1. Cultural & Historical Milestones 2500 B.C. –A.D. 1800s Marissa, Shay, and Dara

2. A Family of Languages 3000 B.C. – 1500 B.C. Many of the languages spoken in Europe and Asia come from a single language that most linguists identify as Proto-Indo-European. This language shows to be the basis of languages such as Greek, Latin, English, German, etc. Most of the languages in the world can be traced back to Indo-European roots.

3. Philosophy And Religion 500s B.C. – A.D. 500s There were three major systems of thought that influenced the spiritual lives of people today. Confucianism: Teaches order, discipline, and social stability make a good life. Taoism: Suggests that people put aside their desires and devote themselves to contemplating Tao (the source of unity in the natural world). Buddhism: Based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, calls on people to abandon their worldly needs and search for enlightenment.

4. The Samurai 1100s – 1800s Samurai warriors are highly respected, larger-than-life figures who were members of the aristocratic warrior class in feudal Japan. These warriors lived by a code of honor and conduct that encouraged self- sacrifice and loyalty to a feudal lord. Their influence on the Japanese culture still remains today.

5. Indian Literature (Sastra India) 1500s The advanced civilization of India flourished between 2500 and 1500 B.C. This civilization is commonly known as the Indus Valley civilization because of the river that runs through the region.