Legacies of Ancient Legacies of Ancient CivilizationsCivilizations

By: Alice Chudnovsky & Fiona By: Alice Chudnovsky & Fiona ShampineShampine

Egypt - pyramids Greece - Zeus Rome - Colosseum Middle Ages - Feudalism

Geography of Egypt Geography of Egypt The geographical legacy of The geographical legacy of

Egypt has endured over Egypt has endured over time. The Egyptians used time. The Egyptians used the Nile River for drinking, the Nile River for drinking, farming, fishing and farming, fishing and traveling. The floods of the traveling. The floods of the Nile River left a layer of silt Nile River left a layer of silt which provided suitable which provided suitable land for farming. The land for farming. The Mississippi River is like the Mississippi River is like the Nile River because it is Nile River because it is used for the same used for the same purposes, and it also floods purposes, and it also floods yearly.yearly.

The Nile River

The Mississippi River

Politics of Greece Politics of Greece The political legacy of Greece The political legacy of Greece

has endured over time. In has endured over time. In Greece’s democracy, all Greece’s democracy, all citizens shared in the ruling citizens shared in the ruling power. Thus, all citizens had power. Thus, all citizens had an input as to the decisions an input as to the decisions being made by their being made by their government. The term government. The term democracy is “rule by the democracy is “rule by the people”. Greece had a direct people”. Greece had a direct democracy, meaning: every democracy, meaning: every citizen could vote on every citizen could vote on every issue. In the U.S. we also have issue. In the U.S. we also have a democracy: a representative a democracy: a representative democracy. This means that democracy. This means that we still have the opportunity we still have the opportunity to have an input on decisions to have an input on decisions made by our government. But, made by our government. But, unlike Greece, we vote on unlike Greece, we vote on representatives to represent representatives to represent us on voting issues.us on voting issues.

Democracy Symbol

U.S Voting Booth

Economics of Greece Economics of Greece (Athens) (Athens)

The economical legacy of The economical legacy of Athens, Greece has Athens, Greece has endured over time. The endured over time. The Athenian economy was Athenian economy was based solely on trade. based solely on trade. Athenians produced many Athenians produced many goods and traded them goods and traded them with other countries for with other countries for items Athens lacked. U.S. items Athens lacked. U.S. also produces many goods also produces many goods and trades them all over and trades them all over the world.the world. Trade Symbol

Economics of Greece Economics of Greece (Sparta) (Sparta)

The economical legacy of Sparta, The economical legacy of Sparta, Greece has endured over time. Greece has endured over time. Sparta’s economy relied on Sparta’s economy relied on farming and conquering other farming and conquering other people and their goods. Sparta people and their goods. Sparta discouraged trade. Since discouraged trade. Since Sparta didn’t have enough Sparta didn’t have enough land to feed its entire land to feed its entire population, Sparta used all population, Sparta used all people as military to provide people as military to provide themselves needed amounts themselves needed amounts of goods from the “war of goods from the “war trophies” got from lands they trophies” got from lands they conquered which they also conquered which they also used for extra farming land. used for extra farming land. Even now in the U. S., some of Even now in the U. S., some of our economy relies on farming.our economy relies on farming.

Farming Symbol

Conquering Symbol

Spartan Helmet

Social Relationships of the Medieval Social Relationships of the Medieval TimesTimes

The social legacy of the Medieval The social legacy of the Medieval Times has endured over time. Times has endured over time. Wealthy merchants lived in huge, Wealthy merchants lived in huge, two-floor houses. The second level two-floor houses. The second level was serving the purpose of the was serving the purpose of the family’s house quarters. The first family’s house quarters. The first level was given over to the level was given over to the business, including offices and business, including offices and storerooms. Poor people had a two storerooms. Poor people had a two or three families to a small hut. or three families to a small hut. Rich people had a room (or floor) Rich people had a room (or floor) serving every purpose. Poor people serving every purpose. Poor people slept, ate, talked, and worked in the slept, ate, talked, and worked in the same room. Right now in the U.S. same room. Right now in the U.S. there are also apartment buildings there are also apartment buildings with shops taking up the first floor with shops taking up the first floor and workers with their families and workers with their families living on the second. living on the second.

Culture of Athens, GreeceCulture of Athens, Greece

The cultural legacy of Greece The cultural legacy of Greece has endured over time. has endured over time. Athenians liked to travel. Athenians liked to travel. They were eager to spread They were eager to spread their own ideas and to learn their own ideas and to learn from others. They from others. They encouraged artists from other encouraged artists from other parts of Greece to come and parts of Greece to come and share their knowledge of art share their knowledge of art and architecture. Athenians and architecture. Athenians “traded” knowledge with “traded” knowledge with other countries. They were other countries. They were eager to spread their own eager to spread their own religion and to receive other religion and to receive other useful knowledge back. Now useful knowledge back. Now in the U.S. we also trade in the U.S. we also trade knowledge. We invent knowledge. We invent something and trade with something and trade with other countries for their other countries for their inventions.inventions.

Athenian Drama Masks

U.S. Trading Symbol

Culture of Sparta, GreeceCulture of Sparta, Greece

The cultural legacy of The cultural legacy of Greece has endured Greece has endured over time. Spartans over time. Spartans were suspicious of were suspicious of outsiders and their outsiders and their ideas. Spartans valued ideas. Spartans valued strength and simplicity. strength and simplicity. Sparta discouraged Sparta discouraged trade. It made all of its trade. It made all of its citizens military. U.S. citizens military. U.S. has the strongest has the strongest military in the world military in the world because we have a because we have a large country that large country that needs lots of needs lots of protection.protection.

Spartan Warriors

U.S. Military Symbol

History of RomeHistory of Rome

The historical legacy of Rome The historical legacy of Rome has endured over time. has endured over time. Many historians say, Rome Many historians say, Rome perished, but lived on. This perished, but lived on. This means that even though means that even though Rome physically perished, Rome physically perished, it left lots of legacies it left lots of legacies behind. For example, lets behind. For example, lets take our modern football take our modern football stadium. You think that stadium. You think that architects invented it in architects invented it in our era? Well, HA! You’re our era? Well, HA! You’re wrong. Ancient Romans wrong. Ancient Romans invented the Coliseum, invented the Coliseum, which was the ancestor of which was the ancestor of our modern football our modern football stadium.stadium.

Roman Coliseum

Modern Football Stadium

Q: How has the study of ancient Q: How has the study of ancient civilizations impact my life civilizations impact my life

today?today?A:A: First of all, it has taught us on our First of all, it has taught us on our

ancestors’ mistakesancestors’ mistakes Second of all, it shows us to be grateful for Second of all, it shows us to be grateful for

the comforts we have as opposed to the the comforts we have as opposed to the people of ancient times.people of ancient times.

ThirdThird of all, it educated us about crucial of all, it educated us about crucial parts that make up a civilization, and the parts that make up a civilization, and the evolution/development of a societyevolution/development of a society

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