Ancient Civilizations
Mesopotamia
Location: The author wrote "most of ancient Mesopotamia lay within the borders of modern Iraq." Also, Mesopotamia included portions of the countries Turkey, Syria, and southwestern Iran. (Steele 6) 
Writing
Architecture:On page 24 it said "Ziggurats are the lasting symbol of ancient mesopotamia." Also the ziggurats have small temples on the top. Steele (24)
Religion:
Government: The author wrote "
Art
Ancient Egypt
Location:On page 8 it said that "the ancient Egyptians lived on a strip of land on either side of the Nile." Also, the text states that in the "red land," small settlements are supported in wadis and oases, but most people live along the Nile River. (Hart 8)
Writing: On page 34 it said "scribes had to be experts in writing hieroglyphs, and elaborate form of picture-writing with about 700 different signs." Also,they deliberately kept complicated, so the scribes could keep their position. (Hart 34)
Architecture: On page 58 it said " Pyramids are the most famous place for tourists." It was a tomb used for the king.(Hart)
Religion: On page 24 it says that "they worship hundreds of gods and sometimes they forget who is who." The author also states "42 distracts," that means they worshiped in many different areas and different things. (Hart 24)
Government: In the text it said " People often bowed down and kissed the ground at the pharaoh's feet." Another example is that the ancient egyptians are a theocracy. (Hart 14)
Art: The ancient egyptians made necklaces and jewelry. Also,on page 56 the author wrote "Gold can be beaten into shape."(Hart 56)
Ancient China
Government: On page 16 it said that Zheng was the first Chinese emperor. Also the text said that he thought he would be immortal. There are thousands of terracotta soldiers guarding his tomb. (Cotterell)
Technology: On page 22 it said that "some of the world's greatest inventions came from China. Also, it said that throughout China's history emperors encouraged the development of science and technology and for centuries China was ahead of other nations. I know this because paper and printing dramatically improved communications. (Cotterell) :
Writing: On page 11, it said that the people believed when the oracle bone cracked it was a message from their ancestor. The oracle bone was a tortoise shell or ox bone. Also, it states that "cracks were then read to discover the answer to a question put to the ancestors.(Cotterell)
Commerce (Trade): On page 58 it said that "International trade thrived because caravans could travel without danger." It also says Mongol emperors controlled the entire length of the silk road. I know this because the Mongols allowed merchants to trade freely throughout the vast empire. (Cotterell)
Art: On page 56 it said that "China has always been renowned for its exquisite arts and crafts. China has many artifacts like sculptures, statues, and paintings, but one of the most famous is the terracotta soldiers that surround emperor Qin's tomb. In China luxury goods formed the major export commodities for example bronze, jade, silk, and many others. (Cotterell)
Location: On page 40 it said that "the landscape of imperial China was dotted with walled towns and cities. China also lived around the yellow river and the Yangtze river. I know this because there are a lot of rivers in China. (Cotterell)
Religion:On page 12 it said that "he believed that family relationships should be governed by mutual respect." Also, the text said that "he encouraged ancestor worship because it strengthened family loyalties. He summed up his philosophy when he said "let the prince be a prince, the minister a minister, a father a father, and son a son. (Cotterell)
Indus River Valley/Aryans
Religion: In the text it said that "Both religions have much in common and share many rituals." When it said two religions it was talking about the Aryans religion Brahmanism that later developed into Hinduism. Also, Aryans lived in ganas, these were made up of several families, ganas means "collections" (Prentice Hall:World Studies)
Government: The Aryan civilization had a great impact on how modern India lives. "For example, one Aryan influence on modern-day India was the development of the caste system." Caste is a social group in which one is born and can't change, this began because the Aryans had four social classes called Varnas. (Prentice Hall:World studies)
Architecture/technology: People in the Indus Valley had well created cities. In the text it said "The people during this time cared deeply about hygiene, and their cities resembled the importance of this idea." They had advanced sanitation systems and people got water from wells. (Prentice Hall:World Studies)
Writing: In the text it said that "One of the most confusing aspects of this ancient civilization is that the writing cannot be deciphered. " I know this because over 400 symbols can be uncovered at archeology sites. Also, some argue that these symbols might not constitute an actual writing system. (Prentice Hall:World Studies)
Location: Around 5,000 years ago a civilization developed along the Indus River alluvial plain because of large amounts of fertile land and proximity to a water resource. In the text it said that "Over time, a vast number of settlements were built on the banks of the Indus River and surrounding areas." Also, under layers and mounds of dirt archeologists found 4,000 year old cities. (Prentice Hall:World Studies)