River Valley Civilizations

City-state

A city and all the land around it that it controls, either by military power or other means.

River Valley Civilizations

The most powerful city-states that formed along major rivers: Nile (Egypt), Tigris/Euphrates (Mesopotamia), Indus/Ganges (India), Huang He (China).

Nile River (Egypt)

The river in Egypt where one of the earliest civilizations formed.

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia)

Rivers that supported Mesopotamian civilization in present-day Iraq.

Indus River Valley (India)

River region where the Indus Valley civilization developed.

Huang He / Yellow River (China)

Chinese river also called the Yellow River because of loess; famine-like flooding helped farming.

Loess

Wind-blown dust that gives the Huang He its yellow color and aids farming.

Irrigation

Systematic watering of land to grow crops; key adaptation by river valley peoples.

Shaduf

A simple irrigation device using a lever to lift water for fields.

Pictographs

Early form of writing using pictures.

Barley and millet (India)

Primary crops grown in India’s early river civilizations.

Grains (Middle East / Egypt / Mesopotamia)

staple crops such as wheat and barley grown across the Middle East and Nile region.

Millet (China)

A major crop grown in ancient China.

Rice (Southeast Asia)

A staple crop in Southeast Asia’s river valleys.

Monumental buildings

Large structures, often temples or government centers, built by river valley civilizations.

Egyptian Army

An example of an organized state military in ancient Egypt.

Aristocracy

Rule by the upper class, usually landowners who produced the food.

Oligarchy

Rule by a few; a governing group limited to a small elite.

Monarchy

Rule by a king or a single family.

Theocracy

Rule by religious leaders.

Plutocracy

Rule by the rich.

Democracy

Rule by the demos (the people); in early contexts often limited to male landowners.

Demos

The people; the basis of the term in democracy.

Class system

Societal division into upper, middle, and lower classes.

Trade

Development of long-distance exchange between civilizations.