Ancient River Civilization S.P.R.I.T.

E Template

Use the content from the lessons in Module Two to complete the chart below.
MESOPOTAMIA EGYPT INDUS RIVER EAST RIVER
VALLEY VALLEY
Tigris and Nile River Valley
Euphrates India and Phoenicians and
Rivers Pakistan Israelites
SOCIAL Israelites and
Phoenicians
shared this area.
POLICAL Aryans brought
with them the
concept of
“Rajah.”
RELIGION They practiced
polytheism and
related the
pharaoh to a
god. They also
believed in life
after death.

INTELLECT The Israelites

followed the Ten
Commandments,
and the
Phoenicians
created an
alphabet like we
use today.
TECHNOLOGY They had the
first walled cities
and created the
iron plow, sail,
and wheel.
ECONOMY They traded with
Mesopotamia
and built
granaries to
store surplus.
They relied on
farming and
trade.

Assignment: Choose FOUR of the questions below. Using details from the chart and
the information in the lessons, answer each question in three or more sentences. Be
sure to answer the questions in your own words using.
1. What is a Theocracy? Which civilizations were governed under this method?
2. Compare & contrast Ziggurats & Pyramids. What functions did they serve, which
groups of people within the society built them; when were they built?
3. Select one written work from THREE of the ancient societies and summarize
what they wrote about. 
4. The Phoenicians gave two important contributions to the world. Describe these
two things and explain their importance. 
5. The Indus river valley had kiln-baked bricks, while the Mesopotamians sun baked
their bricks. Which method was more effective, and why?
6. What do the terms polytheism and monotheism mean? In which civilizations were
they practiced? 
7. If you could go back in history, which of the five civilizations would you visit and
why?