Contributions of Ancient Civilizations Topic

Contributions of Ancient Civilizations

Social Studies, Grade 3

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Study Guide Contributions of Ancient Civilizations Social Studies, Grade 3

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CONTRIBUTIONS OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS What are some contributions of Ancient Civilizations? Mesopotamia - In the Middle East, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is the earliest known civilization. • The cities of Sumeria and Babylon were here. • Farmers used irrigation to water crops and animals. • They baked bricks of clay. • They developed a form of writing using a sharpened reed to inscribe pictures on clay tablets. • Their laws were preserved on clay tablets. • They carved the first maps with Babylon as the center of the world. • They made the first vehicles with wooden wheels, the first iron sword and helmets. Egypt - About 5000 BC, Egypt was ruled by pharaohs who had the Pyramids built for their tombs. • Egyptians invented a system of writing called hieroglyphics. They made ink and pens. They wrote on a type of paper called papyrus. • They invented a calendar based on the seasons with 12 months of 30 days. • They used splints and casts to set broken bones. • They made the first sailboats. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.

Greece - Between 800 and 400 BC, city states such as Athens and Sparta shared the same culture. • The Hippocratic Oath gave special rules for physicians and is still in use today. • Citizens of Athens took part in a direct democracy where government is run by the citizens. Every year 500 men were chosen by drawing names. • Our word for school comes from the Greek word schole. Athens was the first to open organized schools. The first encyclopedias were written to help students get a good education. • Our word for alphabet comes from alpha and beta the first two letters of the Greek alphabet. The Greeks added the vowels, a, e, i, o, u to make the alphabet more useful. • Our word gymnasium comes from gymnasia, which was a place for sports and learning. • Greek literature was first to put on plays about drama, comedy, poetry and history in theatres. • Greek architecture has influenced many government buildings in the U.S. • The Greeks were the first to draw large land maps and maps of the stars. • They started the Olympic Games and a race called the marathon. Rome - 100 B.C. Romans developed use of concrete which could be poured into any shape. They developed the first paved roads. • Romans borrowed the Greek alphabet and passed it on to us. • They preserved and protected the literature and science of Greece. • The early government of Rome was a republic. This is the model for our U.S. Constitution. • They opened the first public schools paid for by the government. • Romans were the first to celebrate Christmas and Easter. • Roman numerals (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) • Romans invented pants, socks, umbrellas. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.

• Our word people comes from the Latin word populus • Our word rural comes from ruralis which means open land. China - invented locks which raised and lowered water levels in canals. • They designed the first magnetic compass. Try this! Look on a globe and find the locations of each of these early civilizations. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.