World History
Chapter 1 Worksheet
Name ______________________________________________ Date _______________________
Read chapter on in your world history textbook and then answer the questions below.
1. Agree or disagree with the statement listed in the Agree/disagree graph below. Provide three
pieces of evidence to justify the position that you take. You must also document where you
obtained your evidence.
Statement:
Agree/disagree
(in a complete
sentence)
Evidence
Source (of
evidence)
Evidence
Source
Evidence
Source
Humans evolved from apes.
2. List 5 distinguishing features of humans.
3. List 5 advantages to humans of being upright.
4. List 4 advantages of being able to control and use fire for humans.
5. Look at map 1.1 on page 4 of your textbook. Memorize the location of the seven continents and
the three oceans as you will be required to be able to label them on a map on the chapter test.
Then answer the following questions.
A. How did the ice age affect human migration?
B. The earth is divided into two hemispheres, the eastern and the western. The western
hemisphere is the hemisphere that is west of the Prime Meridian. The eastern
hemisphere is the hemisphere that is east of the Prime Meridian. Which hemisphere
(the eastern or the western) has more land available in the temperate zones between
the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?
C. How do you think this might have affected the development of civilization in the two
hemispheres?
6. In the graph below list the crops and animals that the inhabitants of each hemisphere were able
to domesticate
Western Hemisphere
Eastern Hemisphere
7. Compare and contrast the development of agriculture in the Western and Eastern hemispheres
in the venn diagram below.
8. List 6 consequences (results) of the Neolithic (or Agricultural) Revolution in the space below.
9. Although your textbook only lists seven features of civilization there are actually eight. The
eighth feature of civilization happens when communities work together to build structures that
will benefit everyone, such as irrigation canals, libraries, hospitals and prisons. This feature can
be summarized as public works. List the other seven features of civilization that are listed in
your book by summarizing each in one or two words in the space below.
10. Give two reasons why the first civilizations emerged in river valleys.
11. On the map below label the six rivers that civilizations first appeared on.
12. Compare and contrast the lives of the nomadic hunter gatherers with the lives of sedentary
farmers in the venn diagram below.
13. Fill out the following P.E.R.S.I.A.N. graph for the civilization that developed between the
Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.
POLITICAL
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Leaders, Elites
State Structure
War
Diplomacy, Treaties
Courts, Laws
ECONOMIC
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Type of System
Technology, Industry
Trade, Commerce
Capital/Money
Types of Businesses
RELIGIOUS
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Holy Books
Beliefs, Teaching
Conversion
Sin/Salvation
Deities
SOCIAL
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Family
Gender Relations
Social Classes
Inequalities
Life Styles
INTELLECTUAL, ARTS
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Art, Music
Writing, Literature
Philosophy
Math & Science
Education
NEAR: GEOGRAPHY
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Location
Physical
Movement
Human/Environment
Region
14. Look at map 1.2 on page 9 of your history book.
A. What are the two main rivers that create the river valley of the Fertile Crescent?
B. List the four seas and the gulf that encircle the Fertile Crescent.
C. What are the two main countries of today that the Fertile Crescent is located in?
D. List the geographic aspects of the Fertile Crescent that contributed to the area’s
unstable civilizations.
15. What two Semitic languages are still spoken today?
16. List the three main Mesopotamian civilizations and their most important ruler (if there is one) in
the order of their appearance in the graph below.
Mesopotamian Civilization
1st
2nd
3rd
17. What is the Epic of Gilgamesh about?
Ruler
18. Fill out the following PERSIAN graph for the civilization that developed along the Nile River
POLITICAL
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Leaders, Elites
State Structure
War
Diplomacy, Treaties
Courts, Laws
ECONOMIC

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Type of System
Technology, Industry
Trade, Commerce
Capital/Money
Types of Businesses
RELIGIOUS
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

Holy Books
Beliefs, Teaching
Conversion
Sin/Salvation
Deities
SOCIAL

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
Family
Gender Relations
Social Classes
Inequalities
Life Styles
INTELLECTUAL, ARTS
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
Art, Music
Writing, Literature
Philosophy
Math & Science
Education
NEAR: GEOGRAPHY
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Location
Physical
Movement
Human/Environment
Region
19. Create a five paragraph essay outline in the graph below to explain why the Nile River valley was
able to develop and maintain a stable civilization that lasted several thousand years.
Thesis statement
1st main idea
Supporting
detail
Supporting
detail
2nd main idea
Supporting
detail
Supporting
detail
3rd main idea
Supporting
detail
Supporting
detail
Closing statement
20. List the achievements of the three kingdoms of Egypt in the graph below
Kingdom
Achievements
21. What was life like in Egypt during the periods between each kingdom?
22. Compare and contrast the Hymn to Aten and Psalm 104: 12-25, 27 – 30 that are found on page
17 in the venn diagram below.
23. Fill out the following PERSIAN graph for the Children of Israel.
POLITICAL
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Leaders, Elites
State Structure
War
Diplomacy, Treaties
Courts, Laws
ECONOMIC
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Type of System
Technology, Industry
Trade, Commerce
Capital/Money
Types of Businesses
RELIGIOUS
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

Holy Books
Beliefs, Teaching
Conversion
Sin/Salvation
Deities
SOCIAL

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
Family
Gender Relations
Social Classes
Inequalities
Life Styles
INTELLECTUAL, ARTS
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
Art, Music
Writing, Literature
Philosophy
Math & Science
Education
NEAR: GEOGRAPHY
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Location
Physical
Movement
Human/Environment
Region
24. Turn to page 24 and read The Assyrian Military Machine. Then explain what Assyrian kings
seemed to feel was important for military success and why they felt it was important.
25. Fill out the following PERSIAN graph for the Persian Empire.
POLITICAL
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Leaders, Elites
State Structure
War
Diplomacy, Treaties
Courts, Laws
ECONOMIC

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


Type of System
Technology, Industry
Trade, Commerce
Capital/Money
Types of Businesses
RELIGIOUS





Holy Books
Beliefs, Teaching
Conversion
Sin/Salvation
Deities
SOCIAL





Family
Gender Relations
Social Classes
Inequalities
Life Styles
INTELLECTUAL, ARTS





Art, Music
Writing, Literature
Philosophy
Math & Science
Education
NEAR: GEOGRAPHY
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
Location
Physical
Movement
Human/Environment
Region
26. Look at the map on page 23 and list 4 ways that Persian policies overcame the difficulties of
governing a vast empire.
27. Choose two of the following civilizations, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, Assyria, or Persia to
compare and contrast in the venn diagram below.