SOL Narrative
Review
with questions
Day 1
Early Humans
Homo sapiens (humans) emerged in east Africa between
100,000 and 400,000 years ago. They then migrated from Africa
to Eurasia, Australia and the Americas
Early Humans were hunters and gatherers whose survival
depended on the availability of wild plants and animals.
Physical geography influenced the lives of early people (what
they ate, how they lived, etc.).
1. Where did humans first appear?
2. How did early humans survive?
3. How did geography influence early man?
Day 1
Hunter Gatherer Societies (Old Stone Age/Paleolithic Era)
People in the Paleolithic era were nomadic (had to follow the
food).
During this period humans invented the first tools and
weapons, and created cave art.
People learned to make and use fire.
Because they depended on the environment to survive and
had no abundant food sources, their populations were small
and they lived in small traveling clans.
Humans first developed spoken (oral language) during this
time, which helped them become better hunters and gatherers.
4. What is the era when humans were hunter gathers?
5. What did humans first do/invent during this era?
Day 2
Societies During the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age)
During the Neolithic era, humans developed domesticated
plants (agriculture) and domesticated animals (tamed).
Now people had a steady food source so they could finally
SETTLE in one place—leading to the development of
civilizations.
People were also developing more advanced tools, making
pottery, and weaving textiles.
6. What big change occurred in the Neolithic era?
7. Describe three characteristics of Neolithic peoples.
Day 2
Archaeologists
Study past cultures by locating and analyzing human
remains, fossils and artifacts
Radio carbon dating tells us the age of things
Stonehenge is an example of an archaeological site in
England
Aleppo and Jericho are early cities in the Fertile Crescent (in
Israel and Syria today)
Catalhöyük is a Neolithic site under excavation NOW in
Anatolia (modern day Turkey)
8. What do archaeologists do?
9. What Neolithic sites are in the Fertile crescent?
10. What site is currently under excavation in Anatolia?
Day 3
River Valley Civilizations – 3500-500 BC
River valleys offered rich soils and irrigation waters for
agriculture; and they tended to be in locations easily protected
from invasion so these are the ‘birth places’ of civilization.
People were starting to SETTLE.
Mesopotamia – Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Southwest Asia)
Egypt – Nile River Valley (Africa)
India – Indus River Valley (South Asia)
China – Huang He River Valley (East Asia)
11. Why did civilizations first develop in river valleys?
12. What civilization was located in Africa?
13. What civilization was located in Southwest Asia?
14. What civilization was located in South Asia?
15. What civilization was located in East Asia?
Day 4
Early Civilizations- Began to develop:
Social Patterns
Hereditary Rulers (Dynasties like China and Egypt)
Rigid Class system (everyone has their place, not a lot of
social mobility—all have slave classes)
Most early Civilizations were polytheistic, except the
Hebrews
16. What is a term for families that pass down power?
Day 4
Early Civilizations- Began to develop:
Political Patterns
Worlds first states (city States, Kingdoms, empires
Centralized government
Written Law Codes (Ten Commandments, Hammurabi’s
code)
17. What is the written law code that says, “an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth”?
Day 4
Early Civilizations- Began to develop:
Economic Patterns
Metal Tools (Bronze, Iron)
Increasing agriculture surplus
Trade along rivers and sea
Development of the world’s first cities
Specialization of labor
18. What types of metals did early civilizations use to
build tools?
Day 4
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia developed along the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers and was divided into separate city-states (had their own
rulers, armies, etc.).
The region where Mesopotamia developed is known as the
Fertile Crescent because of the fertile soil.
They were polytheistic and built temples to honor and
worship their gods; the priests were the most important
members of society other than rulers.
19. Around what two rivers did Mesopotamia develop?
20. What is the nickname for the region where
Mesopotamia developed?
Day 4
Mesopotamia
The Mesopotamians used cuneiform writing and kept
records.
There is evidence that Mesopotamians did long distance
trade with other groups (Egyptians, Indians, Chinese).
Eventually this region was controlled by others
(Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims).
21. What type of writing did Sumerians (Mesopotamians)
use?
Day 5
Egypt
Egypt is one of the greatest early civilizations and started as
early as 3500 BCE.
Egypt developed along the Nile River, which provided fertile
soil and irrigation water.
Egyptians developed writing called hieroglyphics.
22. Around what river did Egypt develop?
23. What type of writing did Egyptians develop?
Day 5
Egypt
They were ruled by pharaohs, who were considered gods on
earth. Families of these pharaohs were called dynasties
(power was passed down).
They were polytheistic (believed in many gods) and worried
about the afterlife.
They built pyramids as tombs so that people could live
comfortably in the afterlife.
24. What is the ruler of Egypt called?
25. What tombs did Egyptians build?
Day 6
China – River Dynasties
China developed along the Huang He river (and spread to the
Yangtze river valley).
It was ruled by dynasties, the first of which was the Shang.
These dynasties believed they had the Mandate of Heaven
(the gods/spirits had given them the right to rule)
China’s society was divided into several social classes,
including the ruling class (king, nobles), then warriors, then
peasants
Chinese writing is elaborate with thousands of characters
Shang Dynasty – Writer records, palaces, elaborate tombs
26. Around what river did China develop?
27. What is the belief that Chinese rulers were given the
right to rule by gods?
Day 6
The Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang but were later taken
over by the Qin
Because China was often invaded by nomadic invaders in the
north, Qin leader Shi Huangdi built the Great Wall
The Silk Roads, trade routes from China across to the
Mediterranean, spread Chinese goods (like silk and porcelain)
Contributions of China: Civil service system (encouraged by
Confucius), paper, porcelain, and silk
28. Which leader (and from which dynasty) built the
Great Wall?
29. Why was the Great Wall built?
30. What trade route linked China with Rome?
31. Who encouraged the use of a civil service system in
China?
32. List three other goods originating in China.
Day 7
Other early civilizations
Hebrews (Jews)– Settled Between Mediterranean sea
and Jordan River Valley
Phoenicians Settles along the Mediterranean Coast
 Great traders along the Mediterranean Sea
 Developed city-states on coast of Anatolia and
Africa)
 Created the first alphabet
Nubia: Located on the Upper Nile River (South of
Egypt)
 Very highly influenced by the Egyptians
33. What type of settlements did the Phoenicians
develop?
34. What was the Phoenician economy based on?
35. What did Phoenicians first develop?
36. Where was Nubia located?
Day 7
Origins of Judaism
Abraham – Creator
Moses – Led Hebrews out of Egypt, Ten Commandments
Jerusalem – Holy City
Beliefs:
One God
Torah is the Holy Book (contains written records and beliefs
of the Jews)
Ten Commandments
Diaspora – Being kicked out of Roman Empire
Exiled in many different time periods and areas of the world
37. Who founded Judaism?
38. What is the Jewish holy book?
39. What law system must Jews follow?
40. How did Judaism spread?
Day 8
Persia
Successful because:
 Tolerance of Conquered People
 Development of Imperial Bureaucracy
 Advanced Road System
Zoroastrianism was the main Persian religion (two
opposing forces in the world--good and evil)
41. For what three reasons were the Persians such
successful empire builders?
42. What was the religion of Persia?
Day 8
India
Physical Barriers (Himalayas and the Indian
ocean) made it difficult for invasion and trade, Hindu
Kush did allow invasion
Indus and Ganges rivers for fertile soil
Two great cities show us early planning: Harappa
and Mohenjo-Daro
43. Around what two rivers did India develop?
44. What two cities date back to the earliest Indian
settlement?
Day 9
Aryans
 Migrated into and asserted dominance over the area
 Created caste system which influenced all social
interactions and choices of occupations.
Mauryan Empire
 Continued the political unification of India
 Spread Buddhism (through ruler Asoka)
 Created free hospitals and veterinary clinics
 Built good roads
Gupta Empire
 Golden age of classical Indian Culture
 Contributions – Math (zero),medical advances (setting
bones), astronomy (round earth), and textile and literature
45. What group migrated into India?
46. What did Asoka do (and what empire is he from)?
47. What contributions were made during the Gupta Empire?
Day 9
Buddhism (India to China)
Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
Four Noble Truths: Four statements that are always true
about life on this earth
Eight Fold Path to Enlightenment: Staircase like pathway to
find enlightenment and ultimately reach nirvana, or the perfect
state of mind (sort of like heaven)
Asoka (Mauryan ruler) and his missionaries spread Buddhism
to China.
Chinese forms of Buddhism spread throughout Asia.
52. Who founded Buddhism?
53. Where was Buddhism founded?
54. What ruler helped spread Buddhism?
55. Where did Buddhism spread to?
Day 10
Confucianism (China)
Belief that humans are good, not bad
Respect for elders
Code of politeness still used in Chinese society today
Emphasis on Education
Ancestor Worship
Taoism (China)
Humility
Simple life and inner peace
Harmony with nature
Yin/Yang represented opposites for Confucianism and
Taoism
56. What philosophy from China encouraged
respect for elders and the state?
57. Which Chinese philosophy encouraged
harmony with nature?
Day 10
To wrap up…
Using sentences,
describe what you
have learned
about the
development of
humans on the
planet thus far