Western Civilization Topic 1 & 2 Test: What are the most important events related to the development of civilization?

Trade During Bronze Age 3000-1100

3000 BCE

The period in which trade networks became a permanent aspect of economic and political life in the eastern part of the Mediterranean.

Agriculture Practices Discovered

3000 BCE

Humans were hunter-gatherers for many years. However, it was discovered that the land near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was able to produce crops. This area is known as the Fertile Crescent which was located in Mesopotamia. The earliest Mesopotamians discovered how to grow crops. This abundance of food was able to sustain larger populations and people were able to stay in one place which allowed cities to be formed.

First System of Writing Invented

2900 BCE

Mesopotamians created the first system of writing called cuneiform. Although it was originally used for record-keeping, it soon was used for other creations of literature.

Mesopotamian Mathematic and Astrological Discoveries

2698 BCE

The Mesopotamians accurately mapped the movement of stars and invented the 360 degrees of measure in geometry. This allowed them to become great engineers and build large structures, such as the ziggurat, which was an important piece of Mesopotamian city-states.

Building of the Egyptian Pyramids

2657 BCE

The Egyptians built great pyramids to house the bodies of the kings. It was a great advancement for engineering at the time as the had limited tools and resources.

Hebrew Religion

1900 BCE

The Hebrew religion, Judaism, was unique to the time as they practiced monotheism. The teachings of Judaism became the roots of later religions, including Christianity and Islam. It served a very crucial importance to both western civilization and world history as a whole.

Creation of Military Weapons using Bronze

1800 BCE

They began using bronze to create military weapons such as spears and arrows which made them more deadly. It transformed warfare at the time.

Hammurabi's Code of Law

1780 BCE

With the development of cuneiform came a code of law created by Hummaurib, a Babylonian king. These written laws set a basis for modern-day societies as it presented the rights of humans as well as punishments for crimes committed.

Phoenician Syllabic Alphabet

1300 BCE

The Phoenicians developed an alphabet that had characters to represent sounds rather than concepts. It allowed for other people other than scribes to learn more easily and quickly. Is set a basis for Greek and Roman writing.

Assyrian Military Innovations

880 BCE

The Assyrians established two very important military methods. They introduced the idea of having a strong cavalry, which were soldiers on horseback, as well as a well-trained infantry. They also created effective communication systems between the lines of defense.

1. Summary

200 BCE

Agricultural discovery was one of the most important events that led to the development of civilization. It created a surplus of food that could sustain larger populations. Once cities were established, trade became an important part of their economies. This allowed for different resources to be traded between civilizations. Next, the first system of writing was created. It was called cuneiform and was important as it set the basis for creating other forms of literature.

3. Summary

200 BCE

One of the most important aspects of these chapters was the Hebrew religion. Christianity and Islam refer back to the teachings of Judaism. A majority of the world population practices and follow these teachings. Military weapons created from bronze were far more deadly. Without these weapons, the ancient militaries would be less advanced and some wars in history may not have ended the same way. Hammarubi's written laws set a basis for civilizations to have rules in punishments.

2. Summary

200 BCE

The Mesopotamians made mathematic and astrological discoveries. They invented the 360 degrees of measure which is taught in modern-day geometry classes. It helped advance future civilizations as they could use this math discovered by the Mesopotamians to engineer their buildings and important structures in their cities. The Egyptians built pyramids that were important to their culture. These great structures showcased Egyptian prosperity and set a basis for other civilizations to build temples.

4. Summary

200 BCE

The creation of the Phonecian alphabet made reading and writing much easier. It influenced the development of later languages such as Greek and Latin. Lastly, the Assyrian military methods, such as the development of a calvary, were used in future militaries. These methods helped civilizations win military battles to gain more power throughout history.