Characteristics. Early civilizations began in land between two rivers.

EARLY CIVILIZATIONSCharacteristics

WHERE?

Early civilizations began in

land between two rivers.

River Valleys

WHY?

River Valleys were - area where it is easy to grow crops.

fertile

JOB - FARMER

– stayed in one place and grew crops.Farmers

JOB - SKILLED WORKERS

– focus on a special job (make bricks, building, make pottery)

Skilled Workers

JOB - PRIESTS

- focus on religion. Pray for a good crop.

Priests

JOB - GOVERNMENT WORKERS

– help with arguments and supervise projects

Government Workers

JOB - SOLDIERS

– helped protect people and cities.

Soldiers

JOB - SCRIBES

– Kept recordsScribes

WRITING STYLE - CUNEIFORM

– wedge shaped symbols in clay – was used by the Mesopotamians.

Cuneiform

WRITING STYLE - HIEROGLYPHICS

– pictures are used instead of words – was used by the Egyptians.

Hieroglyphics

WRITING STYLE - ALPHABET

– symbols that make sounds – was used by the Phoenicians.

Alphabet

GOVERNMENT

PriestsKings

TECHNOLOGY

Papyrus -the first paper

Boats-used for trade and transportation

Weapons-used for protection and hunting

Irrigation Systems

used to bring water to the cities

MORE TECHNOLOGY…..

Math

Astronomy-study of the stars

Pyramids-used as burial tombs for the Egyptian Pharaohs

Medicine

Calendars-used to keep track of important events

TIME LINES Diagram showing an order of

events. Shows periods or blocks of history. Year 1 is the base year. There is no

year 0!

BC time grows smaller each year closer to year 1. AD time grows larger each year farther away from year 1. BC – Before Christ AD – Anno Domini BCE – Before Common Era CE – Common Era

500BC 200BC 100BC 1 AD100 AD500 AD1000