1. CivilizationLocationMajor Characteristics Reasons for Rise & Fall MesopotamiaTigris & Euphrates Fertile Crescent Fertile soil Hammurabi’s Code of Law RISE fertile soil for agriculture trade NileNile River in Africa Theocracy Hieroglyphics Papyrus Advances in medicine Understanding of anatomy Pyramids RISE fertile soil for agriculture trade Early River Valley Civilizations

2. CivilizationLocationMajor Characteristics Reasons for Rise & Fall IndusIndus in India Monsoons Subcontinent Plumbing Planned cities RISE fertile soil for agriculture trade Yellow River Valley China Mandate of Heaven Dynastic cycle Filial piety RISE fertile soil for agriculture trade

3. Greece CivilizationLocationMajor Characteristics Reasons for Rise & Fall Greece Mediterranean Sea Southern Europe Mountainous City-States (polis) Athens/Sparta direct democracy architecture philosophy astronomy Alexander the Great drama Rise Control of Mediterranean Sea Trade Fall Peloponnesian War

4. Rome CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall Rome Mediterranean Sea Southern Europe North Africa Republic Patricians/Plebeians Senate Twelve Tables Roads Pax Romana Architecture Fall Inflation Empire too big Lack of patriotism Corrupt government Invaders

5. Dynastic China CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall Qin Han Tang Song Eastern China Yellow Sea Silk Roads Dynastic Cycle Bureaucracy Confucius Civil Service System Centralized Government Movable Type Gun Powder Compass Fall Mongol Conquests

6. Byzantine Empire CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall Byzantine Eastern Roman Empire Constantinople Black Sea “New Rome” Justinian’s Code Eastern Orthodox Hagia Sophia Trade Center on Black Sea Cyrillic Alphabet Influenced Russian Culture Fall Conquered by Ottoman Turks Became part of Ottoman Empire

7. Islamic Empire CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall Islamic Middle East North Africa Southern Europe (Spain) Muslim Law Tolerance Center of Trade Astronomy Math Science Calligraphy Mosque Education Medicine Rise Tolerance

8. Mesoamerican/South American Civilizations CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall Mesoamerica Mayan (Yucatan Peninsula) Aztecs (Central Mexico) Incas (Andes) Polytheism Slash and burn farming terrace farming Adaptation to Environment Sacrifice (Aztecs) Welfare State (Incas) Roads (Incas) Fall Conquered by Europeans

9. West African Trading Kingdoms CivilizationLocationMajor CharacteristicsReasons for Rise & Fall West African Trading Kingdoms (Mali, Ghana, Songhai) West Africa Niger River Sahara Desert Gold/Salt Trade Golden Age (Peace) Islam Education Mansa Musa Tolerance Ibn Battuta Rise Controlled Trade Islam Unified Empire