River Valley Word Wall

Explore ancient world history! Master terms for Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China with our River Valley Word Wall.

Match the words with the definitions Section 1 Civilization Settled Communities Society Organized Human groups Hereditary Rulers Political power passed to family members Class System Ranked members of society Empire Kingdom expanding into foreign lands Kingdom Monarch-lead government City-State Small independent kingdom Centralized Government One powerful leader in charge Economy Exchange of money Agricultural Surplus Extra products to trade Irrigation Moving water to farms Fertile Good soil for agriculture Section 2: Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Tigris and Euphrates Rivers of the Fertile Crescent Hammurabi's Code Laws under Babylonian rule Cuneiform Phoenicia Alphabet Written language using sounds Ziggurat Sumerian religious stepped-temple Persians United Mesopotamia into an empire Early Civilizations Mesopotamia Section 3: Egypt Upper Nile In Southern Egypt Lower Nile In Northern Egypt Nile Delta Filters into the Mediterranean Nubia Civilization south of Egypt Pharaoh Central god-king of Egypt Theocracy Religiously lead government system Pyramids Tombs for nobles, pharaohs Hieroglyphics Egyptian pictogram written language to preserve knowledge Early Civilizations Ancient Egypt Section 3: Indus River Indus River Civilization that gave India it's name Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Planned cities with advanced plumbing Himalayan and Hindu-Kush Mountain ranges of Northern India Indian Ocean Large body of water South of Indian Peninsula Sanskrit Indian record keeping (writing) system Caste System Rigid class hierarchy Aryans Hypothesized nomadic invaders Subcontinent Peninsula part of Asia Indus Valley Civilization Indus Valley Section 4: China Huang He River Yellow River Mandate of Heaven Right to rule China Qin Shi Huangdi Strict emperor, started the Great Wall Dynastic Cycle Ruling families rise, and fall Silk Most valuable trade textile Porcelain Valuable trade pottery Paper Technology for money or writing Oracle Bone Script Ancient Chinese record keeping (writing) system Early Civilizations Ancient China