Search this site

River Valley Civilizations

 G-PIRATES

 Use the acronym G-PIRATES to help you study the different characteristics of Ancient River Valley Civilizations!

 

When completing your River Valley Civilizations chart, use the following questions to guide your exploration of each characteristic of culture.  

G:  Geography

What was a nickname for river valley?  Besides the flooding of rivers, how else was each civilization affected by their environment? 

P:  Politics (& Law)

What type of government did the river valley civilization have?

I:  Important Individuals

none

R:  Religion (& Philosophy)

What social, political, or economic effects did religion have on the river valley civilization?

A:  Art

 Explore the art forms of the river valley civilization.

T:  Technology (& Science)

Describe the river valley civilization's form of record keeping.  What other scientific knowledge did the River Valley Civilization have?

E:  Economics

What types of jobs did people do in the river valley civilization?  What goods were traded, and with whom?

S:  Social

What social classes existed in the river valley civilization?

 

Introduction:

     The world's first great civilizations developed in or around river valleys.  The four great river valley civilizations were the Nile River Valley, the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley, the Huang-He River Valley, and the Indus River Valley.  Why did the four great early civilizations develop in or around river valleys?  This WebQuest will answer this question and many more! 

 

Objectives:

During this WebQuest, you will:

  • Identify and describe the locations of the four early river valley civilizations. 
  • Describe what daily life may have been like for individuals of different groups or classes in one of the early river valley civilizations we are studying.
  • Create a table that compares AND contrasts the cultures of the four early river valley civilizations.

 

The Process:

1. You will be assigned to work in a cultural archaeologist team of 2 students. 

2. Each team will need to gather the following work materials 

    together before beginning the WebQuest:
     - River Valley Civilizations packet (one for each partner)    
     - Writing utensils     
3. Use the focus questions on the front page of your River Valley Civilizations packet to complete the boxes
    of your Compare/Contrast Chart.
4. You will only use the Internet to conduct your research.  A number of web sites have been provided for your use.  Use the links  below to study each river valley civilization.

 

Mesopotamia:
Tigris & Euphrates River Valley

(click on map to enlarge)
 
 
 
 
(click each letter to explore civilizations the characteristic of culture)
 
G  P  I  R  A  T  E  S
 
 
Ancient India:
Indus River Valley 
 

(click on map to enlarge)

(click each letter to explore civilizations the characteristic of culture)
 
G   P   I   R   A   T   E   S
 
Egypt:
Nile River Valley
 
 
 
(click on map to enlarge)
 
(click each letter to explore civilizations the characteristic of culture)
 
G  P  I  R  A  T  E  S
 
 
Ancient China:
Yellow (Huang He) River Valley
 
 
 
(click on map to enlarge)
 
(click each letter to explore civilizations the characteristic of culture)
 
G   P   I   R   A   T   E   S
 
 
Evaluation:

Your work will be graded using the rubric listed below.  Please use this as a guideline in preparing your work as you work on different parts of the WebQuest.

 

WebQuest
Component


Unsatisfactory


Minimal

 
 Satisfactory


Good


 Distinguished

River Valley
Civilization
Comparison Chart 
  
  

No Work 

Minimally complete

Half complete

Mostly complete

Complete

 

Diary Entry
 
 
 
 

 

One or none of the vocab terms used. 

 

Poor description

Few of the 2 vocab terms.

 

Little description

Includes 3 of the vocab terms.

 

Some description 

Includes 4 vocab terms.

Good details.

Good description 

Includes all 5 vocab terms.

Excellent details.

Very descriptive.

Groupwork

 

Work is either mostly independent or mostly interdependent.

Non cooperative.

Poor use of time.

Poor balance of independent & interdependent work. 

Poor cooperation/use of time.

Fair balance of independent & interdependent  work.

Fair cooperation/use  of time. 

Good balance of independent & interdependent work.

Cooperative.

Good use of time.

Excellent balance of independent & interdependent work.

Cooperative; focused.

Good use of time.

 
 Close:

YOU WILL WRITE ONE DIARY ENTRY FOR EACH RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION

You are a student studying to become a scribe in your civilization.  Your instructor has has given you an asssignment where you must describe life in your river valley civilization. 

Using all of the data gathered from your individual and collaborations with your partner, you must compile a 1/2 page diary entry.  You must be very descriptive and should base your information on the data that you have come across.  Your goal is to use what you say in writing your entry to 'bring this person to life.'  Be sure to write from a first person perspective.  Don't forget, you must include 5 of the following vocabulary terms:

First Civilizations

10.  

domestication - To tame an animal to live with, or close to humans.

11.   Neolithic Age - (10,000 BCE - 5000 BCE) New Stone Age. A period of time in human history characterized by the development of agriculture and permanent settlements.

12.   subsistence – to grow just enough crops needed for survival.

13.   river valley - A valley that is carved out by the river. Often have fertile land, and are the sites for the earliest civilizations.

14.   silt - Very fine grains of dirt deposited by a moving body of water.

15.   civilization - A society that has a high level of culture and social organization including organized government, job specialization, and a organized belief system.

16.   specialization – the development of skills in a specific kind of work.

17.   barter - The exchange of goods or services for other goods or services.

18.   traditional economy - An economy based on agriculture, with others in society working in simple crafts, such as the manufacturing of cloth or pottery.

19.   Bronze Age – The period when people began using bronze instead of stone to make tools and weapons.

Mesopotamia

20.    Fertile Crescent – the name that refers to the shape of the region of Mesopotamia.

21.   theocracy - A political system in which the government is ruled according to religious beliefs.

22.   cuneiform - One of the earliest forms of writing. It consisted of wedge shaped symbols usually imprinted in clay. Used throughout ancient Mesopotamia.

23.   ziggurat – a pyramid shaped temple found in ancient Mesopotamia.

24.   city-state - An independent state consisting of a city and its surrounding lands.

25.   dynasty - A succession of rulers of a country from the same family.

 

Egypt

26.   hieroglyphics - A system of writing which uses pictures for concepts and ideas.

 

India

27.   subcontinent - Large area that is a separate part of a continent. The area encompassing India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are considered to be a subcontinent of Asia.

28.   monsoon – a seasonal wind in Asia that is accompanied by heavy rainfall.

 

China

29.   oracle bones - In ancient China, they were pieces of bone or turtle shell used by Shang priests to tell the future. They would write a question addressed to either one of the gods, or an ancestor on the bone, then heat it until it cracked. They believed that by studying the pattern of cracks, one could learn the answer to the question. Oracle bones are the oldest example of Chinese writing.

30.   Middle Kingdom - Term that ancient China used to refer to themselves. They believed they were the center of the Earth, or the Middle Kingdom.