The Big Idea Activity

What makes a civilization?

Debate

Students working on the Activity

Classmates debating an issue

Plan and conduct a debate about which aspect of a culture contributes most to a civilization. Teams should choose one aspect of culture that they think is most important. Find evidence that supports your point of view. California Standard 6.1 Students describe what is known through archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution. California Standard 6.5 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of India. California Standard 6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of China.

Research RoadmapPrint the Research Roadmap. Use it to take notes and hand it in to your teacher when you make your presentation.

 

Topic Finder

Need help finding a topic? Find ideas for research on...Ancient Cultures.

Case Study

Here's an example of a topic you could choose for the Big Idea Activity: Most cultures have legends or epic poems that tell the story of the world and its people. The Ramayana was written thousands of years ago in India as a long poem about Rama, a hero who fought a demon. The Popul Vuh tells the story of the beginning of the world and Hero Twins who challenged the gods. It was originally written in hieroglyphs and told out loud. Popul Vuh was not written in its present form until a few hundred years ago. Both stories tell about gods and heroes to explain why thing are the way they are. What do ancient stories tell about the cultures of the places where they came from?

Fun Facts According to a Chinese story, there were once ten different suns that took turns lighting Earth.

 
 

Before there was writing, stories and knowledge were remembered by storytellers. Later, there were paintings and stone carvings. Still later, the written word. Make a timeline that shows different ways to save stories. Don't forget to include the computer.

Important Events in Communication

Explore an Internet Timeline

 
 

Early India

The Geography of Early India

Indian civilizations arose where water flows from the world's tallest mountains. The rivers provided people with water, transportation, and a good place to grow food.

India's First Civilizations

The culture of a region changes as different people control the land. How was the culture of the Aryans different from that of the Harapans, who lived in central India before them?

Hinduism

The Hindu religion is part of everyday life. Hindu homes have a special place set aside as a shrine where the family worships.

Buddhism

Buddhists believe that the way to find peace of mind and discover truth is to give up selfish desires. How does the concept of nonviolence affect the culture of a country?

India's First Empires

The early Indian empires encouraged research in math and science. Their scientists made many discoveries, including the existence of zero.

Early China

Exploring China's Geography

The geography of China has influenced its history. How do the mountains, deserts, and large rivers shown on the maps affect where people lived and what contact they had with other people?

Early Chinese Civilization

The early Chinese people developed several ways of thinking about the role of government. How did the rulers differ based on their philosophies?

Life in Ancient China

One way we know about ancient cultures is their written records. Check out the development of writing in ancient China at this site.

The Qin and Han Dynasties

As civilizations grow and develop, they increase trade with other groups of people. How did the Silk Road affect the civilization of China?

Central America

The First Humans in the Americas

We don't have much information about the earliest people to settle Mesoamerica. Do you think that this means they did not have an advanced culture?

The Olmecs

Much of what we know about the Olmec people is based on their sculptures and other art. What do you think was the purpose of their artworks?

The Maya

The Mayan people needed an accurate calendar for their ceremonies and rituals. Their knowledge of astronomy was based on careful observation and record-keeping.

The Mound Builders

The only history that we have of the mound builders is what has been excavated from the mounds and the area around them. How do we know that they had transportation and trade systems?