Influential Civilization Worksheet

Question

Review your timeline carefully as you complete all parts of the worksheet.
Part 1
Write a short answer response to both questions for the first civilization you
studied. Responses should be 3–4 sentences.
Civilization #1:
1. Describe major innovations, advancements, achievements, or cultural
practices of this civilization.
2. How did these advancements or practices affect the development and growth
of the civilization? How did they affect the other civilization you selected?
Part 2
Write a short answer response to both questions for the second civilization you
studied. Responses should be 3–4 sentences.
Civilization #2:
1. Describe major innovations, advancements, achievements, or cultural
practices of this civilization.
2. How did these advancements or practices affect the development and growth
of the civilization? How did they affect the other civilization you selected?
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Part 3
If your civilizations had contact with each other:
Write a summary about how advancements or practices of one civilization
influenced the other civilization. Your summary should be about a paragraph in
length.
As you write your summary, use the following questions as a guide. Note, you
do not need to answer every question.
• How did the development of one culture influence or impact advancements or
development of the other culture?
• How did factors such as trade or migration affect the spread of cultural
practices or ideas?
• In what ways were cultural practices of one civilization adapted or adopted
by another civilization?
If your civilizations did not have contact with each other:
Write a summary about how the advancements or practices of each civilization were
similar and different. Your summary should be about a paragraph in length.
As you write your summary, use the following questions as a guide. Note, you do
not need to answer every question.
• Did these two cultures develop any technologies that were similar to each
other?
• Is there anything that these cultures did that was very different from each
other?
• Is there something that developed in one culture that would have solved a
problem for the other?

Answer 1

Part 1

Civilization #1: Ancient Egypt
1. Major innovations and advancements of this civilization include the invention of papyrus, the use of hieroglyphics for writing, the construction of monumental structures such as the pyramids, and advancements in medicine and mathematics. Cultural practices included mummification and the worship of many gods and goddesses.
2. These advancements and practices allowed for the growth and development of Ancient Egypt as a stable and prosperous civilization. The construction of monumental structures like the pyramids also demonstrated the power and wealth of the rulers of Ancient Egypt. Their cultural practices and advancements influenced neighboring civilizations, such as the Nubians, by introducing them to new technologies and religious beliefs.

Part 2

Civilization #2: Ancient Greece
1. The major innovations and advancements of this civilization were numerous in fields such as philosophy, literature, art, and science. Some key achievements include the invention of democracy, important works in literature like the Iliad and the Odyssey, and significant contributions to fields like mathematics, physics, and astronomy.
2. The advancements and cultural practices of Ancient Greece allowed for the development and growth of a unique and powerful civilization. Their influence on the world of democracy and philosophy established Greece as a significant cultural and intellectual force. Their advancements in mathematics, science, and astronomy affected civilizations around the world.

Part 3

If your civilizations had contact with each other:
Egypt and Greece did have contact with each other, as Greek soldiers under Alexander the Great invaded and occupied Egypt in the fourth century BCE.
The Greeks were influenced by the monumental architecture of the Egyptians, with some scholars arguing that the Greeks based their own temple architecture on that of the Egyptians. The Greeks also adopted and adapted the concept of mummification from the Egyptians, albeit in a different form. Cultural practices and ideas via trade and migration, such as the Greek adoption of the Egyptian goddess Isis, show that the Egyptians had a significant impact on Greek society.

If your civilizations did not have contact with each other:
Egypt and Greece developed certain technologies and practices that were similar, such as their advancements in mathematics and architecture. However, their cultural practices and religions were very different, with Ancient Greece worshiping a pantheon of gods and goddesses and Ancient Egypt practicing a polytheistic religion that revolved around the concept of life after death. While they may have had similar ideas, such as honoring the dead through monumental architecture, each culture did so in their own unique way.