Ancient Civilizations

Directions: You are an anthropologist with the ability to travel back in time to see key events in
history. You have been tasked to write report on the development of civilization. You need to write
the “story of civilization told through the ancient river valley civilizations.” You editor wants the
report written in the following sections:

Section 1: Government Section 3: Advancements

Hammurabi Agriculture
Theocracy Technology
Ziggurat Domestication
City-state
Section 4: Religion
Section 2: Social Religion
Culture Polytheism
Cultural diffusion Hinduism
Caste System Buddhism
Specialization Zoroastrianism
Scribe Pharaoh
Barter Mummification
Artisan
Section 5: Writing
Hieroglyphics
Papyrus
Cuneiform

Your writing needs to feel like a story, not just a report! Here is some advice: tell a story from the view
point of someone who lives in these civilizations.

1. The Ancient River Valleys government was very diverse considering Hammurabi being king, he’s
the reason why it was generally a theocracy government. Many people in the Ancient River
Valley spent most of their times in Ziggurat’s, if you lived near or in the Ancient River Valley you
would feel that the government was so above and powerful it would give you a city-state feeling
as it was one.

2. The culture around here is or can be very culture shocking to others, and you will find cultural
diffusion everywhere and that’s what mostly there is. People believe different things but one
belief that is very popular is the caste system, there is many specializations in different beliefs
which makes the place very diverse. Scribes are everywhere as many people are determined to
learn more and more about their beliefs. The Ancient River Valley is a place are people still
barter values, and artisan can do something in return for what he/she needs.
3. Agriculture is average but also not the best, technology was never really big around here to be
completely honest. Domestication is very common as it helps families find a better way of living.
Making an animal a priority doesn’t seem very normal but nowadays it’s a trend or a way of
living or handling different things.

4. In the Ancient River Valley religion is everywhere, Polytheism, Hinduism, Buddhism,

Zoroastrianism etc. can be found in many different places of the ancient river valley. One of the
most known rulers is the Pharaoh as many people worshiped the Pharaoh daily. Mummification
is a process of generally making a mummy or the making of one, this is as often as having a
funeral when someone dies.

5. You can come across good authors as there is a good amount of writes of Hieroglyphics, at the
time people were still using papyrus’s and Cuneiform’s were one of the most common
inventions. Hopefully this was a summary of what its or the picture of the ancient river valley.