Source: Kaplan GED Test Prep 2022–2023 by Caren Van Slyke Authority Tier: Commercial Preparation (
TIER_3_COMMERCIAL) | License: Restricted Reference (RESTRICTED) Coverage: Chapter 5: Geography and the World (Pages 1053–1077) Curriculum Standard: High School Equivalency Preparation
Kaplan Reference: Chapter 5: Geography and the World
Lesson 1: Early Civilizations
(Page 1053)
CHAPTER 5 Geography and the World Lesson 1: Early Civilizations Key Ideas Ancient civilizations developed where people could settle in one place with a secure food supply. The ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome were incubators for important ideas in modern government. Ancient civilizations also left legacies in art, architecture, science, and astronomy. One of the earliest known civilizations is ancient Egypt. By 5000 B.C.E. , - people who lived along the Nile River had begun to take advantage of the fertile soil left behind by floods. The river and irrigation systems allowed the Egyptians to grow enough food to support a large population. Around 3000 B.C.E. , Egyptian civilization grew under the rule of Egypt’s kings, or pharaohs . Believing their pharaohs to be part god, Egyptians built the famous pyramids to house these rulers in their next lives. Many who built the pyramids and did the hard work to build this civilization were slaves.