Duiker Chapter 1 Guided Reading Questions
Directions: To truly understand the information you will be reading this year, it is important for you to be actively
involved with the material. In the beginning of the year, to help you with this process, we will be providing you with
guiding questions to help you organize the textbook information. As you read the textbook, answer these guiding
questions in your own words and in complete sentences. While this may slow down the speed at which you read, this
method will help you to connect with the material and to retain the information. You are required to answer these
questions on Vision for credit, BUT you will ALSO want to bring in the typed copy of YOUR responses to these
questions on the date of the Socratic Seminar (Sept. 15/16). To answer the questions effectively by the due date, you
SHOULD read approximately 15 pages a day to complete this assignment (NOT 15 pages per class period, but 15
pages per CALENDAR day!).
Example:
Identify similarities and differences between the religions of Judaism and Zoroastrianism.
Both Judaism and Zoroastrianism began as polytheistic religions but ultimately a “supreme” or primary god was
worshipped. This was “Yahweh” in Judaism and “Ahuramazda” in Zoroastrianism. Eventually this primacy will
lead to a belief in monotheism in Judaism, but Zoroastrianism will remain more of a dualistic belief system with
Ahuramazda as the supreme god who is opposed by an evil spirit known as Ahriman. Both religions incorporated the
belief that a person’s actions and deeds will be judged as being good or evil.
1. What characteristics of human development allowed Homo sapiens sapiens to migrate and settle in vastly diverse
ecosystems and climates during the period known as the Paleolithic Age?
2. Describe the roles men and women fulfilled during the Paleolithic Age? How would you describe the relationship
between the genders?
3. What effect and/or effects did systematic agriculture have on gender relations, social classes, and economies?
4. Read the seven characteristics of civilization cited by the author. Based on what you know about early river
valley civilizations, which of these seven, in your opinion, is the most important characteristic of civilization?
What are the reasons for your ranking of this characteristic? Use specific evidence you have learned from
studying river valley civilizations both last year and as you read from the textbook.
5. What role did irrigation play in the development of civilizations? What role did the division of labor within early
civilizations play in the planning, building, and use of these irrigation systems? What effects did irrigation have
on the civilizations that developed along river valleys?
6. Go back to your choice of most important characteristic of civilization (see question 4) and provide specific
evidence that supports that characteristic within the information given on civilizations in Mesopotamia.
7. Why is the Code of Hammurabi an important primary source for historians to study? What does it tell us of
society in Mesopotamia during Hammurabi’s rule?
8. How did the geography and the environment of Mesopotamia and Egypt have similar effects on the development
of religion and/or religious practices? How did geography and the environment result in different effects on
Mesopotamian and Egyptian religions and/or religious practices? (Hint: To help you answer this question, also
read the passages from the primary sources on the upper half of page 16 and page 18).
9. What effects did writing systems such as cuneiform and hieroglyphics have on the Mesopotamian and Egyptian
civilizations? List ALL the effects!
10. Describe the similarities and differences in the purposes (or reasons for building) of ziggurats in Mesopotamia
and pyramids in Egypt.
11. Describe the role of nomadic people during this time period. How did nomads influence, borrow from, or help to
advance the settled civilizations of this time period? Include specific evidence related to the Hittites, Phoenicians,
and Hebrews.
12. Identify several factors that allowed the Assyrians to expand and control their large empire.
13. Identify several factors that allowed the Persians to expand and control their large empire