Western Civilization

The peoples of Southwest Asia and Egypt laid the foundations

of Western civilization. They developed cities and struggled with

the problems of organized states as they moved from individual

communities to larger territorial units and eventually to empires.

They invented writing to keep records and created literature.

They constructed monumental buildings to please their gods,

give witness to their power, and preserve their culture. They

developed new political, military, social, and religious structures

to deal with the basic problems of human existence and organiza-

tion. These first civilizations left detailed records that allow us to

view how they grappled with

human relationships, the nature

of the universe, and the role of

divine forces in that cosmos.

Although later people would pro-

vide different answers from those

of the Mesopotamians and Egyp-

tians, it was they who first posed

the questions, gave answers, and

wrote them down.

CHAPTER TIMELINE

CHAPTER REVIEW

Upon Reflection

Q What achievements did early humans make during

the Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages, and how did

those achievements eventually make possible the

emergence of civilization?

Q What roles did geography, environmental

conditions, religion, politics, economics, and

women and families play in the civilizations of

Southwest Asia and Egypt?

Q What do you think Western civilization has derived

from the civilizations of the ancient Near East?

3000 B.C.E. 2500 B.C.E. 2000 B.C.E. 1500 B.C.E. 1000 B.C.E.

Akhenaten’s religious

upheaval

Great Pyramid Egypt—Middle Kingdom

Emergence of Egyptian civilization Egypt—Old Kingdom

Beginning of cuneiform

Code of Hammurabi

Babylonian kingdom

Mesopotamia

Egypt

Indus valley civilization

India

Shang dynasty

China

Central Asian civilization

Central Asia

Caral, Supe River valley of Peru

South America

Chapter Summary • 25

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