Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit analyses the similarities and differences between early civilisations. Pupils learn about Mesopotamia as a 'cradle of civilisation' and compare it to other civilisations, such as the Shang and the Indus Valley civilisations.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to compare early civilisations to explain how similar they were.

Key Notes

• All of these early civilisations left a nomadic lifestyle because they found ways of farming fertile ground near rivers.
• All of them built permanent places to live like cities, along with other buildings for the purpose of religion.
• All of these early civilisations traded with people from far away and developed their own forms of writing.
• All of these early civilisations made bronze and used this metal for tools, weapons and artwork.
• Despite all these similarities, all of these early civilisations had different styles of writing, building and art.

Vocabulary To Learn

• permanent: something that is permanent stays the same
• style: the special way something is made or designed to look is its style

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Nomadic lifestyles no longer exist.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Mesopotamia, the land 'between two rivers' Study Guide
• Other 'cradles of civilisation' Study Guide
• Similarities between the earliest civilisations Study Guide
• The art and artefacts of the earliest civilisations Study Guide
• The growth of trade, construction and writing in Mesopotamia Study Guide