The Sumerians

When & where did The Sumerians live?

• Southern Mesopotamia (Modern day – Iraq)
• 3500 – 1750 BC approximately

Who were The Sumerians?

• The creators of civilization
• 0.8 million to 1.5 million

What were The Sumerians known for?

• Mathematics
• Writing system
• Copper Development

Why were The Sumerians important in history?

• Invented & developed arithmetic
• Started military formations
The Assyrians
When & where did The Assyrians live?
• Lived in the Middle East since ancient times & today can
be found all over the world
• 2500 BC
Who were The Assyrians?
• Fierce warriors for Sumers
• Modern Assyrians are Syriac Christians
What are The Assyrians’ major achievements?
• Iron weapons and aqueduct
• First library and first laws
What were The Assyrians important in history?
• Introduced the first cavalry
• Ruler’s power come from religion
Cyrus the Great
When & where did Cyrus the Great live?
 Cyrus was born between 590 & 580 BCE
 Either in Media or Persis
Who was Cyrus the Great?
• The second of the name to rule in Persia
• Cyrus first had to consolidate his power over Iranian
tribes on the Iranian plateau before expanding to the west
What were Cyrus the Great’s major achievement?
 Founded the Achamenid Empire
 Human Rights & politics
Why was Cyrus the Great important in history?
• Showed great respect to other religions & cultures
• Conquerored Babylon in 540 BC
The Maya Empire
When & where did the Maya empire live?
• Imperial Palace as his headquarters Imperial Center, after the
Clone Wars. As Emperor, he established the on the galactic
capital 4,000 years ago (about 2000 BC).

Who was The Maya Empire?

• The Maya civilization was one of the most dominant
indigenous societies of Mesoamerica (a term used to describe
Mexico & Central America before the 16th century Spanish
conquest).

What are the Maya empire major achievements?

• The Maya also developed the only complete writing system in
Mesoamerica & produced rubber several millennia before
vulcanization. Here are the 10 major accomplishments of the
ancient Maya civilization in various fields including
astronomy, mathematics, architecture, engineering & writing.
Why was the Maya Empire important in history?
• The most sophisticated & highly developed writing system in
pre-Columbian Americas—as well as for its art, architecture,
mathematics, calendar, & astronomical system.
Hernan Cortes
When & where did Hernan Cortes live?
• 1485 - 1547
• Medellín, Spain

Who was Hernan Cortes?

• Spanish conquistador
• Explorer since the age of 19

What were Hernan Cortes known for?

• Defeated Aztecs
• Conquered Mexico

Why was Hernan Cortes important in history?

• Spent a great deal of his own money to finance expeditions
• Brought thousands of Spanish to the new world
The Inca Empire
When & where did The Inca Empire live?
• Founded around 1,200 AD
• Capital at Cuzco (Peru)

Who were The Inca Empire?

• South American People
• The descendants of the Inca are mostly peasants who make up about
half of Peru’s population.

What were The Inca Empire known for?

 The technique of freeze-drying
 Invented the rope suspension without external influence

Why was The Inca Empire important in history?

• Inca architecture is the most significant
• The Inca road system
Francisco Pizarro
When & where did Francisco Pizarro live?
• He was born around 1474 in Trujillo, Spain. As a soldier,
he served on the 1513 expedition of Vasco Núñez de
Balboa, during which he discovered the Pacific Ocean.

Who were Francisco Pizarro ?

• Francisco Pizarro( 1471 or 1476–26 June 1541) was a
Spanish conquistador best known for his expeditions that led
to the Spanish conquest of Peru.
What were Francisco Pizarro known for?
• Pizarro is an explorer, soldier and conquistador as the leader
of the Spanish conquest.

Why were Francisco Pizarro important in history?

• Pizarro is important because he was responsible for the
end of the Inca Empire, and subsequently for the
transfer of a lot of gold back to Spain. This, along with
the wealth gained elsewhere in the New World, made
Spain incredibly rich, and would also later foster conflict
with other European powers.
Atahualpa
When & where did Atahualpa live?
• He was born in 1502 in Quito (present day capital of
Ecuador) & one of the younger sons of Huayna Capac, the
Incan ruler.

Who was Atahualpa?

• He was the last ruler of the Incan empire & was killed by
the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1533.

What was Atahualpa known for?

• He is best known for providing a room full of gold & silver
as his ransom for the Spanish who still executed him.

Why was Atahualpa important in history?

• He was the greatest threat to his power.