chapter 2 summary

Chapter 2 The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East and Africa CHAPTER SUMMARY Full civilizations emerged first in the Tigris-Euphrates valley, by 3500 B.C.E., and in Egypt by 3000 B.C.E. along the Nile. The two very different civilizations had distinct political and cultural characteristics which influenced both neighboring and distant succeeding generations. Both civilizations encountered difficulties around 1000 B.C.E. as the rivervalley period ended, but by then they produced offshoots in neighboring regions. Setting the Scene: The Middle East by 4000 B.C.E. The first civilizations developed through gradual agricultural consolidation and technical advance. The resulting more complex economy created the need