For thousands of years early humans lived difficult and terrifying lives.
Survival meant a nomadic lifestyle were Paleolithic man had to constantly migrate to find food and shelter. Constant movement meant never living in one place for too long and never having a permanent home to stay in. Food was scarce and hunting often resulted in injury or even death. Saber tooth tigers, large mammoths and other animals were constant threats to survival. Cold winters and forces of nature were also dangerous and deadly for early humans. The inventions of spears, fire, and pine resin were helpful, but even they couldn’t guarantee enough food for survival.
All of that changed with the onset of the Neolithic Revolution. This revolution was the change from hunting and gathering to FARMING. Man could now form permanent settlements, grow enough food to feed a large population, diversify labor and establish specialized jobs, as well as create systems of government, writing, religion and language.
You a Paleolithic man who just discovered the Neolists (Neolithic Man). You have been observing them from afar and have decided that their way of life is better than your own. You have to decide which early river valley civilization you would like to join. Using this WebQuest you will learn the locations, achievements and daily

living conditions of each river valley civilizations. Using this information you will have to decide which civilization you would like to join.
1) First you will travel to… Mesopotamia
Use the following website to learn about the geography of the Mesopotamian
River Valley:
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/willow/mesopotamia0.gif
http://www.guitarsite.com/1998images/History/MesopotamiaM ap.gif
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/m/images/mesopot_assyr_map_lg
.jpg
Use the information to label the following pieces of information on your
Cradles of Civilization Map:
Mesopotamia
Tigris River
Euphrates River
Black Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Persian Gulf
Caspian Sea
Arabian Sea
Aral Sea
Saudi Arabia
Europe
Indian Ocean

Babylon (city)
Ur (city)
Use the following websites to learn about life in Mesopotamia. As you explore use the information you find to complete the Mesopotamia portion of your comparison chart: http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/star t_of_civilization.htm
http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/staffdev/bostain_k/FC/Fertile%20Cresce nt.html
http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/ http://www.nlcs.k12.in.us/oljrhi/brown/mesopotamia/meso.htm
2) Next you will travel to the… Nile River Valley.
Use the following website to learn about the geography of the Nile
River Valley:
http://landmarkhs.org/news/archives/socialstudies/rivervalleys
/EGYPTMAP.JPG
http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/t6prod/robertswq1_fil es/image016.jpg
Use the information to label the following pieces of information on your Cradles of Civilization Map:
Nile River Valley

Nile River
Africa
Egypt
Red Sea
Giza (city)
Thebes (city)
Use the following websites to learn about life in the Nile River Valley. As you explore use the information you find to complete your Nile River Valley
Organizer: http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_revie w/start_of_civilization.htm
http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/staffdev/bostain_k/FC/Nile%20Ri ver%20Valley.html
http://egypt.mrdonn.org/index.html
3) Next you will travel to the… Indus River Valley.
Use the following website to learn about the geography of the Indus
River Valley:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=indus+river+valley+geog raphy&qpvt=indus+river+valley+geography&FORM=IGRE
http://english.unlv.edu/worldliterature/Cultures/IndicWorld/Prehistory.html
Use the information to label the following pieces of information on your
Cradles of Civilization Map:

Indus River Valley
Indus River
India
Asia
Sri Lanka
Bay of Bengal
Harappa
Mohenjo Daro
Ganges (Ganga) River
Hindu Kush Mountains
Himalayan Mountains
Use the following websites to learn about life in the Indus River Valley. As you explore use the information you find to complete the Indus River Valley portion of your comparison chart: http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_revie w/start_of_civilization.htm
http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/staffdev/bostain_k/FC/Indus%20R iver%20Valley.html
http://india.mrdonn.org/indus.html
4) Next you will travel to the… Huang He River Valley.
Use the following website to learn about the geography of the Huang He
River Valley:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_China
http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/geography/explore/exp_set.html

Use the information to label the following pieces of information on your
Cradles of Civilization Map:
Huang He River Valley
Huang He River
China
Yangzi River
Pacific Ocean
Yellow Sea
East China Sea
South China Sea
Taiyuan (city)
Use the following websites to learn about life in the Huang He River Valley.
As you explore use the information you find the Huang He River Valley portion of your comparison chart: http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_revie w/start_of_civilization.htm
http://china.mrdonn.org/index.html
http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/staffdev/bostain_k/FC/Huang%20
He%20River%20Valley.html