE
Hyksos from 1630 to 1523 BCE

30. 3. PLANNED CITIES ON THE
INDUS
Students should be able to describe characteristics and
accomplishments of the first Indian civilization, such
as planned cities and a written language.

32. The first Indian civilization built well-planned
cities on the banks of the Indus River.
Describe the impact of geography on the Indus
Valley culture.
What major concepts characterize Indus Valley
cities and culture?
List theories about the decline of Indus Valley
cultures.

33. 4. RIVER DYNASTIES IN CHINA
Students should be able to explaib how the Shang and
Zhou dynasties affected Chinese civilization and
culture

34. 1. Explain the effects of geography on cultural
development in China
2. Describe the growth & structure of the Shang
dynasty
3. Summarize the rise and fall of the Zhou
dynasty

36. 2000 BCE, Xia Dynasty
1532-1027 BCE, Shang Dynasty
Anyang

37. CHINESE CULTURE
Family
Religious beliefs
Ideographic writing
Shang technology and artistry

38. Mandate of Heaven and the dynastic
cycle (p. 54)
1027-256 BCE, Zhou Dynasty
Feudalism
Period of Warring States