Module Overview
Ancient River Valley Civilizations
map showing the location of ancient river valley civilizations

This map shows the location of ancient river valley civilizations during the New Stone Age.
In this module, you will learn about those in Africa and western Asia.

If you have ever traveled by air, you likely know that in order to reach your destination, you have to take a flight through a major city. Because such large cities are important arrival and departure points for many people, a lot of products and ideas flow through them. In the same vein, major ocean voyages begin in locations that have ports and harbors on a body of water. In the previous module, you discovered how the presence of a water source was instrumental to the development of Neolithic communities. In this module, you will explore how rivers and river valleys helped influential ancient civilizations thrive. By examining the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and the Hebrews, Phoenicians, Nubians, and Lydians, you will compare and contrast their social, political, economic, and religious patterns.

Getting Started

Where in the World? Interactivity getting started iconLocation plays an important role in the development of civilizations. In this interactivity, you will familiarize yourself with the geography of ancient river valley regions that are featured in this module. Click the player button to get started.

Key Vocabulary

glossary  iconTo view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

agriculture
alphabet
centralized government
city-state
Code of Hammurabi
cuneiform
diaspora
economic patterns
empire
Euphrates River
exile
Fertile Crescent
Hebrews
hereditary
hieroglyphics
Huang He River
Indus River
Jerusalem
kingdom
Mesopotamia
monotheism
Nile River
Nubia
Phoenicians
pictograms
political patterns
polytheism
social patterns
surplus
Ten Commandments
Tigris River
Torah