Chapter Two
The Spread of Civilization
3100 B.C. - 200 B.C.
3100 B.C. - 200 B.C.
How have religions begun and changed?
Summary:
The Nile River valley gave rise to Egyptian civilization, the history of which can be divided into several different periods, beginning around 3100 B.C. Egyptian social, religious, and economic life revolved around the Nile, which provided fertile farmland and a steady means of communication and travel. Between 3100 and 200 B.C., many civilizations also flourished in central and western Asia and throughout the Mediterranean world. Along the Indus and Ganges river valleys, civilizations arose at cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. Around 1500 B.C., these early Indian societies merged with other groups, resulting in a new and unique culture. In China, civilizations emerged along the Huang He and Chang Jiang, but elsewhere China’s mountains and deserts isolated the area from its neighbors. Hereditary dynasties emerged as the main ruling system, and China developed unique philosophies, political structures, and cultural traditions. Civilizations also emerged in Mesoamerica and South America, such as those of the Olmec, Zapotec, and Chavin peoples. All of these civilizations developed their own political, social, and cultural structures and helped pave the way for the great empires of future centuries.