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Achievements
• Every civilization made gains in one area or
another.
• Some invented tools we use today.
• Some developed:
– New ways of completing a task
– A new structure (building)
• Some discovered. They could have:
– Learned a new process
– Discovered a cure
– Found new land
– Discovered a new use for an old object
• In this presentation you will learn about
the achievements of some ancient
civilizations, including:
–Mesopotamia
–Egypt
–India
–China
Where is Mesopotamia?
Mesopotamian Achievements
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Used clay bricks
Invented a plow
Invented the wheel
Some basic surgeries
Math—developed a system based on the number 60
Literature like the Epic of Gilgamesh—Sumerian story
of a king
Epic of
Gilgamesh
http://www.biblehistory.com/babylonia/tab_gilgamesh.gif
Where is Egypt?
EGYTPIAN ACHEIVEMENTS
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Number system
Early geometry
Use of stone columns
360-day calendar
Listened to heart rates, make
splints, even some surgeries
Where is India?
India’s Achievements
• The Indians were great architects. They were the first
to develop the pillar structure.
• Indians introduced the concept of
zero (0) and were the first to use
Algebra to solve problems
• Indians were great astronomers. They knew that Earth:
– was round
– Rotated on an axis
– Revolved around the sun
Ancient China Achievements
• Ancient China was ruled by a series of
Dynasties or families. Each Dynasty ruled
for a certain period of time. They all had
important achievements.
Where is China located?
Qin and Sui Dynasty Achievements
Qin Dynasty’s Achievements
- created a national highway system
- set a standard for laws, writing,
weights, and measurements
- created advanced irrigation systems
- built the Great Wall of China
Sui Dynasty’s Achievements (581-618 C.E.)
- major accomplishments included building the
Grand Canal connecting north and south
China and rebuilding the Great Wall
Tang and Song Dynasties
Achievements
- movable type (wooden block letters put into a
frame to
print a page of information)
- gunpowder
- porcelain for pottery
- mechanical clock
- paper money
- magnetic compass for sailing
- use of negative numbers in math
- acupuncture for treatment of illnesses
- improvements in rice cultivation to feed more
people
As you can see, even ancient
civilizations moved forward with
technology. Those civilizations that
have the most achievements are
usually educating their people and have
a strong government. You will learn
more about the achievements of
different civilizations throughout this
course.