Rise and Decline of Ancient Civilizations

Question: Describe how ancient civilizations emerged in various parts of the world, developed into powerful and influential states, and then declined over time. Plato once quoted, “Necessity is the mother of invention”. During the Prehistoric era, early humans needed to survive in the environment around them, thus creating close-knit nomadic hunter-gathers. With the rise of the Agricultural Revolution, early humans adapted new ways of finding food creating food surpluses that started a population boom. From farming villages to major cities, it created civilizations that once rose and fell. These civilizations created a large impact that affects today. Before the Neolithic Period, early modern humans were nomadic people that traveled

The world's first civilizations started in major rivers in Mesopotamia, on the Tigris-Euphrates valley in the Middle East, in the Nile River in Egypt, and other regions. A council of elders often ruled civilizations and more powerful governments arose that oversees large-scale projects that benefited the people. Centralized governments coordinate amounts of food that fed its citizens and projects that regulate flood control that channel water that is needed to water crops and prevent flooding. Civilizations relied on officials to help the government collect taxes as governing citizens by issuing laws, and organizing systems of defense in times of

The earliest writing systems were pictographs that varied within appearance, structure, and meanings. Some of the earliest writing systems were used in temples, where scribes recorded amounts of grain collected, as well accurate information about seasons and rituals used in practice. As time progress, the system of writing became more sophisticate within other civilizations developing more letters in their writing systems. The Egyptians developed hieroglyphics, and other writing systems. The Sumerians developed a writing system called cuneiform that was later adapted by the Assyrians and Babylonians. Ancient people developed system of mathematics, astronomy, and calendars that regulate time and know when to harvest crops. With ancient people having the ability to write, they created great feats of literature like the famous narrative poem The Epic of Gilgamesh. Ancient people like the Babylonians also developed architecture with amazing feats like ziggurats, and famous landmarks like The Hanging Gardens of