A Global View: Empires of the Ancient World

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A Global View Empires of the Ancient World
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What Characteristics Were Shared by Ancient
Empires Around the World?

• Empires in
• India
• China
• Europe
• the Americas

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They had many things in common

• Most were built by Military Conquest
• Ruled by Hereditary Rulers
• Developed Powerful Central Bureaucracies
• Created Universal Legal Codes/ Laws

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They Had Many Things in Common

• Far-Reaching Trade Routes
• Large Cities
• Canals
• Highways and other Public Works

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Eastern Empires

• India - the Maurya dynasty united all the states
  along the Ganges in 300 B.C.
• The Hindu faith flourished, but after 500 B.C.
  many converted to Buddhism

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Eastern Empires

• Shi Huangdi unified Eastern China in 200 B.C.
• For most of Chinas History, the Han and other
  dynasties ruled a united China.
• Confucianism and Buddhism were the main religions.

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Classic Civilizations of Europe
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Classic Civilizations of Europe

• The Greeks built a brilliant civilization based
  on independent states
• Rome built an Empire that covered three
  continents.

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American Civilizations

• In North America, Hunters and Gatherers spread
  over the continent.
• Mexico in 500 A.D. saw the rise of the Maya,
  later the Aztecs in the 1300 - 1400s, and in
  Peru, the Incas had an even more powerful
  civilization

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Looking Ahead
Some of the empires of Europe, Asia and the
Americas became models for future generations in
centuries to come. They left behind great
monuments, mathematics, calendars, laws, and
different forms of government. Together China,
India, Greece and Rome left cultural impressions
that linger today.