History Websites
The answers to the following questions may be obtained by accessing the websites listed below. Other sites may be utilized.
Theme: (1) Near Eastern Origins
| Pivotal Questions | Websites |
| What do we need to know about the origins of the
human species? |
human origins
|
| What is the Paleolithic Age? What kind of economy was involved? What do cave paintings reveal about Paleolithic People? |
Paleolithic Age cave paintings Why did they paint |
| What is the Neolithic Age? What kind of economy was involved? How did the food-producing economy lead to the first civilization? | Neolithic Age: Site 1 |
Theme: (2) Mesopotamian Civilization
| What was the site of development of the first
civilization? Why did civilization develop there? What were the positive and negative effects of geography? |
|
| Why was writing invented? What forms did it take? | Invention of writing: Site (2) : Same as Sumeria above |
| What were the main characteristics of Sumerian
religion? How had religion evolved since the Paleolithic era? What role did mythology play in religion? |
also see Sumeria above |
| What were the physical manifestations ofreligion in Sumeria? How was the class structure organized? How was the political system organized? |
see Sumeria above |
| In the city of Akkad, what role did the ruler Sargon play in spreading Sumerian culture? What civilization followed the Akkadians? | Akkadians and Amorites: |
| What were the outstanding features of Hammurabi's
Code? What were examples of penalties? What was the Gilgamesh myth? What was the Flood myth? |
Hammurabi's
code of laws Epic of Gilgamesh Summary of Gilgamesh Noah's Flood |
Theme: (3) Egypt: the Land of the Pharaohs (3100-1200)
B.C.
| What role did the Nile play in the history
of Egypt? How did it differ from the role of the Tigris-Euphrates in Mesopotamia? |
Ancient Egypt: the importance of geography: |
| Why did Egypt develop as a unified empire and the Pharaoh as a centralized ruler? What were the characteristics of Egyptian religion? How was the Pharaoh related to the religion? How were the pyramids built? What was the religious significance of the pyramid? | Political development of Ancient Egypt: history Religion: Under "List of Gods" take note of "Amon-Re" "Isis" & "Osiris" Pyramids |
>
| What were the periods of strong stable rule, and periods of chaos in Egyptian history? | Periods of Egyptian history: |
| Who were the Hyksos? What effect did they have upon Egyptian civilization? | Hyksos: |
| What was the impact of Egyptian imperialism upon Egypt? What was significant about the religious belief of the Pharaoh Akhenaton? What achievements in art and architecture occurred during the New Kingdom? | New Kingdom (1570-1200 B.C.) |
| How did the rise of the Hittite Empire affect the pattern of expanding civilization? | The Hittites |
| Describe what occurred in Egypt after the collapse of the New Kingdom? What effect did the invasion of various peoples have upon the continuation of Egyptian civilization? | Same site as "New Kingdom" above |
Theme: (4) The Hebrews and Phoenicians
| How did geography influence the course of Hebrew history? What circumstances allowed the small kingdoms of Israel, Judah, Phoenicia, and the Philistines to emerge? What were the achievements of the Phoenicians? | Philistines Hebrews Phoenicians |
| What type of economy did the early Hebrews develop? What characteristics mark the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon? | See "Hebrews" above |
| What are the major features of Judaism? How does it differ from Mesopotamian religions? How is Jerusalem important to Judaism? |
The Evolution of the Jewish religion Jerusalem |
Theme (5): Assyria: the Military Monarchy; the Persian
Empire
| What factors enabled Assyria to develop its
military culture? What were the reasons for Assyrian success in warfare? What was the extent of Assyrian conquests? When did the Assyrian empire reach its greatest height? |
The Power of Assyria |
| What type of economy did the Medes and Persians develop? What historical role did the Medes have in regard to the Assyrian Empire? | The Coming of the Medes and Persians |
| What were the accomplishments of Cyrus the Great? Describe the characteristics of the Persian Empire under Darius and Xerxes.What was the geographic extent of the Persian empire? | |
| What were the essential beliefs of the Zoroastrian
religion? To what areas of the ancient world did it spread? |
The Zoroastrian religion: Site(1) |
|
|
|